Choose a topic from Part 2B:

91. Oral Praise of God

1. We use words of the lips when we speak to God, not for thepurpose of making known our thoughts to One who knows thembetterthan we do ourselves, but to stir ourselves and ourhearers to reverence for God. We need to praise God with our lips,not for His sake, but for our own. In Psalm 62 it is written:"My mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips."

2. And it is just and right that the voice of man should praiseGod, not alone in the spoken word, but also in song. The use ofmusic in praising God is a means for stirring reverence for him andemploying the feelings in his service; it is certainly suitablethat, to such music, there should be set the words of a hymn orsong or psalm.

"God gives us some things, as the beginning of faith, even when we do not pray. Other things, such as perseverance, he has only provided for those who pray."
St Augustine

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"God looks neither at long nor beautiful prayers, but at those that come from the heart."
The Cure D'Ars

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"Let persons in the world sanctify themselves in their own houses, for neither the court, professions, or labour, are any hindrance to the service of God."
St Philip Neri

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