Once upon a time, there was a factory...an office...a place of work.  There, we find a very diligent, hard-working individual named Matty.  We arrive at a time when a major project has just completed, whose great success is due largely to the efforts of this one individual.  It is, therefore, no surprise to find the workers assembled by the Boss for a special recognition ceremony.  After introductory--and no doubt, long-winded--comments, the Boss singles out Matty to express his appreciation.  What does he say?  Let us draw near and listen...

Taking Matty's hand, the Boss says, "I'd like to praise you for your wonderful work.  Praise you, Matty!  Praise you!"  Turning to the assembled workers, he says, "I'd like you all to praise Matty for all the effort and the great success of this project.  So, let's all join in and together, praise Matty."  "Come on, now!"  "Praise Matty!"  "Praise Matty!"  "Praise Matty!"

And in unison and with a great cry, the workers shout joyfully:  "Praise Matty!  Praise Matty!  Praise Matty!"

And so, throughout the rest of the day, whenever the workers happened to remember Matty, they would affirm their remembrance with the happy refrain, "Praise Matty!"

Considering current behavior among most of those claiming to be Christians today, the above scenario may not appear to have anything wrong.  But hopefully, applying their behavior to a human, everyday situation will serve to demonstrate the irrational nature of such behavior.  "Praise the Lord!"  "Praise Him in the Morning!"  "Praise Him in the noontime!"  "Praise Him when the sun goes down!"  "Halleluia! Praise the Lord!"  So the words are uttered, repetitiously, religiously, ritually, without rational thought as to what they mean.  And so, having repeated the words, the speakers and singers believe they have done what the words say.

We might well wonder if Matty would feel pleased, or a bit bewildered and confused.  More pertinently, if you were in Matty's place, how would you feel?  What would you think of your Boss's and co-workers' behavior?  At the very least, hopefully you would feel uneasy.  And, if you would feel uneasy, imagine how God must feel or what He must think.  Further, consider how Matty (or yourself) would feel, if the Boss urged Matty's co-workers to, "Praise the worker!"  "Praise the worker!"  "Praise the worker!" and the co-workers responded in similar fashion.  Would Matty think that they had forgotten who he/she was?  Had forgotten his/her name?  Yet, what difference is there when believers repetitiously proclaim, "Praise the Lord!"  "Praise the Lord!"

Just what does the word, "halleluia" mean?  Of course, most people think it means, "praise" or "praise the Lord" or, more literally, "praise Yah(weh)".  Actually, while not totally false, such explanations are not very accurate or helpful.

So, if it is a command, we'd better find out what exactly we are being required to do.  That is, if we are at all concerned with being obedient.  But, what does it mean, "to praise"?  It should be crystal clear, that whatever else it may mean, it does not mean to repetitiously repeat the word, "praise" or "halleluia", any more than the words "eat your food"--repetitiously repeated--mean "to consume food" by such redundant vocalizations.  No.  To praise means to bear (vocal) testimony or witness concerning someone's or something's good character or nature, or their good behavior or actions.  (The opposite would be to criticize them, i.e. to tell of their rotten character or lousy behavior or actions.  But of course, we don't go around criticizing such "bad apples" by repeatedly saying, "Criticize them!"  "Criticize them!"  "Oh, Criticize them!")

Surprisingly (or not), this is exactly what we find the Psalmist doing.  For instance, in Psalm 147, immediately after the command to Praise Yah, we find the psalmist doing exactly that.  Yah builds, he gathers, he heals, he binds, he...  Get the idea?  Specific examples of what Yah has done, or what Yah is like (merciful, gracious, loving, patient, etc.) are testified to.  That is what "Praise Yah!" means.

So, let us not follow the examples of unbelievers by uttering repetitious prayers (Mt 6:7), which are religiously ritual and lacking faith.  Likewise, let us not repetitiously utter words in a religiously ritualistic manner, lacking reason, thinking that such emptiness praises the living God and communicates to others how stupendous and wonderful He really is!  Let us rather, obey the command and follow the psalmist's many examples.