The Power of Praise

A Reflection on the Psalm for Sunday, May 4th, 2025:
Third Sunday of Easter

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R. I will extol you, Lord, for you have raised me up.

I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up, and did not let my foes rejoice over me. O Lord, you brought up my soul from Sheol, restored me to life from among those gone down to the Pit.

R. I will extol you, Lord, for you have raised me up.

Sing praises to the Lord, O you his faithful ones, and give thanks to his holy name. For his anger is but for a moment; his favour is for a lifetime. Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.

R. I will extol you, Lord, for you have raised me up.

Hear, O Lord, and be gracious to me! O Lord, be my helper! You have turned my mourning into dancing. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you for-ever.

​R. I will extol you, Lord, for you have raised me up.

Pause. Pray. Reflect.

extol: Praise enthusiastically. 

How do you praise enthusiastically? Sing! Many psalms were written as a way to praise God. And many were written to be sung. It’s possibly why we have a musical interlude between the first and second readings at Mass. After all, they say singing is praying twice. So maybe that’s why two songs came to mind as I sat with these words from Psalm 30. 

On my first read of the psalm I almost immediately heard in my head Josh Groban singing “You Raise Me Up.” This familiar ballad that speaks of the hope and strength that we have the power to give one another could so easily be a hymn. When I let the internet take me down the rabbit hole of this song’s origins, what struck me is that the song was not necessarily written or sung as a hymn – yet it has become one for both the secular world and church circles. The song has taken on a life of its own, having been recorded by 1400 artists in 50 different languages.  

In contrast, a lesser-known song also started to play in my head as I reflected further with the psalm: a new-to-me praise and worship song, called “Somebody to You,” by Christian recording artist Rachel Lampa. While the song may not have the same “star power” as “You Raise Me Up,” it has just as much impact. Click the song title to have a listen. The song clearly emphasizes that my value and worth simply ARE because I am already somebody to God. Because of that important fact I do not have to earn love and adulation from anyone – or God – by what I say or how I act. God already made me worthy.

Maybe it’s because of the context in which I first heard each of the songs that I perceived a difference – the first more secular and the second more Christian. The first is often used to praise one another, while the latter offers praise to God. God is so worthy of our praise for all He does for us, yet God is not looking for the adulation, the “fame.”  As humans we seek praise, recognition, admiration so that we are seen and heard, valued by other humans. That’s not a bad thing, but it is not THE thing. Yes, we need to value the dignity of one another, but the source of that dignity is the Lord. While both songs – and Psalm 30 – offer different sentiments, all also offer me the space to encounter and praise our God.  The space to recognize I am already somebody to God, Who gifts me my inherent value as a child of God. In knowing that, I can find the space to encourage and raise up my sisters (and brothers) in Christ so that they too can know their worth. And together we can create the space to…

 Extol you Lord, for You have raised us up! 




Aurea Sadi

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