iPraise

^{Psalm 18:1-3
1}I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.
 ²The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
 ³I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.

Praise is what you do. There are 5 different praisers:

1. Conditional praisers - They praise according to their condition.

2. Thankful praisers- They praise God anytime He does something for them.

3. Prophetic praisers - They praise God for what they believe is on the way. They believe God will work it
    out even it if is their fault they are in the jam they are in. We can't complain. We have to praise God.

4.Just because praisers - They praise God just because He is worthy. If God doesn't do anything else He has
   done enough.

Let's look at Daniel's response when he was asked to worship an idol.

Daniel 3:15-18
¹⁵ Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?”
¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. ¹⁷ If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. ¹⁸ But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”

Whatever you do, don't lose your praise.

5. Crazy praisers - They praise God for anything even when they receive bad news.

God is your:

Rock

Psalm 18:2
² The LORD is my rock....

God is your rock; unmovable, unshakable. He adds stability in your life. A set back is a set up. God will give you double for your trouble.

Psalm 91:1
¹ He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
         Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
Matthew 16:18¹⁸ And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

Fortress:

Psalm 18:2
...and my fortress...

A fortress is an exceptional place of security. You can't be touched and taken out by a demon. God will get the last laugh. God is hiding us from some things. You may be single because God is hiding you from heartache. You didn't get the job because God is hiding you from something.

1 Cor 2:9
⁹ But as it is written:

      “ Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
      Nor have entered into the heart of man
      The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

You have desired to have fame. Be grateful that you are not because there are things that God needs to remove from you. God is still working on you and others. Thank God for being a work in progress. Don't look down upon others because you have fallen into things but you were not exposed.

There is a difference between holy and unholy, clean and unclean. Somebody has to make it. People are depending on you.

Buckler:

Psalm 18:2
...my buckler...

God has a seat belt called mercy. If if it weren't for the blood of Jesus we would be in a mess. We are in grace and if He wasn't our buckler we would be in trouble.

High tower:

Psalm 18:2
and my high tower.

He is elevating you seven now. You stand above and ahead of your enemies. He's worthy to be praised.

Matt 19:30
³⁰ But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

Ephesians 3:20
²⁰ Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,

Acts 16:25-26
²⁵ But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. ²⁶ Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.

Paul and Silas praised God and while doing so they were freed from the jail. Don't lose your praise!