It would be difficult to overstate the importance of praise in the life of the believer. In this passage, we see that the praises of God's people directly affect the outpouring of his blessings, and the impact of our witness to the world. It is surely no accident that God chose the tribe of Judah - which means "praise" in Hebrew - to lead his people into battle (Num. 10:14), produce the kings over his inheritance (Gen. 49:10), and finally give birth to the Messiah (Heb. 7:14).
Elsewhere in Scripture, we find that Jehoshaphat miraculously won a battle when the singers in his army began to praise the Lord, with angelic hosts causing their enemies to destroy one another before the Israelites even reached the field (2 Chr. 20:22). Paul and Silas, beaten and locked in a dungeon, were set free by an earthquake when they prayed and sang praises to God (Acts 16:25-26), which led to the salvation of their jailer and his whole family. Jonah was released from the whale's belly after he repented and turned to praise the Lord (Jon. 2:9-10), and a great revival among the Ninevites followed.
God does not need our praises, nor does He send his blessings to reward us for saying the right words. Rather, as we praise Him for who He is despite our circumstances, we create an atmosphere of faith in which his Spirit can move. The more fully we exalt Him, the more completely his power is free to work on our behalf.
All Scripture references from KJV. Commentary ©2012 Hitchcock Family Ministry. Unaltered text may be reproduced freely without financial gain. Original commentary and Scripture song available at http://www.freescripturesongs.org/let-the-people-praise-thee.