Whole Heart

When you need to remember — that You're still my Shepherd.

You can give God most of your praise, most of your attention, most of your willingness — and notice that "most" has been the operative word for a while. There are corners you have been keeping for yourself. Praise that comes from a partial heart sounds different than praise that comes from a whole one, and you can hear the difference even when nobody else can. You do not need to perform a louder version of half-praise. You need the honest prayer to bring the whole heart in.

This one opens with the commitment most of us avoid: "Praise the Lord! I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright and in the congregation." Whole heart, not half. Public, not private. The kind of declaration that lets witnesses notice the difference. Then the reasons: "The works of the Lord are great, sought out by all who have pleasure in them. His work is honorable and glorious, and His righteousness endures forever." Whole-heart praise is grounded in observable, glorious work — not a mood. Then the catalog: "He has made His wonderful works to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and full of compassion. He has given food to those who fear Him; he will ever be mindful of His covenant." He remembers the covenant; you remember the works. Memory holds praise upright. Then the line that anchors His character: "The works of His hands are truth and justice; all His precepts are sure. They stand fast forever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness." His precepts do not move. They are truth and justice, all the way down. The famous close pulls everything together: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever." Whole-heart praise produces fear of the Lord which produces wisdom. The corners you have been holding back are exactly where wisdom has been waiting to grow.

• Right now, name one specific corner of your heart you have been holding back from Him — and pray: "I will praise the Lord with my whole heart" and mean the word "whole." • Write this down: "Where has 'most of me' been functioning like 'all of me' so I never had to bring the rest?" • Repeat this line when partial praise creeps back in: "I will praise the Lord with my whole heart."

Stop. Breathe. Let the difference between "most" and "whole" come into focus. Then tell Him exactly which corner you want to bring in today — out loud if you can.

God, I have been giving You "most" for too long, and we both know it. Forgive me for the corners I have been keeping back as if they did not show. I will praise You with my whole heart — including the parts I have been hiding because they did not feel ready. Make me wise in the way only the fear of the Lord makes anyone wise. Let Your praise endure in me forever, because Your works do. You're still my Shepherd.

Whole-heart praise is where wisdom finally has room to grow.