Among
Christians, the way of greeting each other can differ. Some believers choose to
greet one another with the phrase “Praise the Lord,” while others prefer more
common salutations such as “Hello,” “Good morning,” or “Hey, how are you?”.
This variation raises the question of why certain Christians do not use “Praise
the Lord” as a greeting.
For some, the
avoidance of “Praise the Lord” as a casual greeting stems from the belief that
God’s praise should be a constant presence on the lips of every Christian, as
encouraged in the Scriptures (see Psalms 92:1, 147:1).
The holiness
of God is a central theme in Christian faith. Isaiah 6:1-5 vividly illustrates
both God’s holiness and humanity’s response to it—when the prophet Isaiah
encountered God, his immediate reaction was to confess his own unworthiness and
sinfulness, recognising that he did not deserve to behold a holy God. In a
similar way, Christians are called to live lives in response to the
overwhelming holiness of God.
This attitude
of reverence is also reflected in Jewish tradition. For example, Jews often
write the names of God and Lord as “G‑D”
and “L‑rd”
respectively, deliberately omitting certain letters. This practice is out of
deep respect for the holy name of God, to prevent the possibility that the
written name might be defaced, erased, or destroyed accidentally.
Apostolic Greetings in the Early Church
Looking at
the greetings used by the apostles in the New Testament, a pattern of
thoughtful, meaningful salutations emerges. Apostle Paul consistently greeted
the churches with, “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord
Jesus Christ!” In contrast, Apostle James simply used the term, “Greetings.”
Apostle Peter chose, “May grace and peace be yours in full measure!” These
examples show a variety of ways to greet, each imbued with depth and
significance.
The Importance of Reverent Praise
While it is
true that Christians are encouraged to praise God at all times, such praise
ought to be offered with sincere reverence and deep respect. This is because
God is supremely great, holy, glorious, wise, powerful, loving, merciful, and
faithful. The concern, therefore, is that using “Praise the Lord” in a routine
or casual manner might risk trivialising or diluting the sacredness of praising
God. Thus, for some, not using the phrase as a standard greeting is a way of
preserving the significance of worship and ensuring that praise is always
intentional and heartfelt.
Conclusion: Embracing Diversity with Reverence
Christianity’s
many denominations bring about a beautiful diversity in worship practices,
including greetings. While it is perfectly acceptable to greet another believer
with “Praise the Lord,” it is vital to ensure that such expressions are always
rendered with the utmost respect and reverence due to God. The key is not
uniformity in greeting but a shared commitment to honouring God in every aspect
of worship, including how Christians address one another.
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