Day 339: Prayer of Praise

Prayer of praise is entirely disinterested and rises to God, lauds him, and gives him glory for his own sake, quite beyond what he has done, but simply because HE IS. CCC 2649

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses prayers of praise to God for Who He Is. We see these kinds of prayers all throughout Scripture, most especially in the Psalms like those in the 8th, 103rd, & 150th. In the New Testament too God is praised multiple times, with canticles like Mary's Magnificat (Lk 1:46-55) and Zechariah's Benedictus (Lk 1:68-79), to prayers of praise in the Epistles like those of St. Paul (e.g. Rom 11:33-36), and finally heavenly praise in Revelation (Rev 4:11). This form of prayer "shares in the blessed happiness of the pure of heart who love God in faith before seeing him in glory" and we "bear witness that we are children of God" (CCC 2639). Even in our worst of times, when we feel the lowest and like no one cares, God is worthy of praise from us: "The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord" (Job 1:21).

The Catechism Compendium summarizes what the prayer of praise is:

Praise is that form of prayer which recognizes most immediately that God is God. It is a completely disinterested prayer: it sings God’s praise for his own sake and gives him glory simply because he is. (#556)

The Catechism Companion Vol III has some good commentary on this:

The Eucharist is a participation in the Son's sacrifice to the Father... "Faith is pure praise" (CCC 2642). When we ask God for things in prayer, this helps us to unite our lives with the saints in heaven, who are interceding for us. Prayers of praise can help to strengthen our faith. Prayers of praise should become a regular part of our day. They can transform us and deepen our relationship with God. (p. 194)