After 9 months of silence, Zechariah spoke again (Luke 1:59-64).  His dumbness was God’s rebuke for not believing the message that his aged wife Elizabeth would have a son (Luke 1:18-22).  When God’s Word was fulfilled, the old priest gave his son the name ‘John’ in obedience to God’s command (Luke 1:13).  This act of repentance and faith was marked by God in filling him with the Holy Spirit.  His action confessed that God had been right all along, and so the Holy Spirit let him express praise and prophecy in the presence of his family.  

This narrative of moving from personal failure, self-doubt, and refusal to believe God - to a Divine rebuke, personal repentance, obedience and praise … is familiar to Bible readers.  It is the story of Abraham, Moses, Samson and David (Psalm 32:1-11).  It may well be yours too.  As with all true praise, it is impossible without gladly receiving God’s Word and submitting to it; but when we do so, the Holy Spirit fills us with a desire to praise and the words to do so (Isaiah 12:1-6).  Naturally, we are not inclined to praise God.  By ourselves we can neither see the need to praise nor be motivated to worship God for all He has done.  Without God breathing into us, we cannot breathe out in true worship – so liturgy becomes a stale repetition, hymns become sterile words strung along the line of a tune.  But when we accept the Lordship of the living God, in repentance and faith, then the Holy Spirit of God opens our hearts so that praise will come out of our lips (Psalm 51:15).

Zechariah's song shows that the primary reason for worship is that God, in His sovereign grace, has come to redeem His people (see www.crosscheck.org.uk to know more).  To speak or sing out that truth is both praise and prophecy: it is humble thanks to God, and urgent proclamation to those who need to repent.  But such truth is not welcomed by the world’s proud boasting of self-improvement.  We can never buy ourselves back from the kingdom of darkness; God had to do it for us (Ephesians 2:8-9).  Without Him we have no hope, whatever we try to achieve.  Even to understand this elementary spiritual truth, we need the Spirit's illumination.  It is the Holy Spirit who enables us to embrace it and, as we do, He enables us to proclaim it in praise.  

So, let Him keep on filling you so that you can praise Him with a full heart (Ephesians 5:18-20).  In your home and workplace, praise the Lord!  By yourself, walking, riding or driving, speak out His praise!  With other believers, speak and sing and pray - because that is what believers do with the help of the Holy Spirit.  It pleases God, encourages the saints and proclaims saving truth to the world.  It is now time to repent, obey God’s Word and welcome His Holy Spirit – so that you can praise Him and announce His salvation to a lost world.