The Encounter All that has been said so far only has value toward enabling personal encounter with God. This is the ultimate aim of any meeting. Encounter does NOT mean an emotional experience. It does NOT mean feeling good, receiving insight, knowing more about God, and so on. Praise is simply the practice of responding appreciatively toward God with one's whole person with mind, mouth, hands, until one's whole being has focus into the awesome majesty of the all glorious God of mercy.
Praise is more than thanksgiving.
It is good to give thanks for what God has done, but this is only the entrance to the path of praise. When the soul feeds upon this appreciation its faith is simply agreement with the values and purposes of the Most High. The subjectivity of our human psyche with its susceptibility to unbelief, and natural doubts cannot close the door on direct encounter with God. Encounter is not a feeling of faith, either in the individual or in the general climate of a congregation. The act of praise is a deliberate denial of doubt.