Let everything that has breath, praise the Lord
Praise the Lord
Let everything that has breath, praise the Lord
Praise the Lord
Bulie ya elu
Lift him up
Bulie ya eh eh elu
Lift him up, up
Bulie ya elu
Lift him up
Bulie ya eh eh elu
Lift him up, up
Bulie ya elu
Lift him up
Bulie ya elu
Lift him up
I'll praise in the valley
Praise on the mountain
I'll praise when I'm sure
Praise when I'm doubting
I'll praise when outnumbered
Praise when surrounded
'Cause praise is the waters
My enemies drown in
As long as I'm breathing
I've got a reason
To praise the Lord
Oh my soul
Oh my soul
Oh my soul
We will praise the Lord
Oh my soul
Was in the back of the line
Father, you showed up on time
You keep on blowing my mind
Showing me sign after sign
Lord, I know that you're able
'Cause you preparing a table
When my life was unstable
Now, I've got to be grateful
Praise You in ups
Praise You in downs
Praise You when things fall to the ground
Praise You in joy
Praise You in pain
Praise You 'cause You're forever the same
So, I will sing of your greatness
'Cause I want the whole world to hear this
Praise the Lord
Oh my soul
Praise the Lord
Oh my soul
I won't be quiet
My God is alive
How could I keep it inside?
We're gonna praise the Lord
Oh my soul
Everybody, dance, dance
Bulie ya elu
Moving my feet, I'll praise
Bulie ya eh eh elu
Clapping my hands, I'll praise
Bulie ya elu
Air in my lungs, I'll praise
Bulie ya eh eh elu
I'll praise
I'll praise
I'll praise
Bulie ya elu
Moving my feet, I'll praise
Bulie ya eh eh elu
Clapping my hands, I'll praise
Bulie ya elu
Air in my lungs, I'll praise
Bulie ya eh eh elu
I'll praise
I'll praise
I'll praise
Praise 'cause You're sovereign
Praise 'cause You reign
Praise 'cause You rose and defeated the grave
I'll praise 'cause You're faithful
Praise 'cause You're true
Praise 'cause there's nobody greater than You
I'll praise 'cause You're sovereign
Praise 'cause You reign
Praise 'cause You rose and defeated the grave
Praise 'cause You're faithful
Praise 'cause You're true
Praise 'cause there's nobody greater than You
Praise the Lord
Oh my soul
Everybody, come on and praise the Lord
Oh my soul
Praise the Lord
Oh my soul
You can't stop this praise inside
There's no way that I can hide
You can't stop this praise inside
Inside
Talk it
They know
I walk, I praise
Live for Him and that's all my days
Going up 'cause when it's down, we praise
Even in sickness, can't stop my praise
And Your goodness and mercy made we
I sing for the King that's every day
Shout-out to the Lord. My hands raise
Let everything that has breath, sing praise
Let everything that has breath, praise the Lord
Just praise the Lord
Let everything that has breath, praise the Lord
Praise the Lord
Bulie ya eh eh elu
Praise (Lift Him Up)
Song Meaning
Jonathan Traylor opens with a direct quote from the Psalms — "let everything that has breath, praise the Lord" — before moving into a repeated call-and-response phrase, "bulie ya elu," that functions as its own kind of praise even without translation. The song doesn't need every listener to know the phrase's origin to feel its weight.
The verses refuse to limit praise to good circumstances: "I'll praise in the valley, praise on the mountain... praise when outnumbered, praise when surrounded." That list keeps expanding rather than settling for one easy example, ending on the plainest version of the claim: "praise You in joy, praise You in pain, praise You 'cause You're forever the same."
Job said almost the identical thing after losing everything — the Lord gives and the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord — and the psalmist's call for "everything that has breath" to praise leaves no circumstance exempt. The bridge's claim that God "rose and defeated the grave" grounds all that repetition in something specific rather than leaving praise as a mood with no object.