Praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner, for it was not sent him of the Lord.
Read Chapter 15
Athanasius the Apostolic
AD 373
Therefore, although wicked people press forward to keep the feast and praise God as though they were at a feast and intrude into the church of the saints, yet God confutes them, saying to the sinner, "Why do you speak of my decrees?" And the gentle Spirit rebukes them, saying, "Praise is not attractive in the mouth of sinners," neither does sin have anything in common with the praise of God; for the sinner has a mouth speaking perverse things, as the proverb says, "The mouth of the wicked answers evil." For how is it possible for us to praise God with an impure mouth, since things that are contrary to each other cannot coexist? "For what communion has righteousness with iniquity, or what fellowship is there between light and darkness?" So exclaims Paul, a minister of the gospel. Thus it is that sinners, and all those who have alienated themselves from the catholic church, heretics and schismatics, since they are excluded from glorifying God with the saints, cannot properly even continu...
The old song sings about sexual lust, the new song sings of divine love. If your song is moved by lust, then you are singing an old song. Let the words of the new song resonate in your mouth, but if you are sinner there is no such thing as beautiful praise on your lips. It is best to be renewed and chastened than to continue singing the same old song. If, in fact, you have become a new person, even if you remain silent and your singing never reaches human ears, your heart elevates the new inner song so that it reaches the ear of God who has restored you. You love, and, even if you are silent, your love is itself a voice that sings to God. - "Expositions of the Psalms 95.2"
What did the Savior say to the devil? "And Jesus ordered him, "Be silent, and come out of this man." " Truth does not need false confirmation. "I have not come to be recognized by your testimony but to cast you out of one of my creatures. "A compliment from a sinner is unseemly." I have no need of the testimony of one to whom I wish every kind of suffering. Be quiet. Your silence itself praises me. I do not want your voice to praise me, but your torment. Your every suffering honors me. Should I be happy that you praise me? No, I am happy that you go. "Be silent, and come out of this man." " It is as though he said, "Get out of my house. What are you doing in my dwelling? I want to enter. You, be silent and leave this man, this rational being. Come out of this man: leave to me this dwelling prepared for me. The Lord wants his own dwelling: leave this man, therefore, this rational being." - "Homilies on Mark 2"
Of those then who seem to acquire some show of knowledge or of those who while they devote themselves diligently to reading the sacred volume and to committing the Scriptures to memory, yet do not leave behind carnal sins, it is well said in Proverbs: "As a golden ring in a swine"s snout, so is the beauty of an evil-disposed woman." For what does it profit someone to gain the ornaments of heavenly eloquence and the most precious beauty of the Scriptures if by clinging to filthy deeds and thoughts he destroys it by burying it in the foulest ground or defiles it by the dirty wallowing of his own lusts? For the result will be that which is an ornament to those who rightly use it is not only unable to adorn them but becomes dirty by the increased filth and mud. For "from the mouth of a sinner praise is not attractive." In fact, the prophet says about souls like this, "Why do you declare my righteous acts and take my covenant in your lips?" They never possess in any lasting way the fear of ...
