Lyrics
[Verse 1]
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
[Chorus]
As long as I'm breathing
I've got a reason to
Praise the Lord, oh my soul
Praise the Lord, oh my soul
[Verse 2]
I'll praise when I feel it,
and I'll praise when I don't
I'll praise 'cause I know
You're still in control
'Cause my praise is a weapon,
it's more than a sound
Oh, my praise is the shout
that brings Jericho down
[Chorus]
As long as I'm breathing
I've got a reason to
Praise the Lord, oh my soul
Praise the Lord, oh my soul
I won't be quiet, my God is alive
So how could I keep it inside?
Praise the Lord, oh my soul
[Bridge]
I'll 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
[Chorus]
As long as I'm breathing
I've got a reason to
Praise the Lord, oh my soul
Praise the Lord, oh my soul
I won't be quiet, my God is alive
So how could I keep it inside?
Praise the Lord, oh my soul
Video
Meaning & Inspiration
The song frames praise as something deeper than a feeling. The first verse pairs opposites—valley and mountain, certainty and doubt, being outnumbered and surrounded—to show that worship is not conditioned on circumstances. Praise is described as “waters” that overwhelm enemies, a vivid picture of spiritual victory through declaring God's worth rather than through visible strength.
The chorus borrows the psalmist's language, “Praise the Lord, O my soul,” and ties it to the simple fact of breathing. Life itself becomes the reason to worship. The second verse goes further, calling praise a weapon and connecting it to the shout that brought Jericho's walls down. That image suggests that singing to God can break what seems impenetrable.
The bridge shifts to the ground of praise: God's sovereignty, reign, resurrection, and faithfulness. Because Christ defeated the grave, praise is not empty optimism but a response to something already true. The song's repeated “I won't be quiet” carries the sense that awareness of God's aliveness makes silence impossible.