Sing someone's praises

Origin

The core concept of 'singing praises' has deep roots in ancient religious traditions, especially in the Hebrew Bible and Christian scriptures, where psalms and hymns are often described as 'songs of praise' offered to God. This tradition of fervent, almost musical exaltation for a deity naturally extended to expressing high commendation for human beings. With the widespread translation and reading of the Bible into English, particularly the King James Version in the 17th century, the phrase became deeply embedded in the language. It wasn't long before 'sing someone's praises' emerged, evolving from its strictly religious context to refer to vocally expressing strong admiration for any individual's virtues or achievements, reflecting a heartfelt, almost hymn-like appreciation.