No. "Praise" is NOT just a worship word.
1. expression of admiration: words that express approval or admiration, e.g. for somebody's achievements or for something's good qualities
Sorry, politicians and “praise” don’t work.
Use the word “approval” and you get serious attention.
People “praise” God.
Serious “kudos” are nice too.
Obama has been given “praise”. Did he deserve it? What has he done that is “praise worthy”?