Psalm 150
Notes
Transcript
A lot of books will have an epilogue at the end, where it summarizes, or wraps up the story.
Psalm 150 is a kind of epilogue for this Hebrew Hymnal.
It summarizes the entire book of Psalms with it’s over arching theme of praising the Lord.
Here the Psalmist encourages the entire earth to lift up their voices to praise the Lord.
One commentator said, “It is an exciting, exuberant song that beats with the rhythm of joy, wonder, and adoration of God.”
I couldn’t have described it better.
In Psalm 150 we see a call to Praise ye the Lord, Hallu yah - hallelujah.
We see three main questions answered in these verses…Who should praise, Why we should praise, and How we should praise.
So first let’s look at:
I. Who Should Praise Him
I. Who Should Praise Him
1 Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary: Praise him in the firmament of his power.
The first thing mentioned in this call to praise is the sanctuary.
This being the Tabernacle, most likely at the time of writing, but would be just as applicable to the temple, and to the church of today.
All of those who enter His sanctuary need to praise God.
We need to set aside the cares of this life, and praise the Lord!
We all have struggles, we all have troubles, we all have griefs.
But when we enter the sanctuary, we need to be purposeful in our thoughts and feelings here.
We need to come to Him with praise, and an open heart to hear from Him.
You might say, “I don’t feel like praising Him right now, I can’t see how I could praise God in my situation.”
This is where faith must enter.
By faith, knowing what we know about God
He is here
He is listening
He loves you
He is trying to mold you
Knowing by faith this and so much more…we can purposefully turn to God in praise, and praise Him!
The second portion of this verse says, “Praise him in the firmament of his power.”
The word translated firmament means expanse.
It is an all inclusive, spread out thing.
It speaks to the earth, and heaven and all that is in the firmament combined.
It is a call for every thing to praise the Lord for His power.
It is a reference to His creative power which created the firmament.
There is no one, and no thing exempt from the inclusion of this verse.
We are called upon to Praise the Lord.
So we have answered this first question…Who Should Praise Him, let’s go to the second question...
II. Why Should We Praise Him
II. Why Should We Praise Him
2 Praise him for his mighty acts: Praise him according to his excellent greatness.
Here are seen two reasons why everyone on earth and in heaven should praise the Lord.
First, because of His mighty acts.
Creation
Sustaining
Revelation
Preservation
Salvation
Sanctification
Provision
Forgiveness
and the list could go on and on.
His mighty acts are beyond limit.
Then secondly the Psalmist tells us why we should praise Him, ..
Praise him according to his excellent greatness.
The word excellent comes from a Hebrew word indicating a large number, or an abundance, numerous.
The Word greatness speaks to his majesty and greatness.
Our praise is to be equal to His greatness…we have a long ways to Go!
The Lord is unparalleled in greatness.
No person or being can compare with Him!
God’s own attributes are seen in His very names.
They bear testimony to how great a God we serve!’
He is able to do for us far more than we can ever imagine!
20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
No one can compare to him!
6 Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O Lord; Thou art great, and thy name is great in might.
He is above all and over all!
11 Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all.
We cannot begin to understand all that He is doing, His ways are higher than our ways!
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are my ways higher than your ways, And my thoughts than your thoughts.
He is so beyond our understanding of greatness, and yet He cares about us!
The very idea that Someone so vast and wonderful would care about us, much less call us family!
1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
So we have seen Who should Praise Him
We have seen Why should we Praise Him
Now let’s answer the question:
III. How Should We Praise Him
III. How Should We Praise Him
3 Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: Praise him with the psaltery and harp.
4 Praise him with the timbrel and dance: Praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
5 Praise him upon the loud cymbals: Praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.
One thing is obvious, God wants us to use Music to praise Him!
Anything that can make a sound, it would seem should be used to praise him.
But all of these instruments mentioned have a sound that encourages joy and praise.
We ought to use anything we can to praise him with joyful sounds, and joyful dancing.
The Apostle John saw in his vision, in Revelation, that the primary way that we will praise God in Heaven is through music.
9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;
12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
14 And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.
3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
1 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.
2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.
3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.
4 Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.
We ought to be creating a little heaven on earth here!
Praise the Lord!
The psalmist mentions specifically:
the trumpet - shofar - a ram’s horn
a psaltry - a harp or lyre a stringed instrument.
a harp - a harp with a built in acoustical chest or board. Think something akin to a guitar, or a violin.
Josephus, Jewish historian said that it was played with a Plectrum (pick).
Modern Hebrew word Kinnor is the word for violin.
Timbrel - tambourine
Stringed instruments - This more speaks to a group of stringed instruments - we might think of a string section of an orchestra, but most likely not so large.
organs - flute - a long, slim tube with holes in it to finger while blowing. - could include things like a pan flute as well.
cymbals - loud cymbals - the Hebrew word selslim refers to one or two circular, concave brass plates that create musical sound when struck.
There is a repetition for this one, described the second time as the high sounding cymbals.
He then in verse 6 comes to the pinnacle of instruments, our voice.
6 Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.
If you are breathing God’s air today, you ought to be praising God with it!
Let Every thing that hath breath praise the Lord!
Pg 21 - Doxology