******PSALMS 150:1-6

Let All Things Praise the Lord

150 Praise[a] the Lord!

Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty [b]firmament!

2 Praise Him for His mighty acts; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!

3 Praise Him with the sound of the [c]trumpet; Praise Him with the lute and harp! 4 Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes! 5 Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with clashing cymbals!

6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

[d]Praise the Lord!

(150:1–6) Introduction: many books end with what are called epilogues or afterwords. An epilogue or afterword is a brief section at the end of a book in which the content is summarized, observations are made, or a challenge is issued. Psalm 150 is an afterword, of sorts, for the inspired Hebrew hymnal of Psalms. It summarizes the entire book of Psalms, emphasizing its theme of praising the LORD. It then offers instructions pertaining to this theme and issues a challenge to every created being. It is an exciting, exuberant song that beats with the rhythm of joy, wonder, and adoration of God. This is, Celebrate the Majestic Glory of God Along with His Mighty Works, 150:1–6.

1. Praise the LORD—the only true God (vv. 1–5).

2. Call upon every creature that has breath to praise the LORD—both in heaven and earth (v. 6).

1 (150:1–5) Praise the LORD—the only living and true God.

Psalm 150 begins and ends with a call for every living being to praise the LORD, the only living and true God. The LORD (Yah, a shortened form of Yahweh or Jehovah), God’s covenant name, is the name by which God relates to His redeemed people. God (El) is the name by which He relates to His entire creation. One day every created being will bow to worship God and Jesus Christ (Is. 45:23; Ro. 14:11; Ph. 2:10–11).

a. Who should praise Him (v. 1).

Highlighted first in this triumphant hymn of praise is who should praise the LORD. Stated briefly, all of creation should exalt Him. This includes everyone on earth, as referred to by His sanctuary. The whole earth, even the universe, is the sanctuary of God’s presence. But, in particular, the sanctuary refers to God’s temple, the place where worship was centered in Israel (Ps. 63:2). The New Testament equivalent of the Old Testament temple is the church, which the Apostle Paul identified as God’s house (1 Ti. 3:15). Just as in the Old Testament, God still desires that His people come together to worship Him (He. 10:25).

The LORD is also to be praised by every being in heaven—human and angelic (He. 12:22–23). The firmament (raqia) is the “great expanse [of the sky,] the literal sky that stretches from horizon to horizon (Ge. 1:6–20)”.1 Scripture declares that the heavens testify of God’s glory: His power is so clearly seen in their wonder and beauty. (PS. 19:1–6).

b. Why we should praise Him (v. 2).

The psalmist proceeded to cite two reasons why everyone in earth and heaven should praise the LORD. First, because of His mighty deeds: all that He has done. God’s wondrous works include the marvels of creation as well as the miraculous feats He has performed for His people. God’s greatest work of all is surely His work of redemption. Nothing compares to the great sacrifice He made because of His immeasurable love for humanity. No miracle He has ever performed equals the wonder of a life transformed by God’s grace and power.

Second, God should be praised because of His excellent or surpassing greatness: who He is. The LORD is unparalleled in greatness. No person or being can compare to Him. In addition to His works, God’s names and divine attributes bear testimony to His greatness. In his prayer upon receiving the offering to build the temple, David attempted to express just how great the Lord is:

“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. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name” (1 Chr. 29:11–13).

c. How we should praise Him (vv. 3–5).

The psalmist went on to describe how we should praise the LORD. We should worship God with inspiring music and joyful dancing. In relating His vision of heaven, the Apostle John revealed that music is the primary medium of praise in heaven. The music there includes both instruments (Re. 5:8; 8:6–12) and singing (Re. 5:9–14; 14:3; 15:1–4).2 On earth, the LORD is also to be praised using instruments. The psalmist mentioned specifically …

• the trumpet the shofar or ram’s horn—harp, and lyre (v. 3)

• the timbrel or tambourine (v. 4a)

• the string instruments and flute (v. 4b)

• the clashing and resounding cymbals (v. 5)

By no means is this intended to be a complete list of instruments to be used in worship. It represents the primary instruments of that time and culture. Today, we have many instruments in addition to these. Music and instruments vary from culture to culture. “The issue is not what instruments we use; the issue is why we use them and how we use them.”3

As mentioned in the previous chapter, the dance of Old Testament times was neither sensual nor romantic, not like the worldly, seductive dancing of this day and time. It was the people’s physical expression of joy and praise to God. Some dancing was spontaneous, while some was planned and rehearsed. None of the dancing was for show though, and all of it was holy, because it was all offered to the LORD as a form of worship.

Although not mentioned specifically, these verses pulsate with joy. Music and dancing are both means of expressing joy. As they are offered to God in worship, they should pour forth out of grateful, adoring hearts that are overflowing with the joy of the LORD.

Thought 1. The book of Psalms is a textbook as well as a hymnbook. It teaches us, first, why we should praise the LORD. We should praise God because of what He has done. From start to finish, Psalms is filled with God’s mighty deeds. Think how many times throughout the book God is exalted because of His amazing work of creation! Through the various psalms, the history of God’s mighty works for Israel is retold, from the Exodus to the rebuilding of the nation after the Babylonian captivity. Psalms also highlights God’s power as demonstrated in the life of one individual, David. The entire book teaches us to praise the LORD for what He has done for us, both as an assembly of believers and as individual believers.

In addition, Psalms teaches us to praise the LORD because of who He is. All throughout the book, God’s greatness, unfailing love, mercy, faithfulness, and truth are emphasized. He is the only living and true God. He is the Creator of all. No other being compares to Him. He never changes, and He never fails us.

Psalms also teaches us how to praise the LORD. We should praise Him publicly and privately, corporately (as a church) and individually. We should praise Him with music and dancing—symbols of overflowing joy. We should use our abilities and talents in praising Him. We should praise Him with our entire being, wholeheartedly and enthusiastically.

Of all the lessons in Psalms’, the greatest by far is that it teaches us to praise the LORD. Stated ever so simply, we should praise the LORD at all times, and in every circumstance. When our hearts are bursting with gladness and when they are breaking with grief, we should praise Him. When we have gloriously succeeded and when we have failed miserably, we should praise Him. After we have defeated the enemy and while the enemy is oppressing us, we should praise Him. Psalm 150 summarizes and emphasizes this truth by stating it thirteen times in six verses: in every season, situation, and circumstance, praise the LORD!

“And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people” (Ro. 15:11).

“To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved” (Eph. 1:6).

“By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name” (He. 13:15).

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light” (1 Pe. 2:9).

“He is thy praise, and he is thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen” (De. 10:21).

“Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and I will sing praises unto thy name” (2 S. 22:50).

“For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised: he also is to be feared above all gods” (1 Ch. 16:25).

“This people have I formed for myself; they shall show forth my praise” (Is. 43:21).

2 (150:6) Call upon every creature that has breath to praise the LORD—both in heaven and earth.

Psalm 150—and the book of Psalms—closes with a call to every creature, both in heaven and earth:

“Let everything that has breath praise the LORD” (v. 6).

The Hebrew word for breath (neshamah) “denotes all living creatures, endowed with life by the Creator.”4 This is the purpose for everything God created: to glorify Him and give Him praise.

How else, then, can the book of Psalms end than with one last exclamation:

Praise the LORD—(halal Yah)—Hallelujah!

Thought 1. As stated, our purpose for being created is to glorify God. Scripture promises that one day, the command expressed in this verse will be universally obeyed. Every living creature in every dimension will worship the LORD (Is. 45:23; Ro. 14:11; Ph. 2:10–11).

We who are saved bow before the LORD for an even greater reason: because He has redeemed us (Re. 5:9). In the end, all of creation will worship God because of His power and authority, but we will praise God eternally because of His immeasurable love. Until then, we are to praise the LORD for all things at all times and in all circumstances (Ep. 5:20; 1 Th. 5:18; He. 13:15). May we, God’s redeemed people, never fail to give Him the glory He deserves!

“For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God” (Ro. 14:11).

“That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Ph. 2:10–11).

“By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name” (He. 13:15).