Hallelujah

Introduction:

What a summer in the Psalms that this has been. We began this study looking at Psalm 1-2. We saw the blessed man who is our divine king who blesses us, In Psalm 3 we saw that the Lord is our Salvation, In Psalm 8 we witnessed the majesty of King Jesus. Psalm 22 caused us to realize the suffering of Jesus now gives us confidence in our suffering. Psalm 23 showed us that Jesus is our Good Shepherd. Psalm 24 we learned that Jesus, the king of Glory, owns all and because of him we can approach God. in Psalm 51, we confessed our sins to the one who hears, and provides us salvation. In Psalm 63 our desires were satisfied in Christ. In Psalm 88, We looked to the one who hears our cries in the midst of darkness since he knows and has experienced darkness on our behalf. Last week, we confronted the gracious and merciful one who blesses our weary souls.

If we were to ring dry the fountain of grace and mercy found in the remaining 139 psalms, it would lead us to do nothing more than to fall down in worship and praise to our God. This is where we find the psalmist this Morning in Psalm 150. As an appropriate end to the Psalter, we see a Finale filled with praise. Spurgeon says this concerning Psalm 150. “We have now reached the last summit of the mountain chain of the Psalms. It rises high into the clear azure, and its brow is bathed in the sunlight of the eternal world of worship. It is a rapture, The poet prophet is full of inspiration and enthusiasm. He stays not to argue, to teach, to explain: but cries with burning words, “Praise him, Praise him, Praise ye the Lord.”” (Spurgeon, TOD)

The appropriate response to a a reflection of the goodness, greatness, sovereignty, blessedness, power, sustaining, steadfast love of God that is seen throughout the 150 Psalms is Praise.

For us this morning, my desire is simple, Praise the Lord! There is no long and drawn out main point to this but Praise the Lord. The Psalmist begins with Praise the Lord and ends with Praise the Lord. Let read it together shall we.

Psalm 150 ESV

Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!

The Psalmist beginning and ending this psalm with Praise the Lord or in Hebrew Halelu yah. The Psalmist begins to answer for us four questions of Praise. Where does the Praise of the Lord happen? Why does the Praise of the Lord happen? How does the praise of the Lord Happen? and Who Praises the Lord?

Where (1)

Psalm 150:1 “Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens!”

The Psalmist presents for us the Where of Praise. He gives us two areas or location of praise, the sanctuary and the mighty heavens.

First, The local of the praise of God should be found in his sanctuary. While the Psalmist is not talking about our sanctuary here that we are currently in. He is expressing an earthly dwelling of the Lord. A specific place of worship is expressed. For the Israelite reading this section, they most likely would understand that this section is referring to the Jerusalem temple. This is where God’s dwelling place on earth was seen to be. This is the place that the Israelite worshipper would approach God.

Second, the local of praise is zoomed out from a earthly dwelling place by God to the expanse of the mighty heavens. This word for mighty heavens hearkens back to Genesis 1 and the ferment or waters above, specifically the heavenly realm.

What the Psalmist is showing for us that the place for praise is in all the earth and all the heavens. There is not a place upon this rocky ground and in the universe above that should be separated from the Praise of Yahweh.

We are not able to separate a powerful God from his creation. As the spirit of God was hovering over the expanse of nothingness, his power and majesty was breaking forth through his creative power. As he spoke all things into existence creating light, darkness, heavens, earth, animals that fly, animals that walk, and humanity, they would do nothing less than sing the praises of their creator. He is the one that rules over all both the heavens and the earth. It is his creation, it is his handiwork, and he is to be praised.

Often we lose sight of where we should worship and praise the creator. On one end we limit our worship to the Lord’s day morning event. Our worship is not seen in our houses, our workplaces, our dinner tables, our activities outside of Church. Are these not acceptable places of worship? Can we not praise God for the mundane? Can we not praise the Lord in making the coffee? Can we not praise him in nursing a baby? can we not praise him in our work? can we not praise him in our mundane? Of course we can. Is God not also in the mountains and the beaches? of course he is. Praise him for his creation. Praise the Lord for raising you up from your sleep Monday through Saturday. While you were asleep, God was still sustaining he creation. The worship of God is not bound to one specific location to praise him.

However, on the other end, he calls his creation to gather corporately in worship. This is the place where personal worship is joined together with others to lift up praises to his name. Do you come to gather with the body and are ready to praise him? Do you take the time in the morning to reflect and prepare your heart to praise him in corporate worship? Do you come eager to corporately worship him? We come together on the Lord’s Day as the body of Christ to Worship him. Personal worship from throughout the week, is turned into corporate praise on the Lord’s Day. We are not to neglect this time together. Hebrews 10:24-25 “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

Often our desire is not to gather with our local body to worship. We desire other means to satisfy our worship. We replace the gathered body of Christ, with the belief that we will benefit more from other endeavors. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says this, “ Why are people ceasing to attend places of worship? Why is it, that last Sunday night I noticed that, while the places of worship in Cardiff were only sparsely attended, the trains coming from Portcawl and other seaside places were packed out. Why did those people spend their day at the seaside and in other places than in the house of God worshipping? Well, the answer is perfectly plain. They obviously prefer to be at the seaside and feel that they get more benefit there than they do in their chapels and churches.”

Oh see the benefit that there is in the gathered worship of God’s people, caring for one another, praying together, feasting upon the word of God together, sitting around the Lord’s table together, prescribing the worth of our God through song together.

don't make this time a trivial thing. Don’t sacrifice the corporate praise for something of no benefit. We worship him here now all heavens and earth sing his praise. This time of worship on the Lord’s day that we have every Sunday morning, Is a small glimpse of what is currently happening in the heavens. It is a small glimpse of what is going to happen in the new heavens and new earth. As Steven Lawson aptly says concerning worship on the Lord’s Day, “This is our preparation for our heavenly occupation.”

Where do we praise the Lord? In all heavens and earth. Now we move on to, Why do we praise the Lord.

Why (2)

Psalm 150:2 “Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness!”

While most psalms go into detail concerning why we Praise the Lord, this psalmist only accounts for two reasons. He says that we praise him for his mighty deeds and to his excellent greatness. The psalmist is not forgetting all of the things that the Lord has done in the other 149 psalms but he is showing in this Finale that We praise God for who he is and what he has done.

This is the whole message of the Psalms, is it not? He is the one who has brought the people out of slavery in Egypt, He is the one that had provided them salvation, He is the one that parted the waters, he is the one that shepherd them through the valley, he is the one that chose a people to himself, he is the one that raised up a king, he is the one that blesses the blessed man and his people. He is the one that created all things.

Oh the mighty deeds that I could recount. Just in the first chapter of the first book of the bible alone. It should cause us to praise. We have 66 books that contain a tiny portion of God’s mighty deeds, but in them we see a significant glorious deed. We were sinners, apart from God. We praised other things besides him. WE worshiped ourselves rather than the creator. God the Father, who is rich in mercy sent his son Jesus to take the penalty and punishment that we deserve. He died for us the sinner, so that we may be made Children of God. Reflect on the gospel. Jesus coming to this earth to die on the cross for sinners like you and me, him rising from the grave, him ascending to heaven, what more do we need to lift up praises to his name.

Furthermore, we praise him according to his excellent greatness. One commentator puts it this way. “His being is unlimited, and his praise should correspond therewith. He possesses a multitude or a plenitude of greatness, and there fore should be greatly praised.” (Spurgeon, TOD)

The issue comes when we have not reflected upon these mighty deeds and his greatness. It doesn't lead us to praise. When our heart and our mind and our soul is not reflecting on what God has done for us, we are not worshipful, we are lackluster in our praise.

This is the purpose of God creating us. God created us so that we may glorify him. That we would live to the praise of his Glory as Ephesians says. Paul reflecting on the gospel says this in 1 Timothy 1 :12-17 “I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.”

See what happens, his reflection of the mighty deeds cause him to praise.

Why do we enter into the building where we gather as the church to praise him and we don't?

First, sin. Our sin keeps us from praising God with a heart of worship. The corruption of sin is deep. We were created to glorify God and because of sin we like to glorify other things. Maybe for you today, you are just thinking through Christianity and are just trying it out. Or maybe you come every week out of religiosity never experiencing your sins being forgiven. Repent and believe in Jesus Christ’s death burial and Resurrection today. When you believe and trust in Jesus, that he took your punishment on the cross, that he rose again for you. Your sins will be forgiven. Repent and believe.

Brother and Sisters, Keep short accounts of your sins. Confess them often. When we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive them. When we come to worship are you preparing yourself through reflection of the mighty deeds, reflecting on his greatness, and confessing your sins? When the music is playing before the opening reading of word of God, what are you doing? Are you sitting and reflecting upon God’s goodness and grace in Christ Jesus? Are you confessing your sins? Are you preparing your heart to Praise the Lord?

Another reason that we sometimes don't praise God is apathy. We are apathetic to the gospel. We have no feeling or enthusiasm for the divine. If you are a believer, this may be because you have boiled down worship to Sundays only and your personal devotion is lacking. It may be because you are not praying regularly. It may be because you and not reading your bible. These are essential to personal and corporate worship.

Maybe for you Praise doesn't happen because you are struggling with depression. The heart aches of this broken world weigh on you so heavy. It is okay. Be like the psalmist and remind yourself day in and day out. Even through the tumult and trials, cast your cares and burdens upon the Lord because he cares for you. He is gentle and lowly. Be like the psalmist in your praise by saying Psalm 42:5 “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation”. Notice the Psalmist Lament is turned into praise. He praises because he knows that God is the only place for Hope.

Last reason, we don't praise God is because our priorities are not right. We spend more time with our phones, our tvs, friends, family, fishing, hunting, or whatever else there is going on. Than we do with the Lord. If we do not prioritize our worship, we can be caught up in the business of the day and go to bed in the evening without uttering a single word of praise. Did the Lord not sustain you? Did the Lord not bless you? prioritize worship over everything else. Jesus is worthy to be praise.

WReflection on the mighty deeds of Jesus and the greatness of Jesus, leads us to do nothing less than to Praise Him. He is worthy to be praise.

We have looked at the where to praise the Lord, and why we praise the Lord. Now the Psalmist addresses How to Praise the Lord?

How (3-5)

Psalm 150: 3-5 “Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals!”

The answer to how is seen here in these three verses. As the Finale is building to a whole orchestral movement of Praise, the Psalmist gives us seven instruments that are used in praise.

First the trumpet sound. If you Remember the trumpet or the shofar was a horn of an animal. It was blown to signify certain events that were coming, such as war, joyous celebrations, announcing the year of jubilee and the Day of Atonement. It was used most notably in Exodus 19 where the shofar was blown at Sinai to signal to the people the coming presence of Yahweh.

Next, the harp and lyre. Both of these are stringed instruments. One being more of a type of guitar than a harp. The levites used these for temple music and david played them for Saul. The Harp and Lyre were played prior to the arrival of the glory of Yahweh.

Then, The Tambourine and dance. Playing of the tambourine can function as anticipating the coming of Yahweh. In Psalm 96 and 98 the making of the music and dancing signaled the coming of the royal reign of Yahweh and the restoration that will happen under that reign. Miriam and Moses in Exodus 15:19 danced with tambourine in thanksgiving for the mighty deeds that were performed at the Red Sea. I want to note here, as a baptist, It does say that we are to dance. I'm just going to leave that there.

Next we are given the strings and pipes. Both of these were used by the laypeople in the worship of Yahweh.

Finally, The sounding cymbals and loud clashing cymbals. Both of these are meant as an encouragement to the people to listen to what is about to happen, the second is the tag along. In the loud clashing cymbals there was a shout of acclamation. Kind of like a loud Amen or a Praise the Lord, or a Hallelujah.

All of these 7 instruments and personal dancing and shouting were to be used in the praise of Yahweh. What the Psalmist is getting at here with all of these instruments is How to praise the Lord.

First answer to how we should praise the Lord?, it should be anticipatory to the coming presence of Yahweh.

When we enter the gathered body to worship, we should understand that we have been brought into the presence of God through the blood of Jesus Christ. This is the only way that we who are sinners can approach God. His blood has covered our sins and his righteousness now is upon us. Christ dying for the ungodly has now brought us to God. Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” We have been brought into the presence of God through Jesus. We have been given the Holy Spirit of God which is inside us. We should anticipate being in his presence when we worship. As we gather, the presence of God fills this place through the Holy Spirit. It fills us to continue the work that we have. We are reminded of the mercy and grace in Christ Jesus.

Through this we should anticipation of the second coming of Christ. We should understand, as I said earlier that what we are doing right now is preparation to what we will be doing for all of eternity. We should anticipate the praise and worship that will happen in the new heavens and new earth. As we experience God’s presence now in corporate and private worship it will be fully realized in the new heavens and new earth. We should anticipate the restoration of this broken world that we live in, where worship and praise is difficult for us sometime. We should anticipate the realities of the restored and redeemed creation. We should anticipate to see the one we have not seen, the one we love because he has loved us, the one we believe in for our salvation.

Second answer to How should we praise the Lord? It should be in thanksgiving and understanding of the kingship of our Lord, humble, reverent and submissive. Our praise and worship should be in an outpouring of humility. Knowing that we were sinners in need of Grace and we recieved that grace. We should be thankful and submissive to our King that we call Lord.

Our call to Jesus as Lord goes deeper than outward religion, but it dwells within our heart and soul. Our dealings with all should outflow from the praise that we have for Jesus.

Finally, all of these instruments and dancing and shouting, all of this together shows us that Praise to the Lord should be with everything we are and everything we have. Nothing is separated from the Praise that we are to issue. Not our time, not our finances, not our sufferings, not our abilities, our work, our recreation, our marriages, our families. Nothing should be separated. Why because our whole selves have been showered in the grace and mercy and love of God.

Romans 12:1-2 “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

We present ourselves as a living sacrifice, giving up everything that we were, humbly submitting to Christ’s lordship, knowing that he is all we need. We offer whole selves in worship. We give him the best of us to do as he pleases. Danny Akin says this, “A great God deserves excellence in our worship Ultimately, how we praise the Lord is a matter of the heart. Nevertheless, our God of “abundant greatness” always deserves the best we can give him.” (Danny Akin, Christ Centered Exposition)

We give everything that we are in praise to The Lord.

We have seen Where to praise the Lord, Why we praise the Lord, How we praise the Lord, and now the final question who.

Who (6)

Psalm 150:6 “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!”

The final question is answered simply everyone and everything that breaths should praise the Lord.

This is more fully fleshed out in Psalm 148:7-14 “Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling his word! Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars! Beasts and all livestock, creeping things and flying birds! Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth! Young men and maidens together, old men and children! Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his majesty is above earth and heaven. He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all his saints, for the people of Israel who are near to him. Praise the Lord!”

Here is the great commission found here in the book of Psalms. The work of the people of God is shown through the united praise of Yahweh throughout the cosmos. This has been the plan from the begining that the whole earth should praise Jesus.. One day as Philippians 2:9-11 “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

The promise found here of the full submission of all peoples throughout the earth to bow and worship king Jesus Revelation 5:13 “And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!””

When we praise God We recognise far more than the good qualities associated with God, we are confessing what is seen in the reality of who God is. We declare loudly, boldly, that Jesus is worthy to be praise. That he is the one that will redeem the broken hearted, save the sinner. Our suffering and sorrow will be turned into dancing Just as the psalmist says, Psalm 30:11 “You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,” We declare that the king is coming, we declare his return.

Spurgeon writes, “Join all ye living things in the eternal song. Be ye least or greatest, withhold not your praises. What a day will it be when all things in all places unite to glorify the one and only living and true God.” (Spurgeon, TOD)

Rejoice in Jesus and Praise his name!

Hallelujah Praise the Lord.