INTRODUCTION - Read Psalm 150
Psalm 150 is the final book of PRAISES AND HALLELUJAHS! It is a "beautiful" worship song, showing the "breath and depth of human emotions". It is full of JOYFUL PRAISES, and it is where our journey continues. We are all following God's creation, raising our voices and always singing our PRAISES AND HALLELUJAHS, with "everything that has breath."
CHORUS:
Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord. Sing His greatness, all Creation, PRAISE THE LORD!
Raise your voices, Your heights and all your depths. From the East and West, Let everything that has breath, PRAISE THE LORD! (Matt Boswell & Matt Papa)
This last part of Psalm 150, is like a DOXOLOGY, with only six verses. There is no argument or negative words, but is us a statement of PRAISE AND HALLELUJAHS. Eloquent to God, and His Son Jesus, as their CREATOR and KING OF KINGS. We are all called to worship, and it "surpasses" God's GREATNESS AND POWER. He is our OMNIPOTENT FATHER. All these WORSHIPS, PRAISES and HALLELUJAHS are at the beginning and end.
"There are six times in this passage that we are told to PRAISE THE LORD. We can do it in different ways, using many instruments - songs and music. It is a good end to the year, PRAISING GOD for all He has done for us." Pippa Gumbel
PRAISE GOD FOR WHO HE IS AND WHAT HE DOES - Read Psalm 150:1&2; Ephesians 1
"PRAISE THE LORD! Praise God in HIS SANCTUARY; Praise Him in HIS MIGHTY HEAVENS. Praise Him for HIS ACTS OF POWER; praise Him for HIS SURPASSING GREATNESS." Psalm 150:1&2 (NIV)
In this Psalm, we first read about GOD'S SANCTUARY and HIS HEAVENS. We read about the wide expanse of HIS CREATION. We read of the "reasons" why He does such MIGHTY ACTS and GREAT THINGS. We are reminded that HE IS OUR OMNIPOTENT FATHER.
In Ephesians 1, we are also reminded of the Resurrection of Christ, and "how we love to PRAISE HIM", because of HIS LOVE and HIS BLESSINGS. Jesus, like His Father God, serves His people in His sanctuary in the Heavens. We love Him, as His people and individual believers, because of His "surpassing greatness and power".
"ALL PRAISES TO GOD, THE FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, who has blessed us with a spiritual blessing in the Heavenly Realms, because we are UNITED WITH CHRIST." Ephesians 1:3 (NIV)
HOW CAN WE EXPRESS OUR PRAISES - Psalm 150:3-5
"Praise Him with the BLAST OF A RAMS HORN; Praise Him with a LYRE AND HARP. Praise Him with TAMBOURINES AND DANCING. Praise Him with STRING INSTRUMENTS AND FLUTES! Praise Him with a CLASH OF CYMBALS; Praise Him with LOUD CLANGING CYMBAL". Psalm 150:3-5 (NLT)
The Psalmist is like a "conductor of an orchestra", with EXPRESSIONS OF PRAISE. Like the Priests, Levites and women in dancing, we all use these to SING OUR PRAISES. We may not be like a CHIOR or MUSIC LEADERS, but we all can WORSHIP THE LORD with our voices. With our CELEBRATIONS, we need to be LOUD AND ENERGETIC with our PRAISES, FILLED WITH LIFE.
We may all have instruments:
1. TRUMPETS - like the coming of the Lord in His Resurrection.
2. A LUTE AND A HARP - cheering with majestic string instruments, like a guitar, picking with our hands and fingers.
3. TIMBRES AND LOUD CYMBALS - a drum, like a skin stretched over a hoop like a Tambourine. They are loud like clashing sounds.
4. PIPES AND FLUTES - used like many others, with music and dance. Like a hollow pipe, like modern mouth organs.
"This list of instruments is not meant to be comprehensive, though it may be. We do not know what instruments the ancient Jews actually used. The point is, that everything you have can be used to WORSHIP and PRAISE GOD." David Guzik - re. James M. Boice.
CONCLUSION - PRAISE AND HALLELUJAHS - Psalm 150:6; Revelation 5
"Let every LIVING and BREATHING creature PRAISE GOD! HALLELUJAH! " Psalm 150:6 (MSG)
This is a remarkable ending to the Book of Psalms and our "breath" continues when we join our Father and His Son in Heaven. Our Saviour is so very worthy of HIS GREATNESS AND HIS GLORY. Every creature that breaths sings PRAISE THE LORD.
"Blessing and honour, glory and power be in Him who sits on the throne. And the Lamb forever and ever." Revelation 5:13b (NKJV)
The last line of this Psalm could also end with HALLELUJAH. "Yahweh" and His Son were both praised honoured by all their PEOPLE and there CREATION. In light of the NEW COVENANT, everyone was either PRAISING THE LORD in their Churches, or in Heaven (eternally).This passage begins and ends with PRAISES AND HALLELUJAHS.
"There is so much to look forward to, with the NEW HEAVEN and the NEW EARTH. The Holy Spirit is a gift for us, when Jesus returns and we can WORSHIP IN HIS HOLY CITY." Nicky Gumbel
"Praise the Lord" (2002) Matt Boswell & Matt Papa (Composers/Performers), www.gettymusic.com/Sing Worship Conference.
"All Creatures of our God and King." (19th Century/2013) St Francis Assissi (Computer); Jonothan & Ryan Baird (Songwriters), Prayers of the Saints (Performers), Integrity/ Sovereign Grace Music
"The Holy Bible - New King James Version", 1982, Thomas Nelson
"The Holy Bible - New International Version", 2011, Biblica
"The Holy Bible - New Living Translation", 2015, Tyndale Publishers
"The Message - The Bible: Contemporary Language" 2018, Eugene H Peterson, NavPress
Alexander, Pat & David - "The Lion Handbook to to the Bible - Fourth Edition", 2009, Lion Hudson Publications
Guzik, David, "Let All Things Praise the Lord - Enduring Word Commentary", 2020, www.enduringword.com
Gumbel, Pippa & Nicky, "The Bible - Classic Version", 2004, Alpha/You Version