Psalm 1 begins with the word, “Blessed.” Psalm 150 ends with
an exuberant call to praise. Psalm 1 calls us to walk rightly before the Lord,
and Psalm 150 shows us the sheer joy of praise that will result.
Psalm 150 is the most magnificent climax of worship. This
is the ultimate and definitive call to everything that has breath: “PRAISE THE
LORD!” Every created thing is called into a symphony of extravagant worship.
Don’t allow your voice to be silent in this marvelous pageant of praise…don’t
allow any creature in heaven or earth to “out-praise” any of us who have been
redeemed!
The word, "halal" is found twice in every verse
(12 times in this Psalm) and a glorious "HALLELUJAH" echoes from this
Psalm throughout eternity!
“Halal” means to shine, boast, rave, celebrate and
passionately worship God until you seem to be foolish. It is the most common
word for praise used in the Psalms, and it is totally about passionate,
expressive and prolific worship. This is the way the Lord sums up worship in
the final Psalm. Passionate praise is actually commanded in this verse, as the
word is in the imperative – meaning, Come on!! Praise God with me!! The Hebrew
word calls for intentional, repeated and extended action with the praise – the
strongest possible call for all nations, denominations and generations to be
abandoned in exuberant praise.
1 Praise the
Lord!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heaven!
2 Praise him
for his mighty works;
praise his unequaled greatness!
3 Praise him
with a blast of the ram’s horn;
praise him with the lyre and harp!
4 Praise him
with the tambourine and dancing;
praise him with strings and flutes!
5 Praise him
with a clash of cymbals;
praise him with loud clanging cymbals.
6 Let
everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord!
Praise the Lord!
Spurgeon said of this psalm: “A Jewish Rabbi once remarked
to me that the name Jehovah was not made up of letters, but only of a series of
breathings. (The preacher here uttered the three syllables of the sacred name,
Je-ho-vah, as though they were not composed of letters, but only a succession
of breathings.) That is the nearest approach to the name of God, three
breathings; therefore since all breath comes from him, and his very name can
only be pronounced by breath, “Let everything
that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.” Hallelujah!”
Breath is the weakest thing we have,
but we can devote it to the highest
service,
praising the Lord!
Wiersbe
