Psalms 150

Psalms 150:1

1. The call 150:1 The psalmist called on his audience to praise God in His heavenly sanctuary. This psalm, like so many of the Hallel psalms (113-118, 120-136, 146-150), opens and closes with a call to worship. The term “sanctuary” (lit. holy place) is evidently in apposition to “mighty expanse,” and both terms are parallel synonyms for “heaven,” i.e., God’s home-the universe.

Psalms 150:2

2. The cause 150:2 All God’s powerful acts and His surpassing greatness call for praise. These are general categories describing the works and character of God. The psalmist could have cited many specific examples in each category.

“To praise the abundance of his power is the purpose which links together the most diverse voices in heaven and on earth in a tremendous symphonic hymn of praise.” [Note: Weiser, p. 841.

Psalms 150:3-5

3. The celebration 150:3-5 These verses cite a few examples of the accompaniments to Israel’s verbal worship that were appropriate in her culture. They included wind, stringed, and percussion instruments, as well as joyful dancing. [Note: See VanGemeren, pp. 879-80, for an excursus on musical instruments used in Israel’s worship in the Old Testament.] This would have been a noisy celebration.

Psalms 150:6

4. The culmination 150:6 Having dealt with the “where” and “how” of worship, the psalmist now specified the “who.” “Everything that has breath” should praise Yahweh. In the light of the context, he was undoubtedly thinking of all kinds of people. This verse is a fitting conclusion to the Book of Psalms.

All people should praise God. This is the message of the book.