Understanding the Psalms - Part 2 - Psalm 150

By: Michael Anderson

Additional Notes By: Iva & Stan May

How much do you know? (Answers at the end of the lesson)

1. When were the Psalms of written?
2. Who was the first person to begin assembling the Scriptures including many of the Psalms?
3. How are the psalms intended to be sung? By males? By Females? With instruments?

Overview

God’s story begins with a perfect environment created by a loving God. He placed the crown of His creation – the man and the woman – into a paradise where they would walk with Him in praise and worship. Sin stole their hearts from God and replaced His praise with undeserved rebellion. Successive generations refused to honor Him as their King, and eventually the entire earth experienced the judgment of the flood. Noah's sacrifice was a sweet aroma to God, and Abraham’s offerings were praise to His name.  Joseph gave Him praise before Pharaoh, and Moses and the children of Israel raised up a song of praise when God delivered them from Egypt (Moses also wrote Psalm 90).  Samuel’s mother Hannah offered a wonderful song of praise when God heard her prayer, but only in the time of David was praise elevated to an entire book of praise songs. Each psalm was a song sung by God's people as an individual song, so each psalm is designated as singular, like "Psalm 23" (song 23), not "Psalms 23."

Moses, David, Solomon, Asaph and his descendants (Asaph was David’s musician and adviser to David - circa 1,000 bc) created much of Israel’s songbook - the Psalms, but writers were producing psalms even in the time of Isaiah and Hezekiah during the Divided Kingdom Era. These psalms run the gamut of human emotions. They address depression (Ps. 42, 43), comfort in death (Ps. 23), fear (Ps. 56), anger over the prosperity of the wicked (Ps. 73), confidence in trials (Ps.46), and joy (Ps. 98).  Penitential psalms express repentance over sin (Ps. 32, 38, 51).  Messianic psalms declare the hope in the coming Messiah who will bring Israel redemption (Ps. 2, 22, 110).  Imprecatory psalms look forward to coming judgment on those enemies who attack God’s people (Ps. 58, 137).  Psalms of Ascent (Ps. 120-134) were sung by Israelites as they made three annual pilgrimages up to Jerusalem for the feasts (more about that next week).  Story psalms teach and remind us of the history of Israel and teach coming generations about God’s faithfulness in the past (Ps. 78, 105, 106).  Hallelujah psalms conclude the book (Ps. 146-150), but most of the psalms “contain an element of praise” to the LORD, the God of Israel.  Psalm 150 finishes out the Psalter and, as the final hymn, demonstrates the glorious praise due to the one true God.

Lesson Objective

At the conclusion of this lesson, participants will recognize that God is worthy of praise in all places and at all times, and will be challenged to give Him the praise that He is due.

Key Truths

God calls His people to praise Him for who He is and what He does.

God created all things for praise to Him.

God delights in the praise of His people and desires that all peoples everywhere should praise Him.

Lesson Outline

The final psalm of the psalter begins and ends with “Hallelujah!”  This Hebrew word means, “Praise the LORD!”  The verb for praise is followed by the covenant name of the LORD, the name by which He revealed Himself to Moses at the burning bush.  The verb is a command; praise is not optional, it is expected.  The writer follows the first word with a series of commands to praise the LORD that weave a tight outline for the psalm.

1. Where to Praise the LORD

• The Psalmist begins by commanding God’s people to praise Him in His sanctuary (“holy place”).  Praise begins in the house of the LORD.  The Tabernacle of Meeting in the wilderness and the Temple in Jerusalem are the two edifices on which the LORD has placed His name and promised His presence.  He commands His people to praise Him when they come to the sanctuary.  Worship in the Temple is commanded for the priests, the people, and even the servants who minister during the evening hours (Ps. 134).

• Praise also takes place in the “firmament.”  This “expanse” is sometimes used of heaven itself, but basically it portrays the truth that people are to praise Him in every place.  There is no place on earth where praise cannot be offered to God.  He is worthy of praise from His people when they are in the house of the LORD, but He also deserves praise wherever they may be.  Praise ought to come to Him while people are at work, at play, at home, on the road, or wherever they are.  God deserves praise wherever and whenever!  Believers today are to praise God both at worship in their churches and at work, on the road, in the home, and wherever else they are.

• Worship occurs in our hearts!  Whether at church or out in the world, we are to worship the Lord where He dwells!  In our hearts! Before Jesus died on the cross, people were to worship at the Tabernacle or at the Temple.  Today most people would say we should worship at church and we are commanded to “...consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,  not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near” (Heb. 10:24-25).  But, for many, the church is the only place that they worship and even then it may be sporadically? Jesus said, “...true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way” (John 4:23 NLT).  Worship should occur in our hearts!  It is no longer about a building being the place of worship!  It is now about the people who have the presence of God living in their hearts worshipping God from the heart. Both when the church meets AND in our everyday lives as well when we are not at church!  We are the Temple of God!  1 Cor. 3:16 says, "Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?"  Jesus also spoke of His body being the Temple (John 2:21).  You are the place where God meets man! Your heart is the place (the secret place, Ps. 91:1) where true worship happens no matter where you are in this world. The world cannot enter the place to worship God!  It is the place where God Himself is living!  It is in you!  And when we do not worship Him, we are neglecting the Temple of God and allowing it to go unused because we are too busy with “more important things!

2. Why We Praise the LORD

• God deserves praise because of what He does; His mighty acts rescued His people from Egypt, parted the waters of the Red Sea, broke down the walls of Jericho, gave water from the Rock, and gave them the land of Canaan.  His mighty acts delivered Daniel from the lions’ den, brought down fire on Elijah’s sacrifice, and sent chariots of fire to protect Elisha.  His mighty acts include His daily provision for His people with rain from heaven, bread for the day, and protection from foes.  God acts mightily on behalf of His people; He even looks for those who trust in Him, so that He can act mightily on their behalf (2 Chron. 16:9).

• God also deserves praise because of who He is.  He is great!  His greatness encompasses the totality of His attributes.  He is great because He rules as sovereign over the universe.  He is so sovereign that He can give people free choices and still retain full sovereignty!  He is good; in fact, He is the good of the universe.  Ps. 119:68 says, “You are good, and do good; teach me Your statutes.”  God is good, so He does no other than good.  He is wise; in fact, His wisdom is so high that no one can even grasp His thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9).  He is merciful and just, kind and loving, gracious and tender, yet all the same time holy, just, and the Judge of all humanity.  His “excellent greatness” calls forth praise from all His creation.

• We are to praise God because of what He has done for us and we praise Him in our hearts because of who He is!  He is God!  Almighty! The Everlasting One! All Knowing!  All Powerful! And He lives in our hearts!  Many years ago, my Sunday School teacher at First Baptist Counce, TN, taught me a great lesson.  She said that God was to be praised not just for what He has done, but just because He is God and He alone is worthy!  We praise God “JUST BECAUSE”! We need no other reason! Since then I have tried to be careful to "thank" God for what He has done, given and even for what He has taken away!  But above all, I always want to thank God for being God!  In all things be thankful! (See: Eph. 5:20 and 1 Thes. 5:18.)   I cannot help but  praise Him simply because of who He is!  It is not something I hear from very many other people as they pray out loud?  Do you wait for good things to happen before you praise Him? That's what I was doing!  There is nothing wrong with praising God for what He has done, but don't forget to praise Him just because… Why do we praise Him?  Because "HE IS GOD"!

3. How to Praise the LORD (3-5)

• The Psalmist now calls for praise with a variety of instruments: wind instruments, stringed instruments, brass instruments, and percussion instruments.  These differing instruments indicate that praise was usually with accompaniment.  In fact, the Greek verb for “sing psalms” in the New Testament means to sing accompanied by musical instruments.  God seeks praise that involves the whole person and all the talents of His people.

• Be careful about demanding that your way of worship is the right way!  So many people believe that the way we worship is the only way and these new ways are sacrilegious! In the Word of God, praise includes “dance” (4).  Such praise is exuberant and uninhibited; David’s dance before the LORD exemplifies one whose heart is filled with praise and whose actions are before the LORD rather than men (2 Sam. 6:14).  God delights in praise that is focused solely on Him, rather than on other worshipers. How we praise Him probably depends largely on who we are as individuals.  How you were raised, the country you live in, the age you are and many more circumstances will determine how you worship God!  God is loving and understanding and He accepts the praise of His people!  Ps. 150 calls for all kinds of instruments and even dancing!  That will throw some people for a loop!  They played stringed instruments with ten strings!  Horns (wind instruments), the timbrel (it was a tambourine), percussion instruments - loud cymbals (loud drums - the Hebrew word for loud means… LOUD!). The Hebrew word for cymbal here is tslatsal (means a loud bang!), metal cymbals, drums, bells and many other things.  The Hebrew words indicate a huge variety of instruments, all played with enthusiasm!  None of which we still use today.  There was no such thing as a piano or organ! So be careful about judging worship as being only correct if it is the way you like it!  It is HIS worship! He decides what to accept - not us! God inhabits the praise of His people!  All of His people!  Here is something both interesting and kind of funny!  The Hebrew word for lyre (psaltery in KJV) is Nebel - it is a jar or jug!!  I don't think Mr. Darling (if you’re an Andy Griffith fan) was playing the jug, but it popped into my mind and I couldn't help but smile at the thought of someone in the hills of Tennessee using a jug to play Gospel bluegrass! I am sure there have been many people that have looked down on instruments like that in the past just as many people do today when it comes to instrument like the drums or the electric guitar.  But I bet the Lord was smiling and received his praise.

4. Who Should Praise the LORD?

“Let everything that has breath praise the LORD” (6).  Praise is the hallmark of God’s people, but praise is the responsibility of every created being in the universe.  Jesus even said that if humans withhold their praise, the rocks would cry out (Lk. 19:40).  God is seeing worshipers who will “worship Him in spirit and in truth” (Jn. 4:23-24).  God calls all nations to praise Him and to look to Him for their salvation (Is. 45:22).  He is worthy of the praises of all people everywhere.

When the apostle Paul defends his missionary ministry to the Gentiles in Romans 15, he quotes the Psalms to demonstrate that God is seeking praise from all nations.  Quoting Psalm 117:1, he writes, “And again: ‘Praise the LORD, all you Gentiles!  Laud Him, all you peoples!” (Rom. 15:11).  One motive for God’s missionary ministry to the nations is to bring praise to Him from all the nations.  Praise from every nation will come to pass; John’s vision in the book of the Revelation reveals a song sung by people redeemed “out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation” (Rev. 5:9).  They join with the angels and the elders to sing heaven’s sweetest song: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!” (Rev. 5:12).

God created everything to bring Him praise and commands everything that has breath to praise Him.   In fact, in Revelation 5:13, John records, “And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: ‘Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!’”

The text of this psalm ends as it begins - “Hallelujah” - PRAISE THE LORD!

Study and Application: Finding Jesus on Every Page  

What does this lesson teach us about God? Man? Sin? Grace?                                           

Ps. 150 is only six verses long and the Lord has packed it full of information. It divides nicely into “where”, “why”, “how”, and “who” concerning the worship to the Lord God Almighty!   All four of these points have something in common!  All four depend upon the condition of your heart!   Who should praise?  YOU ARE!  With your voice or an instrument!  If you are the dwelling place of God, then you are His Temple! If you think about it, you are a mobile place of worship.  You are designed to carry the worship of God out to the world.  Do you?

“And every tongue shall give praise to God” (Rom. 14:11).  One day everyone will bow and will offer praise by confessing that Jesus is Lord. In fact, everything that has ever had or has breath will praise the Lord!  (See: Rev. 5:13.) Let’s let others see us praising God so that they may know Him now instead of bowing at the judgment as they are about to be cast into the lake of fire because they never came to know the Lord. Be the example! Jesus, the Son of God, praised the Father! (See Matt. 11:25, Luke 10:21.) He sets the example for us!  Praise Him with all that you are!  Don't worry about what others think!  Worry about what HE thinks!  Praise Him for who He is!  He is God!

Summary

God speaks to command His people to praise Him.

God acts with mighty acts to invite praise and to show that He is worthy of praise.

God reveals His nature and His actions to incite His people – and all creation – to praise Him.

Discussion Questions

Why do people struggle to express praise to the LORD?  Why do many churches seem dead whey they should be so alive with praise?

What are some of the mighty acts that God has done for us today for which we should praise Him?

Why do churches sometimes quarrel over styles of music, and how could learning from the Psalms help in the praise of the church?

Answers: How much do you know?

1. At least as far back as the time of Moses all the way up until the time of Christ.  We can’t be sure about many of the dates.
2. Hezekiah
3. The psalms were intended to be sung with instruments.  Although it would have been males in the Temple, God intended it to b