For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Psa 150

1 Praise the Lord.

Praise God in his sanctuary;
    praise him in his mighty heavens.
2 Praise him for his acts of power;
    praise him for his surpassing greatness.
3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
    praise him with the harp and lyre,
4 praise him with tambourine and dancing,
    praise him with the strings and pipe,
5 praise him with the clash of cymbals,
    praise him with resounding cymbals.

6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord.

A. Find Out

1. Who is to be praised and where? v.1
2. What two reasons for praise are given? v.2
3. How is that praise to be expressed? v.3-5
4. Who is to praise the Lord? v.6

B. Think:

1. Why is God’s location significant?
2. What are the ultimate causes for praising the Lord?
3. What is the significance of the ways of praising given here?

C. Comment:

                Short, sharp and to the point! As with many of these psalms the first words (v.1a) are “Hallelujah!” which, in the Hebrew, is Hallelu Yah, simply “Praise – the Lord”. When we say Hallelujah, we are simply saying, “Praise the Lord!”

                But, says the psalmist, praise Him in His sanctuary, in the heavens (v.1b). He is God who is high and lifted up, separate and distinct from all of His creation, and we need to recognise and honour Him because of this. He is not the same as us.

                This is expanded upon. Observe and think upon and then praise Him for His acts of power that we find recorded in His word (v.2a). as you do this, realise that His greatness surpasses anything you can find anywhere in all of creation (v.2b) This is why we should praise Him.

                But then the psalmist takes us through a long list of instruments that can be used to praise Him (v.3-5). We don’t need to repeat them all here, the seven instruments named, but ask what is significant about them.

                First we would suggest that the psalmist is saying, make a thing of this praising the Lord, gather together a lot of instruments. In other words, make a lot of noise so that the sound of it carries and is heard far and wide. Let your praise of God be expressive so that it carries. But these are all different instruments, so let your praise be varied and creative, so that you draw in everyone (v.6) to glorify our God.

D. Application:

1. Let praise not be a casual thing.
2. May our praise truly honour and glorify the Lord.