JUNE 30 PSALMS 146-150

BLOG June 30, 2014



Psalms 146-150

We’ve reached the pinnacle of highest praise. These final five psalms complete the entire Psalter, as well as BOOK FIVE! David’s psalms (138-145) were growing increasingly praise-full, now here we are, at the psalm-writers best efforts for pure praise, enabling mere humans just to begin to extol the wonders and greatness of God!



Psalm 146 reads as if the author is talking to himself: “Praise the Lord, O my soul” is similar to me saying: “Praise the Lord, Gary!” To praise Him is to trust Him, for the third verse reminds us NOT to put our trust in people! There follows of list of good reasons for this praise: God is creative, faithful, providing, freeing, and very especially caring and protective of the alien, the widow and the orphan! So praise Him!



Psalm 147 recommends “singing” as a wonderful means of praise. This psalm’s reasons for praise include: God’s rebuilding Jerusalem, God’s faithfulness to the Exiles, God’s healing for the brokenhearted, and God’s special concern for the humble. This is worth singing about; this is worth making music for! This psalm ends with praise for God’s word!





Psalm 148 is a song of pure praise for God’s creation. In it, the author calls the angels and even the created wonders themselves, into the act of praise. I don’t think the writer missed any aspect of God’s creation; let it all, “Praise the Lord!”





Psalm 149 calls the “saints” to sing God’s praises; He is their Maker and their King, worthy of worshipful dance and the music of instruments and voices. There is no time of day when praise is inappropriate. In fact, praise is better than a weapon in the hands of God’s people (vv. 6-9); why wouldn’t we praise Him?





Psalm 150 is the ultimate song of praise. After calling us to praise God in the sanctuary, in His mighty heavens, for His acts of power, and for His surpassing greatness, the poet assembles a bold orchestra for powerful praise, including trumpets, harps, lyres, tambourines, strings, flutes and loud, clashing, resounding cymbals! Can we make praise too well or too exuberantly? I think not. But, let’s try!





The Psalter is ended, and so has June. I hope this has helped you, as we read selections from the Psalms most Sunday mornings. In days, we have reached the halfway point of our time in God’s Word this year.


Tomorrow, we start the second half of the year with Solomon’s poetic collection of wise sayings:



Proverbs: Words for Wise Living!





Your fellow traveler through the Word,



Pastor Gary