Background to the Psalm:

It’s easy to see why this psalm occupies the place it does in the book of Psalms. The first four books of the Psalter end with a doxology but the fifth rounds off the whole book with a psalm that is devoted to praise! The book of Psalms came together over a prolonged period of time reaching its complete form in about 250-150 BC, but obviously the editors of the book could only see one place for this psalm and that was at the end as it’s the pinnacle of everything the book had been building to. There’s been a progression of a theme of praise building since Psalm 146 to this point and the word: ‘praise’ is used 13 times in the psalm. But the Hebrew readers of the psalm would have been conscious of another word which binds the psalm together which Michael Wilcox notes we miss: ‘in our English versions, because it is hard to translate consistently’ and that is the word ‘rejoice’![1]

 The structure of the Psalm:

• Where to praise God (v1).
• Why to praise God (vs1-2).
• How to praise God. (vs3-6).

 Some obviations on the text (all quotations ESV):

Verse 1 answers the question where’s the best place to worship God? The answer is very simply everywhere! The readers are told to praise him: ‘in his sanctuary’ and to: ‘praise him in his mighty heavens!’ Although some writers make a case for the: ‘sanctuary’ being the heavenly tabernacle (Hebrews 8:5), that seems unlikely when we look at the way we are to praise God with the list of earthly instruments (vs3-5). The point is simply made, there’s no one place that is specially set aside for God’s praise. He is to be praised for his holiness which is reflected in the word: ‘sanctuary’ a place of worship, and: ‘mighty heavens’ which can mean both the place of his dwelling as well as the vastness of the cosmos!  Quite simply there’s nothing that’s not subject to him. Christopher Wright sums this up brilliantly in his comments on Deuteronomy 10:14: ‘There is absolutely nothing in creation “up there or down here” that does not belong to him’.[2]

Secondly, verse 1 gives us the reasons why we should worship him. Two titles are used for God in this verse.  The first is: ‘LORD’ or ‘Yahweh’ as it is rendered in the Hebrew, which is the Covenant name for God.  That name illustrates his relationship with his people.  Whether we think in the terms of the ‘Old Covenant’ or the ‘New Covenant, both show that God was, and is committed to his people.  He has made promises to them which indicate his care for them.  These promises have been fulfilled in various ways and at various times.  But they have particularly been fulfilled in the coming and work of Christ.  The second title in the Hebrew is ‘Elohim’ (see: ‘God’ in verse 1), which means ‘creator’ and which indicates God’s creative power!  So we worship him because he is caring and committed to his people as well as powerful and worthy of praise which is amplified in verse 2 with the phrase: ‘Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness!’

Lastly the psalm indicates how we are to worship such a great and mighty God! The list of instruments is extensive and indication seems to be ‘make it long, make it loud but please make it joyful!’ Worship is an issue that has become very divisive within the Church with the battle lines being drawn up and deeply entrenched!  We could go into the ins and outs of the regulative vs. the normative principle when it comes to worship, but there’s a huge danger in missing the point of what the Psalmist is saying here if we try to bolt such theologies on to the psalm.  The key theme, as Michael Wilcox has pointed out, is praise which is to be conducted in a joyous attitude!

The Psalm acts as the climax to the book of psalms as well as being the climax of the four psalms before it. In Psalm 146 an individual praises God for his grace, power and faithfulness to the needy.  In Psalm 147 the inhabitants of Jerusalem are exhorted to praise God for the blessing and security they had experienced in the years following the exile.  In Psalm 148 every creature that has breath is exhorted to praise God everywhere and by every possible means!  And Psalm 149 invites the saints to praise God in the light of their salvation and the punishment of their enemies!  Now in Psalm 150 we reach the climax with the culmination of the theme of these four psalms in one psalm!

Much ink has been spilt over the subject as whether or not all these instruments were used in temple worship and rather sadly it has become a rather contentious issue which I feel has been dangerously exploited by those on both sides of the regulative vs the normative argument. Yet the issue here is about everyone being involved.  Trumpets, possibly rams horns would have been blown by the priests, Harps and Lyres by the Levites, Tambourines by the woman and strings, Flutes and Cymbals by the men.  The key thing is this is not so much rules for worship, it is more about everyone being joyfully involved and, if we are to praise God: ‘with the loud clashing cymbals!’ (v5), loudly!  Perhaps, if we are going to draw regulative principles here, there is the case for loud joyous worship that: ‘engages the mind, voice, body and heart’ of the people of God![3]  This is about people joining in as a ‘collective whole’ rather than a group of musicians leading the worship and deafening the worshippers in the process!  Max Anders very helpfully points out: ‘one is acknowledging the greatness and grandeur of God. Flat worship is an oxymoron, a contradiction in terms, an inconsistency of the highest order.  Empty, tired praise is an insult to God, insinuating that his matchless glory is anything but glorious.’[4]

The bottom line is that: ‘everything that has breath’ is to: ‘praise the LORD’ (v6).  As is often the case in the psalms, this being the main theme, the line is repeated to give it added emphasis.  Perhaps the best way to sum it up is to paraphrase it as ‘give it all you’ve got!  I suspect psalms like this one were in Paul’s mind when he wrote to the Ephesians Church that they were to address: ‘one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ’ (Ephesians 5:19-20). In the end James Montgomery Boice rather helpfully sums up the place of this psalm in the Psalter. ‘The Psalter doesn’t even end with a doxology, although it could. It does not end with an amen. It ends with a call to praise God which is itself our great doxology to which we add our own sincere and loud “Amen”’[5]

[1] Michael Wilcox, The Message of the Psalms 73 -150, Songs for the People of God, the Bible Speaks Today (Leicester, Inter-Varsity Press, 2001) 285.

[2] Christopher Wright, Deuteronomy, New International Biblical Commentary (Massachusetts, Hendrickson Publishers, 1996) 146.

[3] Craig C. Broyles, Psalms, New international Biblical Commentary (Massachusetts, Hendrickson Publishers Inc, 1999) 519.

[4] Max Anders, Holman Old Testament Commentary, Psalms 76-150 (Broadman and Holman Publishers, Nashville, 2003) 376.

[5] James Montgomery Boice, Psalms Volume 3, Psalms 107-150 (Grand Rapids, Baker books, 1998) 1292.