PRAISE-Psalm 146-150

Old Testament, Psalms, Sermons

Questions on Psalm 146-150.

“Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, my soul. I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save” (Ps 146:1-3).

  • Psalm 146: I will praise God as long as I live (Ps 146:2).
  • Psalm 147: It is good to praise God (Ps 147:1).
  • Psalm 148: Praise from the heavens and the earth (Ps 148:1, 7).
  • Psalm 149: Sing to God a new song (Ps 149:1).
  • Psalm 150: Praise God in heaven and on earth (Ps 150:1, 6).
Psalms 146-150 constitute the last Hallel (“praise” [175 x in Psalms) Hallel collection, that are all praise and joy. These 5 joyous psalms of praise, each beginning and ending with Hallelujah, bring the Psalter to a close. So in this respect as in many others, the Psalms are a miniature of our story as a whole, which will end in unbroken blessing and delight. It may take a long time or a lifetime, but all prayer that engages God and the world as they truly are will eventually end in praise.
These psalms are used as daily prayers at some point in the synagogue’s services of worship. The other 2 praise collections are the Egyptian Hallel psalms (113-118) and the Great Hallel (120-136).
 
Psalm 146 praises God because he guarantees justice. He cares for the poor, hungry, prisoner, physically impaired, soul weary, immigrant and single parent (Ps 146:7-9). He cared so much he became a helpless baby born to poor parents. 

“Praise the Lord. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!” “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” “The Lord sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground” (Ps 147:1, 3, 6). “His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of the warrior, the Lord the delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love” (Ps 147:10-11).
 
Psalm 147 falls into 3 sections, marked out by the 3 calls to praise (Ps 147:1, 7, 12). Each section introduces some aspect of God the Creator, and shows how this works out in the way he deals with his people. It is more deliberately Jerusalem-centered than the other psalms in this group (Ps 147:2-3, 12-13). At times it takes up the rhetorical questions of Isaiah 40, and at times the challenges of God to Job, turning them into praise, and linking the wonders of creation with the glories of providence and grace.
  1. The God who redeems (Ps 147:1-6). Heals, binds up, sustains (Ps 147:3, 6).
  2. The God who cares (Ps 147:7-11). Supplies, provides (Ps 147:8-9).
  3. The God who commands (Ps 147:12-20). Transforms by his word (Ps 147:16-20).

Psalm 148 is a call to praise God from the heavens (1-6) and from the earth (7-14) to unite the whole creation. “Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights above” (Ps 148:1). “Praise the Lord from the earth” (Ps 148:7a). “Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his splendor is above the earth and the heavens. And he has raised up for his people a horn, the praise of all his faithful servants, of Israel, the people close to his heart. Praise the Lord” (Ps 148:13-14).

Psalm 149 celebrates a victory. “Praise the Lord. Sing to the Lord a new song“ (Ps 149:1). Psalm 149:6 sees the head and the hand as bound together, the mouth of praise and a well-sharpened sword–“the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph 6:17). Praise without the sword is spiritual self-indulgence; the sword without praise is joyless duty.

“Praise the Lord” (Ps 150:1a). Hallelu Yah (Hebrew).

As a summons to worship, the final doxology of Psalm 150 is unsurpassed in grandeur. In common with the Hallel (113-118) and the 4 preceding psalms (146-149), it begins and ends with the word Hallelujah or Praise the Lord.
  1. The where of praise (Ps 150:1). The location of praise. The sanctuary. In heaven.
  2. The why ofpraise(Ps 150:2). The reason for praise. His greatness.
  3. The how of praise (150:3-5). The manner of praise: Loud music and dancing. With great intensity.
  4. The who of praise (Ps 150:6). On earth.
“We thank God for his goodness. We praise God for his greatness. We worship God for his holiness.” Derek Prince (Psalm 95).
References:
  1. Tim Keller. The Songs of Jesus. 2015. Psalm 146: Praise for Justice.
  2. Derek Kidner. 1973. 1975. Psalm 146: I’ll praise my Maker (Ps 146:2). A lifetime of praise (Ps 146:1,2). Man, the false hope (Ps 146:3,4). God, great and good (Ps 146:5-9). An eternity of praise (Ps 146:10).
  3. Alec Motyer. 2016. Merited Praise. 1. Life–long praise (Ps 146:1-2). 2. Why not man? (Ps 146:3-4). 3. Why Yahweh (Ps 146:5-9). Endless praise (Ps 146:10).
  4. Tremper Longman III & David E Garland. Psalms. 2008. Psalm 146: The Lord Reigns for Ever and Ever (Ps 146:10).
  1. TK. 2015. Psalm 147: He calls the stars (1-11). Praise and obedience (12-20).
  2. Derek Kidner. 1973. 1975. Psalm 147: Lift up your eyes on high (Ps 146:2).
  3. Alec Motyer. 2016. Psalm 147: Jerusalem Praise. Care (1-6). Productivity (7-11). Transformation (12-20).
  4. Longman III, David E Garland. 2008. The Blessedness of the People of God.
  1. TK. 2015. Psalm 148: The praise of creation (1-6). Praise that unites (7-17).
  2. Derek Kidner. 1973. 1975. Psalm 148: Choir of creation (Ps 146:2). Praise from on high (Ps 148:1-6). Praise from the earth (Ps 148:7-14).
  3. Alec Motyer. 2016. Psalm 148: Heaven and earth with loud hosanna. Heavenly praise (1-6). Earthly praise (7-14).
  4. Tremper Longman III & David E Garland. 2008. Psalm 148: Praise to the Lord, the Wise Creator. Call on heaven to praise the Lord (1-6). Call on earth to praise the Lord (7-12). Rational for praising the Lord (13-14).
  1. Tim Keller. The Songs of Jesus. 2015. Psalm 149: The praise of the redeemed.
  2. Derek Kidner. Psalms 1-72, 1973. Psalms 73-150, 1975. Psalm 149: Victory celebration. The church jubilant (1-5). The church militant (6-9).
  3. Alec Motyer. Psalms by the Day.. 2016. Psalm 149: Pillows and Swords.
    1. Prologue: the new song of the beloved ones (Ps 149:1).
    2. Joy is a Gof of salvation (Ps 149:2-4).
    3. Joy in world–dominion (Ps 149:5-9).
  4. Tremper Longman III & David E Garland. Psalms. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary. 2008. Psalm 149: The Lord Delights in His People.
    • A. The Present Joy of the Saints (Ps 149:1-5).
      • B. The Hope of the Saints (Ps 149:6-9).
  1. John Stott. Favorite Psalms. 1988. Psalm 150: The final doxology.
  2. Tim Keller. The Songs of Jesus. 2015. Psalm 150: An eternity of praise.
  3. Derek Kidner. 1973. 1975. Psalm 150: Hallelujah!
  4. Alec Motyer. 2016. Psalm 150: All Praise. 1. Praise commensurate with God himself (Ps 150:1-2). 2. Praise commensurate with all man (Ps 150:3-6).
  5. Tremper Longman III & David E Garland. Psalms. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary. 2008. Psalm 150: Praise Yahweh.
    • A. Praise the Lord in Heaven (Ps 150:1).
      • B. Praise the Greatness of God (Ps 150:2).
      • B’. Praise the Lord with Great Intensity (Ps 150:3-5).
    • A’. Praise the Lord on Earth (Ps 150:6).
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