Psalm 150:1-6 (CSB)
Hallelujah!
Praise God in his sanctuary.
Praise him in his mighty expanse.
Praise him for his powerful acts;
praise him for his abundant greatness.
Praise him with trumpet blast;
praise him with harp and lyre.
Praise him with tambourine and dance;
praise him with strings and flute.
Praise him with resounding cymbals;
praise him with clashing cymbals.
Let everything that breathes praise the Lord.
Hallelujah!
Psalm 150 contains no argument, no teaching, no real explanation. It simply offers a doxology to close out one of the most moving and profound books in the Bible. The 19th century Scottish minister, Alexander Maclaren, said that “it is a prophecy of the last result of the devout life, and, in its unclouded sunniness, as well as in its universality, it proclaims the certain end of the weary years for the individual and for the world.” Charles Spurgeon saw Psalm 150’s simple grandeur in a similar way when he wrote, “It rises high into the clear azure, and its brow is bathed in the sunlight of the eternal world of worship; it is a rapture. The poet prophet is full of inspiration and enthusiasm. He slays not to argue, to teach, to explain; but cries with burning words, ‘Praise him, Praise him, Praise ye the LORD.’”
In the end, all of God’s Children will shout and sing the same words: “Praise Him! Praise Him! Praise the Lord!”
It will be The End of our lives on this fallen planet, but not the end of our lives. If the Psalms teach us anything, it is to hold fast to the promises of God. To place our trust—as best as we can—into the arms of His revealed will and character. To battle against despair and fear with the Word of God, the Stories of His Faithfulness, and through the Power of the Holy Spirit. I appreciate Maclaren’s frank acknowledgement of the “weary years for the individual and for the world.” Life can be difficult at times and there always seems to be a bit of a headwind as we push forward through the world’s brokenness…as well as our own. But ahead…alas…there lies a hidden valley! A calm cove! A welcoming home!
In this earthly realm, “We see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known” (1 Cor. 13:12). We dream about heaven but can’t really grasp the details. We hope for the promised future but sometimes struggle with doubt. Like the father with the demon-possessed son, we cry out, “I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mk. 9:24). The Book of Psalms acknowledges this fight for faith in song after song and seeks to remind us and reassure us that everything is going to be alright. One day every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Phil. 2:10-11), and in that moment every promise of God will be fulfilled. And not only that, but every wrong will be righted—every single injustice will be accounted for.
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’” (Rev. 21:1-5a)
I love the Psalms because, while they acknowledge all of the trouble and pain and disappointment this life can bring—in no uncertain or polished terms— they always remain faithful to the hope that only God can offer. David walked by faith, even when his sight had a hard time believing, and we are called to do the same. David’s faith was rewarded entirely—in the blink of an eye—when he took his last breath on this messed up planet and went immediately into the presence of His Lord (2 Cor. 5:8). Ours will be as well.
Praise Him! Praise Him! Praise the Lord!
Amen.
