Praise God with Music
Study Scripture: Psalm 149: 1 – 5; Psalm 150
Background Scripture: Psalm 147; 148; 149; 150
Lesson 9 October 30, 2021
Key Verse
Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.
Psalm 150: 6
INTRODUCTION
As we come to the end of the Book of Psalms, we are to recognize the priority of praise. Each of the last five psalms (146-150) begins and ends with the Hebrew word, “Hallelujah!” (Praise Yah = the Lord). Praise is the theme of each of these psalms. It is like a mounting crescendo at the climax of a great symphony. The theme of praise has dominated all the psalms, but as the end approaches, the “conductor” brings in each section of the orchestra in one grand finale of praise. Psalm 150 is the climax of the climax, where we are exhorted thirteen times in six short verses to praise the Lord. It is telling us that God’s people should be caught up with praising Him.
These closing psalms (Psalms 146-150) have in style, sentiment, poetic beauty, in sublimity and in their ability to fill the soul with lofty emotions are eminently suited to close the Book of Psalms.
It is interesting to note that in the Book of Psalms there are 35 verses that state, “Praise the Lord” . And in addition that the last five psalms begin and end with, “Praise the Lord”.
The Psalms we will look at today emphasize Praise, and in doing so emphasize that we have to look at what is the acceptable use of our mouth and what is in over hands.
This is very important for these psalms are addressing the faithful, the “Hasidim”, and so we have to as we study consider what it means to be a “faithful one” or hasidim. We should remember that this word is based on and is related to the hesed , God’s own “steadfast love. These people are those that are in a mutual relationship of hesed with Yahweh.
The focus here in these psalms is on the joy of the saints in this relationship. Other Psalms have dealt with the trials of the saints but these two Psalms in our Study will not deal with those directly.
Noteworthy therefore is the emphasis on the saints singing a new song for the saints have to keep their love for God fresh with a new song. Psalm 33: 3, 96:1, 98:1, 144:9 conveys the same idea.
This new song carries the idea that something is beginning to happen which makes it even more important to understand that Yahweh is worthy of praise.
Psalm 149 therefore is considered by many to be an eschatological Psalm which “proclaims a victory” of the Lord, the King of Zion. In this view not only has God brought deliverance in the past but these are signs of what God will do in the future. These psalms therefore point to the end of time when there will be a final victory so that the saints will be led into a never-ending climactic session of praise to Yahweh for now they will have never ending peace.
We must point out at the start however that there is some disagreement about how this psalm about the victory of God is to be celebrated. Certainly there is no limit to praising Yahweh and the methods used are several. They involve music which of course appeals to the ear. But the controversy comes at the interpretation of a word which some translate as “dancing” rather than using the “pipe”. So as we read the Text which tells us Let them praise His name with the dance we must keep our minds clear on the meaning of words and the state of translation for this issue has people on both sides. For example we will record one position:
“Adam Clark disagreed with most translations that the Hebrew word here translated dance (mahol) means a flute or musical pipe, not a dance. “I know no place in the Bible where machol and machalath means dance of any kind ; they constantly signify some kind of pipe”.
It is a clear that the nation of Israel also celebrated Yahweh’s victory and the blessing Yahweh brought by using dance, for example, Exodus 15:20; Judges 11:34; 2 Samuel 6:14; Jeremiah 31:4.
Some writers however tend to stress that dancing is not only acceptable or pleasing to God in the national celebrations of victory but should be used in the worship in the sanctuary. This relatively modern emphasis should be examined and that is your responsibility after reading Scripture. But Charles Spurgeon’s gives us some words that are very important recorded in TOD, vol. 2, 453:
“ let them repeat the triumph of the Red Sea, which was ever the typical glory of Israel. Miriam led the daughters of Israel in the dance when the Lord had triumphed gloriously; was it not most fit that she should? The sacred dance of devout joy is no example, nor even excuse, frivolous dunces, much less for lewd ones. Who could help dancing when Egypt was vanquished, and the tribes were free? Every mode of expressing delight was bound to be employed on so memorable an occasion. Dancing, singing, and playing on instruments were all called for into requisition, and most fitly so. There are unusual seasons which call for unusual expressions of joy. When the Lord saves a soul its holy joy overflows, and it cannot find channels enough for its exceeding gratitude: if the man does not leap or play or sing, at any rate he praises God, and wishes for a thousand tongues with which to magnify his Savior. Who could wish it to be otherwise? Young converts are not to be restrained in their joy. Let them sing and dance while they can. How can they mourn now that their Bridegroom is with them? Let us give the utmost liberty to joy. Let us never attempt its suppression, but issue in the terms of this verse a double license for exultation”.
Whatever we do therefore in worship must be thought about very carefully for worship is not an entertainment experience.
Praising the Lord is to exult and rejoice in who Yahweh is and what He has done, especially, in what He has done to redeem us and draw us near to Himself through the cross of Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:13). We may note that genuine praise contains both a rational and an emotional element. With our minds, we must understand who Yahweh is, as revealed in His Word. Otherwise, we are not worshiping the true God, or at least, God as He is truly revealed. When we understand who Yahweh is and what He has done in sending His own Son to die for our sins, it should affect our hearts. It should fill believers with joy and thankfulness.
The Study Text Psalms 149 and 150 are among the last five psalms that close the book of Psalms and are known collectively as “the previous conclusion”. All have three things in common in that all
(1) are anonymous,
(2) were likely composed after the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s temple and walls (approx. 515 and 444 BC, respectively) and
(3) begin and end with the phrase “Praise ye the Lord.” This phrase unites them with a shared theme. Even given that unity, the five offer different emphases in regard to that praise.
Psalm 149 has a national orientation whereas Psalm 150 is universal in scope.
The thrust of the Study Text is on the requisite praise that should come from those who are particularly God’s people (Psalm 149) and should extend from His sanctuary to the heavens, (Psalm 150). Praise must reverberate to God spatially in His special habitations the Sanctuary / Temple (symbolically) and the heavenly sanctuary. Yahweh’s people are blessed to be in communion, in communication, in relationships, with cognitive awareness of the person and works of God, and therefore they must praise Him.
One writer says of the closing‘Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord’command
“ …is neither more nor less than a glorious prophecy of that coming day, when not only shall the knowledge of the Lord be spread over the whole earth, as the waters cover the sea, but from every created object in heaven and in earth, animate and inanimate, from the highest archangel through every grade and phase of being, down to the tiniest atom—young men and maidens, old men and children, and all kings and princes, and judges of the earth shall unite in this millennial anthem to the Redeemer’s praise.”
All believers have a lot of room to grow in the daily practice of praising the Lord. The study of these psalms should fan the flame of our desire to become persons of praise.
A main way to grow in praise is to read and meditate on the Psalms every day.
Psalm 149: Likely set in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah, this was the time of Persian dominance (about 539–330 BC). Jewish life was difficult during this period (Ezra 4:24; Nehemiah 4:10–11; Haggai 1:6). But despite the challenges, this new beginning and the thrill of restoration resulted naturally and appropriately in the need for new songs of praise.
This psalm would be eminently appropriate to such an occasion – first, as expressing the joy of the nation; and secondly, as indicative of what the nation was to do in those circumstances in carrying out the purposes of God and accomplishing his will.
The people are considered as restored to their land; as safe, peaceful, happy; their city is securely fortified and they are armed to defend themselves.
The psalm divides into two parts: (A), an exhortation to praise, to joy, to rejoicing as appropriate to their deliverance, to their safe return and to their re-establishment in their own land, (vs. 1-5).
- this beautiful and animated psalm closes the series of the Hallelujah Psalms Ps. 146–150, and appropriately also closes the entire volume. Its author is unknown, but in respect to the object for which it was composed there can be no uncertainty. It was manifestly designed, whoever wrote it, to occupy the very place which it does occupy – to complete the volume devoted to praise.
THE TEXT- Psalm 149
Verse 1. Praise ye the Lord, a plural command, is a translation of only two words in Hebrew; millions of people all over the world know this as the single, compounded word hallelujah. The first word, hallelu, is a command to praise. The –jah that follows is a shortened version of Yahweh, the Hebrew name of God—the object of the praise.
In the New Testament, the Hebrew is transliterated (not translated) into Greek, so it sounds the same whether one is speaking Greek or Hebrew. The result is the four occurrences of our English “Alleluia” (also a transliteration, not a translation) in Revelation 19:1, 3, 4, 6. So whether we say English “Praise ye the Lord” or Hebrew “Hallelujah” or Greek “Alleluia,” we are saying the same thing!
… sing… is also a plural command pointing to national participation.
A new song suggests that circumstances have changed in such a way that the old songs are no longer sufficient (Psalms 33:3; 40:3; 96:1; 98:1; 144:9). In this case, the people had returned from their Babylonian captivity. This being something of a “second Exodus,” this return certainly called for new words of celebration!
Isaiah speaks of the Messiah to come, and a new song is called for because of the new things God will do on the earth (Isaiah 42:10; 43:19). Similarly in Revelation, songs are composed because of the new circumstances of the saints in Heaven (Revelation 4:9; 14:3).
‘A new song’ would represent a cultural way to commemorate an event (Exod. 15:1-18, 21; Jdgs. 5:1-13; 1 Sam. 18:6; Ps. 33:3; 40:3; Isa. 42:10). In some ways, Psalm 149 begins with a similar message to believers: it is a reminder of the praise that is due to God for all the things we may take for granted.
Perhaps a new song is called for because of what God is doing in your life. In what ways can your new song of praise give Him the credit?
And his praise in the congregation of saints.… connects with the previous phrase by stating where the people were to offer praise to the Lord. The congregation of saints sketches a setting of public, corporate worship. The saints are those who are set-apart and who demonstrate fidelity in their relationship with the Lord. They are not the ones who chase false gods or rebelliously disobey His commands.
… congregation… (Heb.=Qahal; Gk.= ekklesia) church.
Verse 2. Let Israel rejoice … let the children of Zion … here we see parallelism that often characterizes Hebrew poetry. Such parallelism means that it’s a mistake to see Israel and the children of Zion referring to different groups. In the same way, rejoice and be joyful repeat one another.
Piling up phrases that have the same or very similar meanings emphasizes their importance. Though the English let may read like a suggestion or permission, it is actually a common way of translating Hebrew commands.
This verse also gives reasons for expressing joy. The two lines refer to the same being, namely God, but to different roles. First, the LORD is not only the Creator of humans in general, but also the one who created the nation of Israel in particular.
… in him that made him: the reference is to the call of Abraham and the promise to his descendants, which was fully ratified on Mt. Sinai (Exodus 19-20). It is also alluded to in Ps. 95:6; 100:3; Isa. 17:7). Yahweh was uniquely their Maker, Savior, and Covenant Deity!
Second, the LORD is Israel’s ruler (1 Samuel 12:12; Isaiah 43:15). As subjects of His rule, the Israelites were beneficiaries of His protection. The Israelites are pointedly reminded that even though their earthly monarchy had come to an end, God was still their leader. He had made them a nation and He could and would sustain them as such.
…their King… This theological understanding goes back to 1 Sam. 8:7, Ps. 47:6; 89:18. The King of God’s people was meant to be His earthly representative, His Under-shepherd.
Verse 3. Let them praise his name in the dance: Here the psalmist provided means for expressing praise and joy. Dancing to the sound of musical instruments indicates boisterous, unrestrained worship. Dancing could imply a special worship event celebrating:
1. A military victory (Exod. 15:20; Jdgs. 11:34; 1 Sam. 18:6)
2. A worship event (2 Sam. 6:5; Ps. 150:4)
3. A restoration (Ps. 30:11).
The Old Testament records several such celebrations, notably (2 Sam. 6). Celebrations, worship, praise was by this time well organized in Israel from the time of King David.
Verse 4. Because this psalm was composed after the return from Babylonian exile, Ezra 7 forms a particularly fitting backdrop. In Ezra 7:27, the word here translated beautify is used for decorating the Temple under the approval of the Persian monarchy (Ezra 6:1, 13–15). In a similar way, the Lord was working on the hearts of His people.
The meek are the humble, which is how the same word is translated in Psalms 9:12; 10:17; and elsewhere. This may include a spiritual sense—such people are aware of their low position before the Lord—or it may be meant in only a physical sense. The people experienced great uncertainty when they arrived back in Judah. They were certainly not wealthy or of high standing.
While the word can refer to the poor and needy, it often was used of God’s persecuted people.
Salvation in the Old Testament often describes the deliverance from enemies (Exodus 14:13; 15:2). For the vulnerable population newly returned to Jerusalem and Judah, God’s protection would indeed have been a comfort. The word translated salvation can also be used of deliverance from sin, though this is much more prevalent in the New Testament, (compare Psalm 3 with Revelation 7:10).
Verse 5. Let the saints be joyful … the verse again requires the people to praise the LORD, as the phrase let the saints be joyful echoes the command in verse two.
…saints… (the godly ones) used often to denote someone faithful to the Covenant.
These “godly ones” are not sinless but have a faith, obedient and repentant relationship with Yahweh.
Such celebrations are called for elsewhere: in anticipation of an enemy’s defeat (Psalm 5:8–11), in sheer wonder at God’s greatness (Psalm 95), and in instances of personification (96:12; 98:8), etc.
In glory refers to having been favored with a change of circumstance, from exiles to people living once again in their homeland. We get the word doxology from the Greek word used to translate the Hebrew word doxa.
Upon their beds compliments verse one where the people are to offer praise “in the congregation.” So both public and private praise are covered.
… their beds… gives a sense of security and contentment. They are back in their own country and in their own homes. This could be figurative language of a person with a joyful, peaceful heart that sleeps well!
One writer comments:
How and where should they celebrate? They should “shout for joy on the beds”. This last phrase is uncertain as to its meaning. Are they lying down at night in restful peace? Are they maybe “reclining at a festal meal… especially if the theme of such a festival was the final victory of God” (Kidner, Psalms 73-159, TODC, 489). Either is possible and both would be true. In God’s final victory the Prince of Peace will reign (Isaiah 9:6-7; Ps 110;4-7). The people of God will enjoy perfect and eternal Shalom. The victory celebration will be the climax of history. The rest enjoyed by the people of God under King Jesus will be forever!”
The high praises of God mean you are in allegiance with and surrendered to the Yahweh of victory. You bear the two edge sword in your hand and spiritually you rely on God’s word which according to Hebrews 4:12 is sharper than any two-edged sword. We most understand that we are to observe the warning of one writer who says we are not to be simply chanting words but instead we are to be doing the will of Yahweh. This
Psalm 150
The psalmist speaks to us in Psalm 150 about
the “where” of praise,
the “why” of praise,
the “how” of praise and
the “who” of praise.
He does not give us the what of praise, its content, but the root meaning of the word, the verb means to shine with associated terms like to make a show, to boast; to rave; to celebrate;
noun
– the act of expressing approval or admiration; commendation; laudation.
– the offering of grateful homage in words or song, as an act of worship:
verb
– to express approval or admiration of; commend; extol.
So when we praise God we shine the spotlight on His virtues / attributes / character / His works and activities.
We are not talking about repeating “Praise the Lord” over and over. We are talking about thinking and/or speaking well of God’s perfect attributes or great acts.
Praise can be expressed through singing and music (including clapping, dancing, lifting our hands, kneeling, lying prostrate, etc.), through testimony and thanksgiving, prayer, sacrificial service, and giving. If we want praise to characterize our lives, the psalmist would have us understand ‘the
where of Praise’.
THE TEXT
Verse 1. Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary. Praise him in the firmament of his power. [Praise Him in His mighty expanse. NASB; praise him in his mighty heavens. NIV]
… Praise ye the Lord … This imperative was treated above (Psalm 149:1a).
Praise God in his sanctuary… here we see a location mentioned where it is especially appropriate to praise God. There is wide translation of the Hebrew word translated sanctuary. The big-picture idea is one of “sacredness” or “apartness.” The context here seems to require that the sacred space in view is where God’s people gather for worship, (Psalms 68:24–26; 134:2; and 138:2).
God’s sanctuary refers to the place of worship on earth where God’s people gathered. In the psalmist’s day, this was the Temple in Jerusalem; in ours, it is the church.
“Sanctuary” relates especially to the corporate gatherings of God’s people.
– It means that the praise of God should be our main business when we gather as the Church.
– We should not gather primarily to meet with our friends, although that is an aspect of our meetings.
– We should not gather primarily to win the lost, although I pray that many without Christ will be brought to repentance.
– We should not come primarily to have our needs met, although that will often happen.
– We gather primarily to meet with God, to corporately offer praise to Him.
“Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise” (Ps. 100:4).
…“mighty expanse” / mighty heavens / “firmament”) refers to the heavens, and is a call to all of the heavenly hosts to praise God. The psalmist is saying, “Praise God everywhere! Praise Him on the earth! Praise Him in the heavens!”
Fact is, God’s “glory fills the universe; His praise must do no less”.
Verse 2. … His mighty acts: … His excellent greatness… tworeasons for praising the Lord are given:
1. His works and
2. His character / attributes;
Mighty acts are things God has done in the past. Some psalms very clearly celebrate specific works God has done by recounting His deeds in Israel’s history. For example, Psalm 136 recounts the acts of the Lord in
(a)creation (vv. 5–9);
(b) in delivering Israel from Egypt; (vv. 10–16),
(c). in conquering enemies and giving Israel the land (vv. 17–24), and
(d) for providing food for all creatures (v. 25).
His mighty acts place emphasis on the God who acts in fidelity to His covenant promises,
(Ps. 145:4,5,6,7,12). These acts would include:
1. The creation and/or the Flood
2. The acts of forgiveness and restoration
3. The call of Abraham and the Patriarchs
4. The Exodus
5. The Conquest
6. The victories in battle
If we think your way through the Book of Psalms we are reminded of some of the great things God has done.
– Psalm 139, He formed you while you were in the womb, and ordained all the days of your life.
– We discovered in Psalm 22, He sent the Messiah to die for our sins.
– Psalm 23 shows us His providing for our every need as our good Shepherd.
– Psalm 32 tells of the forgiveness of sin which God gives to the repentant sinner.
– Psalm 57 describes how God is sufficient in a time of trial.
– Psalm 71 taught us of God’s grace for old age.
-Psalm 119 extols God’s Word which He has graciously given to guide us.
Truly, God has done mighty deeds!
On a personal level think of how He has dealt with you.
– He chose you in Christ before the foundation of the world.
– He sought you when you were dead in your transgressions and sins, when you were hostile toward Him.
– He dealt graciously and patiently with you to lead you to the place where you are today.
– And He who began this good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus (Phil. 1:6).
Praise God for His mighty deeds!
Apart from His many mighty deeds, God is worthy of praise simply for who He is. And the phrase his excellent greatness summarizes the Lord’s character.
He is perfect, lacking in nothing.
– He is “the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God” (1 Tim. 1:17);
– “the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light” (1 Tim. 6:16).
– “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created” (Rev. 4:11). “Praise God according to His excellent greatness.”
God is perfect in His knowledge (Deuteronomy 29:29),
-in His ethics (Psalms 18:25; 92:15; Mark 10:18),
-in His works (Deuteronomy 32:4), and
-in His words (Numbers 23:19; Titus 1:2).
Verse 3. The sense of verses three to five is, “pull out the stops and give it everything you’ve got!” Use your breath to blow the trumpet; use your fingers to play the harp and lyre; use your whole hand to hit the tambourine (timbrel); move your whole body in the dance. There are stringed instruments, wind instruments, and percussion instruments (vv. 4-5).
Here begins a three-verse list of several musical instruments the readers were encouraged to use to praise God (1 Chronicles 15:28).
Metal horns were known in the Old Testament world (Numbers 10:1–10),
… the sound of the trumpet signified the blast of a ram’s horn. These were used in worship (Leviticus 25:9), as a signal in war (Joshua 6:4–9, 20), to warn of danger (Joel 2:1), to express joyous celebration (2 Samuel 6:15), to herald news (1 Samuel 13:3), at the installation of a king (1 Kings 1:34), and to call to assembly (Jeremiah 4:5).
The psaltery and harp are stringed instruments, mentioned together several times in the psalms (Psalms 33:2; 57:8; 71:22; 81:2; 92:3; and 108:2). These two were essentially the same instrument, the main difference being that one was larger (and less portable) than the other. Evidence from ancient drawings indicates curved yokes and jar-shaped sounding boxes to be features.
…trumpets… were blown by priests.
…harp and lyre… instruments used by the Levites in temple worship
(1 Chr. 15:16; 2 Chr. 29:25; Neh. 12:27).
Verse 4. The timbrel is similar to a modern tambourine, being small enough to be held in the hand. Use of this rhythm percussion instrument is associated with dances of joy several times in the Old Testament (Exodus 15:20; Psalm 149:3, above), even joy that has the wrong focus (Isaiah 5:11–12).
An absence of timbrels is associated with a lack of joy (Isaiah 24:8).
Stringed instruments were likely a collective term for instruments such as the psaltery and harp already mentioned. The designation may include a rather fixed collection of instruments, much like reference to “the strings” in an orchestra refers generally to violins, violas, cellos, etc.
Organs are first mentioned in Genesis 4:21: “Jubal … was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ.” It was probably a type of wind instrument but distinct from horns.
Verse 5. Cymbals, in the category of percussion instruments, would be struck together to make their sound.
.. high sounding … as in other places in the Psalms, has the sense of volume
(Psalms 27:6; 33:3; 47:5; and 89:15). Thus loud and high sounding are parallel terms. There’s no holding back with these instruments!
There is a festive, joyous air to these verses. Worship is not to be a somber, formal exercise, devoid of joy. Yes, we need to be reverent, as is fitting in the presence of our holy God but God is to be praised with joyful expressions. God also wants His people to celebrate His goodness.
Of course, some might say that is not my personality! I am a quiet and reserved person but let me suggests there are things we love that we get expressively excited about! We can get exited about praising God should we meditate on His person and works.
But the psalmist would not only have us understand the where, the why, and the how of praise. He also wants us to grasp … ‘the who’ (v. 6).
The Verse 6. Breath was the first sign of life. At creation the Lord breathed into the man “the breath of life” (Genesis 2:7). Encouraging everything that hath breath to praise the Lord is broader than a call to only people. Bless the Lord, all you works of His, In all places of His dominion; Bless the Lord, my soul! (Psalm 103:22).
Consider the instruments named in Psalm 150. So, in the resulting joyful noise, some unenlightened within hearing distance may say that the emphasis is on noise! God wants to hear it.
This is not to minimize the importance of quality and giving our best to God (Matt. 5:48; 1 Corin. 13:1). It is rather, to stress our need to praise Him in all contexts of life.
How can you match the psalmist’s enthusiasm for doing so?
CONCLUSION
No matter our situation, we should praise the Lord. We can do so by recalling past blessings, the great things He has done for us.
We can praise Him for future blessings, things God has promised when we are in His presence for all eternity. If celebrating the Lord’s greatness will not give us joy and peace during the storms of life, what will?
If you are not continually filled with praise to God, then you are not yet fulfilling the purpose for which He created you and saved you. Join the psalmist in resolving (Ps. 71:14), “But as for me, I will … praise You yet more and more.”
The Book of Revelation insists that one day everyone will praise the Lord. This will happen. Yahweh is to be praised and honoured and He will be praised and h0noured among His people and by all creation. Revelation 5:13 tells us:
And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: “Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!”
Every day, before you leave your house in the morning, make sure that your heart is filled with praises to our glorious God and Savior!
We must ask ourselves this question, are we people of praise?