“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord” (Psalm 150:6).

 

Psalm 150

I f you ever walk through a cemetery and read the words on the tombstones, you’ll often find a short phrase that describes the life of that person. This phrase, which was labored over and pondered thoughtfully by the loved ones who placed it there, best describes and summarizes that person’s life, passion, personality, purpose for living, impact, and legacy. This short phrase encapsulates the fingerprint the deceased person placed on the lives of those he or she touched in his or her brief stay on this planet.

For David, in his life as a shepherd, a warrior, a king, and a writer, the word I would place on his tombstone is praise. Although the Bible does not ascribe Psalm 150 to him, the theme and the writing are so consistent with the psalms we know to be his that it’s reasonable to infer David might have written this one as well. And how appropriate it would be if he chose this epic psalm to finish this “Jewish hymnal,” because Psalm 150 is all about praise!

Why? Because praise changes things. Praise connects the heart of the sheep to “the Heart of the Shepherd.”

In the early days of contemporary Christian music, one of the headliner groups was affectionately known as The Imperials. One of their songs featured an insightful statement about praise that has stayed in my mind over the past 30 years:

“The chains that seem to bind you fall powerless behind you when you praise the Lord!”

Praise brings freedom! Praise breaks the chains of sin, doubt, insecurity, and low self-esteem, because when you look up, you stop looking inside.

A life of praise is a life filled with joy, peace, and closeness with God. What a way to end the book of Psalms! What a way to begin to REALLY LIVE!

• Psalm 150:1a – “Praise the Lord! Praise God in His sanctuary.”
  • If your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, how do you “praise God in the sanctuary”?

• Psalm 150:1b-2 – “Praise Him in His mighty expanse. Praise Him for His mighty deeds; praise Him according to His excellent greatness.”
  • Write down five things these verses bring to your mind about God’s “mighty deeds” and “excellent greatness.”
    • Lord, I praise you for _____________________________________________________________________
    • Lord, I praise you for _____________________________________________________________________
    • Lord, I praise you for _____________________________________________________________________
    • Lord, I praise you for _____________________________________________________________________
    • Lord, I praise you for _____________________________________________________________________
• Psalm 150:3-5 – “Praise Him with trumpet sound; praise Him with harp and lyre. Praise Him with timbrel and dancing; praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe. Praise Him with loud cymbals; praise Him with resounding cymbals.”
  • As the Jews praised God with loud musical instruments, what means do you use today to praise the Lord?

• Psalm 150:6 – “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!”
  • What would it look like for you to live a life of praise?
  • How would your life be different if you lived that way?

• Philippians 1:21 – “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”
  • The theme of Abraham’s life was “sacrificial faith,” and the theme of David’s life was “praise.” The theme of Daniel’s life was “integrity”; the theme of Paul’s life was “sold out”; the theme of Peter’s life was “commitment to the end”; and the theme of John’s life was “a trustworthy man of vision” … So, what theme do you want to describe your life?

 

John 13:15 – ​“For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.”

From today’s scripture, how does ​THE​ Shepherd inspire ​you​ to shepherd ​your​ flock?

“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord” (Psalm 150:6).

A​doration, ​C​onfession, ​T​hanksgiving, ​S​upplication