Psalms 150 Study Notes: The Closing Hallelujah
The final psalm calls for God to be praised in His sanctuary and in the heavens for His mighty deeds and surpassing greatness. It lists horn, strings, tambourine, dancing, flute, and cymbals, and ends the book of Psalms by summoning every living, breathing creature to praise the LORD.
General
How does 150:6 widen the call to praise at the close of the psalm?
Answer: It calls every living, breathing creature to praise the LORD
After listing instruments, the psalm makes its widest call: all that breathes is to praise the LORD (150:6), and it ends, as it began, with Hallelujah. This verse also closes the whole book of Psalms. Every creature that has breath received it from God, who breathed life into the first man (Genesis 2:7). Psalm 145:21 likewise calls every creature to bless the holy name of God, and John sees creatures everywhere praising God and the Lamb (Revelation 5:13).
- Psalm 150:6 (BSB)“Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Hallelujah!”The final verse of the book of Psalms calls every breathing creature to praise.
- Genesis 2:7 (BSB)“Then the LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being.”God breathed the breath of life into the first man, so breath itself comes from Him.
- Psalm 145:21 (BSB)“My mouth will declare the praise of the LORD; let every creature bless His holy name forever and ever.”David calls every creature to bless God's holy name forever.
- Revelation 5:13 (BSB)“And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power forever and ever!””John hears every creature in heaven, on earth, and in the sea praising God and the Lamb.
Theological
What final, widest summons does 150:6 issue?
Answer: It calls every living, breathing creature to praise the LORD
The book of Psalms closes with its broadest summons: all that breathes is to praise the LORD, framed by a final Hallelujah (150:6). The creature's breath is itself God's gift (Genesis 2:7), and so its fitting use is His praise. Psalm 145:21 calls every creature to bless His name, and Revelation 5:13 shows the summons answered as every creature praises God and the Lamb.
- Psalm 150:6 (BSB)“Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Hallelujah!”The final verse of the book of Psalms calls every breathing creature to praise.
- Genesis 2:7 (BSB)“Then the LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being.”God breathed the breath of life into the first man, so breath itself comes from Him.
- Psalm 145:21 (BSB)“My mouth will declare the praise of the LORD; let every creature bless His holy name forever and ever.”David calls every creature to bless God's holy name forever.
- Revelation 5:13 (BSB)“And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power forever and ever!””John hears every creature in heaven, on earth, and in the sea praising God and the Lamb.
General
True or False: Psalm 150 limits praise to the human voice alone and names no musical instruments.
Answer: False
This is false. Verses 3-5 name many instruments and ways of praise: the horn, harp and lyre, tambourine and dancing, strings and flute, and two kinds of cymbals, clashing and resounding (150:3-5). This matches what Scripture records of Israel's worship. David had the Levites appoint singers with harp, lyre, and cymbal (1 Chronicles 15:16), the whole nation carried the ark up with horns, trumpets, cymbals, harps, and lyres (1 Chronicles 15:28), and Miriam led the women with tambourine and dance after the sea crossing (Exodus 15:20).
- Psalm 150:3-5 (BSB)“Praise Him with the sound of the horn; praise Him with the harp and lyre. Praise Him with tambourine and dancing; praise Him with strings and flute. Praise Him with clashing cymbals; praise Him with resounding cymbals.”A long list of instruments, with dancing, all called into God's praise.
- 1 Chronicles 15:16 (BSB)“David also told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their relatives as singers to lift up their voices with joy, accompanied by musical instruments—harps, lyres, and cymbals.”David had the Levites appoint singers with harps, lyres, and cymbals.
- 1 Chronicles 15:28 (BSB)“So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouting, with the sounding of rams’ horns and trumpets, and with cymbals and the music of harps and lyres.”Israel brought up the ark with shouting, horns, trumpets, cymbals, harps, and lyres.
- Exodus 15:20 (BSB)“Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her with tambourines and dancing.”Miriam and the women praised God with tambourines and dancing.
Theological
True or False: Psalm 150 restricts praise to the voice and mentions no instruments.
Answer: False
This is false. Verses 3-5 summon horn, harp, lyre, tambourine with dancing, strings, flute, and cymbals both clashing and resounding (150:3-5). The list reflects Israel's worship as recorded elsewhere: Levitical singers with harp, lyre, and cymbal (1 Chronicles 15:16), the ark's procession with horns and trumpets (1 Chronicles 15:28), and Miriam's tambourine and dance (Exodus 15:20).
- Psalm 150:3-5 (BSB)“Praise Him with the sound of the horn; praise Him with the harp and lyre. Praise Him with tambourine and dancing; praise Him with strings and flute. Praise Him with clashing cymbals; praise Him with resounding cymbals.”A long list of instruments, with dancing, all called into God's praise.
- 1 Chronicles 15:16 (BSB)“David also told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their relatives as singers to lift up their voices with joy, accompanied by musical instruments—harps, lyres, and cymbals.”David had the Levites appoint singers with harps, lyres, and cymbals.
- 1 Chronicles 15:28 (BSB)“So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouting, with the sounding of rams’ horns and trumpets, and with cymbals and the music of harps and lyres.”Israel brought up the ark with shouting, horns, trumpets, cymbals, harps, and lyres.
- Exodus 15:20 (BSB)“Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her with tambourines and dancing.”Miriam and the women praised God with tambourines and dancing.
General
Where does 150:1 call for God to be praised?
Answer: In His holy place and in the vast heavens above
Psalm 150 opens with Hallelujah and names where praise should rise: in God's sanctuary, His holy place, and in the heavens that display His might (150:1). Praise fills both the place of worship and the whole sky. Psalm 11:4 places the LORD both in His temple and on His throne in heaven, Psalm 29:9 shows all in His temple crying out in praise of His glory, and Psalm 148:1 also calls for praise from the heavens and the heights.
- Psalm 150:1 (BSB)“Hallelujah! Praise God in His sanctuary. Praise Him in His mighty heavens.”The final psalm opens by naming where God is to be praised.
- Psalm 11:4 (BSB)“The LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD is on His heavenly throne. His eyes are watching closely; they examine the sons of men.”The LORD is in His holy temple and on His throne in heaven.
- Psalm 29:9 (BSB)“The voice of the LORD twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. And in His temple all cry, “Glory!””In God's temple all cry out in praise of His glory.
- Psalm 148:1 (BSB)“Hallelujah! Praise the LORD from the heavens; praise Him in the highest places.”Another psalm likewise calls for praise to rise from the heavens and the heights.
Theological
What two settings for praise does 150:1 name?
Answer: In His holy place and in the vast heavens above
The closing psalm locates praise in God's sanctuary and in the heavens of His might (150:1), joining the place of worship with the heavens that display His power. Psalm 11:4 pairs the LORD's holy temple with His throne in heaven, Psalm 29:9 shows all in His temple ascribing glory to Him, and Psalm 148:1 summons praise from the heavens.
- Psalm 150:1 (BSB)“Hallelujah! Praise God in His sanctuary. Praise Him in His mighty heavens.”The final psalm opens by naming where God is to be praised.
- Psalm 11:4 (BSB)“The LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD is on His heavenly throne. His eyes are watching closely; they examine the sons of men.”The LORD is in His holy temple and on His throne in heaven.
- Psalm 29:9 (BSB)“The voice of the LORD twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. And in His temple all cry, “Glory!””In God's temple all cry out in praise of His glory.
- Psalm 148:1 (BSB)“Hallelujah! Praise the LORD from the heavens; praise Him in the highest places.”Another psalm likewise calls for praise to rise from the heavens and the heights.
General
What reasons does 150:2 give for praising God?
Answer: His mighty deeds and His surpassing greatness
Verse 2 gives two reasons for praise: God's powerful deeds, what He has done, and His exceeding greatness, who He is (150:2). Praise responds to both His works and His character. Psalm 145:3-4 says His greatness cannot be searched out and each generation tells of His mighty acts, Psalm 106:2 asks who could ever fully describe them, and Moses confessed that no god anywhere can match the LORD's works (Deuteronomy 3:24).
- Psalm 150:2 (BSB)“Praise Him for His mighty acts; praise Him for His excellent greatness.”The reasons for praise: what God has done and who God is.
- Psalm 145:3-4 (BSB)“Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised; His greatness is unsearchable. One generation will commend Your works to the next, and will proclaim Your mighty acts—”The LORD's greatness is unsearchable, and each generation proclaims His mighty acts.
- Psalm 106:2 (BSB)“Who can describe the mighty acts of the LORD or fully proclaim His praise?”No one can fully describe the LORD's mighty acts or declare all His praise.
- Deuteronomy 3:24 (BSB)““O Lord GOD, You have begun to show Your greatness and power to Your servant. For what god in heaven or on earth can perform such works and mighty acts as Yours?”Moses says no god in heaven or on earth can do works and mighty acts like the LORD's.
Theological
What twofold ground for praise does 150:2 give?
Answer: His mighty deeds and His surpassing greatness
Verse 2 grounds praise in God's works, His mighty acts, and in His being, His excellent greatness (150:2). Psalm 145:3-4 joins the same two themes of unsearchable greatness and mighty acts proclaimed across generations, Psalm 106:2 confesses they exceed full description, and Deuteronomy 3:24 declares them unmatched by any god.
- Psalm 150:2 (BSB)“Praise Him for His mighty acts; praise Him for His excellent greatness.”The reasons for praise: what God has done and who God is.
- Psalm 145:3-4 (BSB)“Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised; His greatness is unsearchable. One generation will commend Your works to the next, and will proclaim Your mighty acts—”The LORD's greatness is unsearchable, and each generation proclaims His mighty acts.
- Psalm 106:2 (BSB)“Who can describe the mighty acts of the LORD or fully proclaim His praise?”No one can fully describe the LORD's mighty acts or declare all His praise.
- Deuteronomy 3:24 (BSB)““O Lord GOD, You have begun to show Your greatness and power to Your servant. For what god in heaven or on earth can perform such works and mighty acts as Yours?”Moses says no god in heaven or on earth can do works and mighty acts like the LORD's.