| << Psa 145 | |
| This is the New King James text of the passages. |
Psalms 146-150
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About these 5 Psalms...
There's certainly no problem deriving the theme of these five Psalms. The word "praise" is found 40 times. Ancient Jews knew these five Psalms as a group which they called the "praise collection." Authorship of these is not known with any certainty - remotely possible that it could have been David...probably not. Some scholars have attributed 147-148 to Haggai and Zechariah, though there is no solid evidence to do so. However, 147 definitely appears to have been penned after the return of the exiles to Jerusalem from Babylonian captivity (beginning 535 B.C.), and 148 seems to tag along with it. Perhaps all five of these Psalms were written after the return of the exiles. Enough of the technicalities; just sit back and enjoy five light-reading Psalms that provide great words for modern-day praise choruses.
Who are you gonna trust? (Psalm 146)
1 Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD, O my soul!
2 While I live I will praise the LORD;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
3 Do not put your trust in princes,
Nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help.
4 His spirit departs, he returns to his earth;
In that very day his plans perish.
5 Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help,
Whose hope is in the LORD his God,
6 Who made heaven and earth,
The sea, and all that is in them;
Who keeps truth forever,
7 Who executes justice for the oppressed,
Who gives food to the hungry.
The LORD gives freedom to the prisoners.
8 The LORD opens the eyes of the blind;
The LORD raises those who are bowed down;
The LORD loves the righteous.
9 The LORD watches over the strangers;
He relieves the fatherless and widow;
But the way of the wicked He turns upside down.
10 The LORD shall reign forever—
Your God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise the LORD!
When you're down, who are you gonna trust? Let's hit it from a different perspective - who NOT to trust in verse 3, "Do not put your trust in princes, Nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help." God is solid, dependable help; man is not.
An outline of this Psalm may be seen as follows:
We're just happy to be home! (Psalm 147)
1 Praise the LORD!
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
For it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful.
2 The LORD builds up Jerusalem;
He gathers together the outcasts of Israel.
3 He heals the brokenhearted
And binds up their wounds.
4 He counts the number of the stars;
He calls them all by name.
5 Great is our Lord, and mighty in power;
His understanding is infinite.
6 The LORD lifts up the humble;
He casts the wicked down to the ground.
7 Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving;
Sing praises on the harp to our God,
8 Who covers the heavens with clouds,
Who prepares rain for the earth,
Who makes grass to grow on the mountains.
9 He gives to the beast its food,
And to the young ravens that cry.
10 He does not delight in the strength of the horse;
He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.
11 The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him,
In those who hope in His mercy.
12 Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem!
Praise your God, O Zion!
13 For He has strengthened the bars of your gates;
He has blessed your children within you.
14 He makes peace in your borders,
And fills you with the finest wheat.
15 He sends out His command to the earth;
His word runs very swiftly.
16 He gives snow like wool;
He scatters the frost like ashes;
17 He casts out His hail like morsels;
Who can stand before His cold?
18 He sends out His word and melts them;
He causes His wind to blow, and the waters flow.
19 He declares His word to Jacob,
His statutes and His judgments to Israel.
20 He has not dealt thus with any nation;
And as for His judgments, they have not known them.
Praise the LORD!
Verse 2 is a dead give-away on this one, "The LORD builds up Jerusalem; He gathers together the outcasts of Israel." Obviously, this is a reference to the fall of Jerusalem, beginning in 605 B.C. with its final demise in 586 B.C., along with the return of the exiles to Jerusalem some 70 years later. Note verse 11, "The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him, In those who hope in His mercy." The Hebrew word translated "fear" means "moral reverence." The last two verses here reinforce the Old Testament covenants to Israel:
19 He declares His word to Jacob,
His statutes and His judgments to Israel.
20 He has not dealt thus with any nation;
And as for His judgments, they have not known them.
Praise the LORD!
For more information on God's covenants with Israel, see "The Abrahamic Covenant" and "The Davidic Covenant."
This Psalm is divided into three stanzas:
A covenant's a covenant (Psalm 148)
1 Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD from the heavens;
Praise Him in the heights!
2 Praise Him, all His angels;
Praise Him, all His hosts!
3 Praise Him, sun and moon;
Praise Him, all you stars of light!
4 Praise Him, you heavens of heavens,
And you waters above the heavens!
5 Let them praise the name of the LORD,
For He commanded and they were created.
6 He also established them forever and ever;
He made a decree which shall not pass away.
7 Praise the LORD from the earth,
You great sea creatures and all the depths;
8 Fire and hail, snow and clouds;
Stormy wind, fulfilling His word;
9 Mountains and all hills;
Fruitful trees and all cedars;
10 Beasts and all cattle;
Creeping things and flying fowl;
11 Kings of the earth and all peoples;
Princes and all judges of the earth;
12 Both young men and maidens;
Old men and children.
13 Let them praise the name of the LORD,
For His name alone is exalted;
His glory is above the earth and heaven.
14 And He has exalted the horn of His people,
The praise of all His saints—
Of the children of Israel,
A people near to Him.
Praise the LORD!
This Psalm seems to tag along with 147, and is thus regarded to be written after the return of the exiles also (After 535 B.C.). Verse 6 follows the covenant-to-Israel theme when it says, "He also established them forever and ever; He made a decree which shall not pass away." You can imagine the exuberance over the miracle of returning to their homeland after exile. That's certainly something about which to offer praise. Verse 7 is interesting, "Praise the LORD from the earth, You great sea creatures and all the depths." According to the Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for "dragons" may be translated "dragon, sea monster, serpent or whale."
For more information on God's covenants with Israel, see "The Abrahamic Covenant" and "The Davidic Covenant."
Sing unto the LORD a new song (Psalm 149)
1 Praise the LORD!
Sing to the LORD a new song,
And His praise in the assembly of saints.
2 Let Israel rejoice in their Maker;
Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.
3 Let them praise His name with the dance;
Let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp.
4 For the LORD takes pleasure in His people;
He will beautify the humble with salvation.
5 Let the saints be joyful in glory;
Let them sing aloud on their beds.
6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth,
And a two-edged sword in their hand,
7 To execute vengeance on the nations,
And punishments on the peoples;
8 To bind their kings with chains,
And their nobles with fetters of iron;
9 To execute on them the written judgment—
This honor have all His saints.
Praise the LORD!
This Psalm certainly fits the post-exilic motif also (see above for explanation)...especially when you view verses 7-9 in that context. A return to the land calls for some celebrating. What's celebrating without a timbrel and harp...and maybe a little dancin' also.
We see God's people praising in this Psalm until we get to "a two-edged sword in their hand" in verse 6. The remainder of the Psalm deals with God's vengeance exercised at the hand of God's people. It is important to read scripture in context. Verses 6-9 here should be understood that the vengeance spoken of is on behalf of Israel who seeks to reclaim their independence and complete control over their homeland. In that context, this Psalm has prophetic implications.
Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD (Psalm 150)
1 Praise the LORD!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty firmament!
2 Praise Him for His mighty acts;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!
3 Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet;
Praise Him with the lute and harp!
4 Praise Him with the timbrel and dance;
Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!
5 Praise Him with loud cymbals;
Praise Him with clashing cymbals!
6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD!
Six verses here, and only one verb is used throughout - "praise" - 13 times, and 12 times as a plural imperative ("Y'all praise!"). Obviously this Psalm is all about...PRAISE!. Looking for an endorsement for loud music? Here's Psalm 150:5 written to order, "Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with clashing cymbals!" It sounds as though this Psalmist liked his music loud!