Bible Commentary

Psalms 150:1-5

Matthew Henry on Psalms 150:1-5

Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · Matthew Henry · CC0 1.0 Universal

We are here stirred up to praise God. Praise God for his sanctuary, and the privileges we enjoy by having it among us; praise him because of his power and glory in the firmament. Those who praise the Lord in heaven, behold displays of his power and glory which we cannot now conceive.

But the greatest of all his mighty acts is known in his earthly sanctuary. The holiness and the love of our God are more displayed in man's redemption, than in all his other works. Let us praise our God and Saviour for it.

We need not care to know what instruments of music are mentioned. Hereby is meant that in serving God we should spare no cost or pains. Praise God with strong faith; praise him with holy love and delight; praise him with entire confidence in Christ; praise him with believing triumph over the powers of darkness; praise him by universal respect to all his commands; praise him by cheerful submission to all his disposals; praise him by rejoicing in his love, and comforting ourselves in his goodness; praise him by promoting the interests of the kingdom of his grace; praise him by lively hope and expectation of the kingdom of his glory.

Since we must shortly breathe our last, while we have breath let us praise the Lord; then we shall breathe our last with comfort. Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.

Such is the very suitable end of a book inspired by the Spirit of God, written for the work of praise; a book which has supplied the songs of the church for more than three thousand years; a book which is quoted more frequently than any other by Christ and his apostles; a book which presents the loftiest ideas of God and his government, which is fitted to every state of human life, which sets forth every state of religious experience, and which bears simple and clear marks of its Divine origin.

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commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 150:1-6EXPOSITION COMMENTATORS generally are agreed that this is a most noble psalm, a fit conclusion to the noble collection which here terminates. Professor Cheyne says, "Psalms 150:1-6 closes this Hallelujah group not less…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 150:1Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary. This is the right rendering, and not that of the Prayer-book Version, "Praise God in his holiness." Israel is called upon to give God praise in his holy temple. Praise hi…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 150:1Places to praise God in. "This psalm is a rapture. The poet-prophet is full of inspiration and enthusiasm." Lamartine says, "In this closing psalm we see the almost inarticulate enthusiasm of the lyric poet; so rapidly…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 150:1-6Hallelujah: our life a psalm. There is no distinctive truth taught here; each verse gives utterance to that which has been sung before (see especially Psalms 148:1-14.). But the strain of the psalm is that of an earnest…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 150:2Praise him for his mighty acts; i.e. for the great acts of his providence, especially for his deliverances of Israel. Praise him according to his excellent greatness; rather, his abounding greatness (Kay); or, his manif…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 150:2Things to praise God for. For "excellent greatness," read "muchness of greatness." Praise is to be offered in recognition both of God's inherent power, and of its manifestation in mighty acts. I. PRAISE IS CALLED FOR BY…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 150:3Praise him with the sound of the trumpet, (On the use of the trumpet in Divine service, see Le 23:24; Psalms 25:9; Numbers 10:10; 2 Samuel 6:15; 1 Chronicles 13:8; 1 Chronicles 15:24; 1 Chronicles 16:6; 2 Chronicles 5:1…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 150:4Praise him with the timbrel and dance (comp. Psalms 149:3). Praise him with stringed instruments and organs; literally, with strings and pipe. "Organs" are, of course, out of the question. The "pipe" intended is probabl…Joseph S. Exell and contributors