Praise the Lord.
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens.
Praise him for his acts of power;
praise him for his surpassing greatness.
Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre,
praise him with timbrel and dancing,
praise him with the strings and pipe,
praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals.
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord.
Psalm 150 NIV
The Book of Psalms officially closes with a brief but vibrant entry that calls for the Lord, Creator of all things, to be praised where He is, for what He has done, for who He is, and with every instrument at our disposal. It is a fitting end and emphasis that provides an excellent model for how we can approach God in praise and worship.
An interesting and appropriate element in Scripture to highlight is that the majority type of psalm of the Book of Psalms is the lament. In both types of laments (individual and communal), there are cries for easing of suffering, pain, sadness, and confusion. However, most laments open and/or close with the recognition of who God is, and that He is indeed good, great, powerful, and loving. In a world marred with the brokenness of sin, it’s appropriate for us to see this ratio in Scripture…and it brings a level of comfort to know God has been and will continue to be faithful in times where we need Him most.
Action: Whether it’s singing in the car to the radio, a time where you worship with your family at home, or playing an instrument, find a time this week to praise God through song outside of our weekend worship services.