Psalm 150 is the best possible way to end the Psalms! The Word "praise" is used 13 times in this Psalm and 10 of those times we are commanded to "Praise him"! The word "praise" here is the Hebrew word that we have looked at several times, "halal", which means: to shine, to flash forth light, to praise, to boast, to glory, to act like a madman, to be clamorously foolish! To me that says that praise can be heard and seen and it is a loud and boisterous testimony to the greatness of our wonderful God! In verse 1 we are told to:
1PRAISE THE Lord! Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in the heavens of His power!
His "sanctuary" is the Hebrew word, "qodesh", which we have also talked about before. It means: sacred place or thing, holiness, set-apartness. It is the same word translated "holy" and "holiness" many, many times throughout the Old Testament! That's not talking about praising God in church, although that can be included. It's really talking about giving Him the praise that is due Him because of, and in light of, His extreme holiness! His total set-apartness from the world and the world's ways of thinking, speaking and acting!
Verse 2 says that we should praise Him for what He has done AND for Who He is! Verses 3-5 tell us HOW to praise - with singing, dancing and instruments! Verse 6 says:
6Let everything that has breath and every breath of life praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)
That includes EVERYONE! If you are breathing, then you are commanded to be praising the Lord! DO IT!
John 10:9-10 says:
9I am the Door; anyone who enters in through Me will be saved (will live). He will come in and he will go out [freely], and will find pasture.10The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).
First of all Jesus is telling everyone who will listen that He is the only "door", Hebrew "thura", which means: door, gate, entrance, to be "saved", the Hebrew word, "sozo", which means: to save, deliver, protect, heal, preserve, make whole, do well. It includes being born again, but SO MUCH MORE!!! Verse 10 tells us more! He came to give us 'life", Hebrew "zoe", which means: the absolute fullness of life which belongs to God! He came for the very purpose of giving everyone who WILL receive the very same life that is IN HIM! That is: life, in abundance, to the full, till it overflows! I think we should praise Him all over again for THIS! AMEN! GLORY TO GOD! HALLELUJAH! Then we have verses 15-16:
15Even as [truly as] the Father knows Me and I also know the Father--and I am giving My [very own] life and laying it down on behalf of the sheep.16And I have other sheep [beside these] that are not of this fold. I must bring and impel those also; and they will listen to My voice and heed My call, and so there will be [they will become] one flock under one Shepherd.
WE are the "other sheep"! We are the ones "grafted in"! (Romans 11:17-24) But He has NOT given up on the original flock! God has imminent plans for the nation of Israel and the world will watch and see that God IS God over Israel! AMEN!
In 1 Samuel 26:8-11 we see that David has another opportunity to kill Saul, but chooses not to touch "God's anointed". (Check out 1 Chronicles 16:22 and Psalm 105:15) David is honoring God's Word and putting his trust in the Lord to vindicate and protect him. But all of this running for his life has taken a toll on David and in 1 Samuel 27 we see him begin to lose heart and enter into doubt and unbelief, relying on underhanded tactics to try and protect himself from Saul. Some of the more desperate sounding of the Psalms came from this particular time. David always repents, though, and gets himself back in right fellowship with the Lord, trusting in Him again! Stay tuned!
Shalom in him!
