Psalm 150

 

C.S. Lewis talked about the writers of the psalms, whose appetite for God “has all the cheerful spontaneity of a natural, even a physical, desire.” The psalmists are “glad and rejoice” (Psalm 9:2 and 31:7). They command the “psaltery and harp” to wake up (Psalm 57:8 and 108:2). They tell us to “make a joyful noise unto the Lord" (Psalm 100:1). And in this, the final psalm, they urge us to praise God with loud cymbals, stringed instruments, trumpet, and dance. The poetry of the KJV captures well what Lewis called a “characteristically Hebraic delight or gusto.”

Praise ye the Lord.

Praise God in his sanctuary:
     praise him in the firmament of his power.
Praise him for his mighty acts:
     praise him according to his excellent greatness.

Praise him with the sound of the trumpet:
     praise him with the psaltery and harp.
Praise him with the timbrel and dance:
     praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
Praise him upon the loud cymbals:
     praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.

Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord.

Praise ye the Lord.