Psalms

Psalms 150: Every breath praise the great LORD

Begin in prayer

Before the final call reaches everything that breathes, let us consider the words we have used for our own honour. Ask God to bring us to Jesus and make our remaining breath a thankful answer to His greatness.

Therefore I will give thanks to you, Yahweh, among the nations, and will sing praises to your name.

2 Samuel 22:50

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word, and help us to see Christ. Show us that the Lord deserves praise for His mighty acts and excellent greatness from everything that breathes. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

The final song calls for God's praise in His sanctuary and in His heavens. His mighty acts and excellent greatness give the reasons. Trumpet, harp and lyre are summoned into that praise. Tambourine, dancing, strings and flute join loud and resounding cymbals. The call reaches everything that has breath and ends by renewing the command to praise the Lord.

As you read Psalms 150, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

The LORD deserves praise everywhere for His mighty acts and excellent greatness, with every instrument and every breathing creature.

Sanctuary and heavens place God's praise among His gathered people and beneath the height of His displayed power. His acts give worshippers deeds to remember, while His excellent greatness gives reason to honour the One who acted. The instruments gather different sounds into one purpose, praising Him. Trumpet and strings stand beside tambourine and dance, giving the people's whole celebration its direction. Loud and resounding cymbals also serve the praise of God. The final call reaches beyond the named musicians to everything that breathes. The Psalms therefore end with every living voice summoned to answer the mighty God whose greatness deserves praise.

How does Psalm 150 show us that the LORD deserves praise everywhere for His mighty acts and excellent greatness, with every instrument and every breathing creature?

The LORD's mighty acts and excellent greatness deserve praise everywhere.

The call names God's sanctuary and His heavens. What He has done gives His people reasons to remember and praise. His greatness remains worthy of honour beyond any single remembered act.

The LORD is to be praised with the gathered sounds of His people's celebration.

Trumpet, harp, lyre and other instruments are called into praise. Dancing joins strings, flute and resounding cymbals. Their varied sounds share the same purpose of honouring God.

The LORD deserves the praise of every creature that has breath.

The final command reaches everything that breathes. Each living voice is summoned before the same great God. The book ends by calling again for His praise.

Memorise

Let everything that has breath praise Yah! Praise Yah!

Psalm 150:6

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, how am I using my breath to honour myself instead of the Lord Jesus?

The book ends, “Let everything that has breath praise Yah!” Every living voice is called to answer God's mighty acts and excellent greatness. Every sound joins in praising the Lord who deserves it.

We have spent our breath dishonouring God and have no praise pure enough to remove our guilt. Jesus gave His life as a ransom for His people, accepting the judgment against their thankless sins to establish peace with God. He rose from death. His finished sacrifice supplies everything needed for their forgiveness and accepted worship, accomplishing the rescue their own songs could never earn.

Turn from self honour and trust the Lord Jesus. Everyone who comes to Him finds forgiveness through His completed work. Ask Him to make your next words thankful and your life ready to serve His glory. Those who belong to Him can praise their living Saviour with the breath He gives and look forward to worship that will never end.

Parent's note

Tell your children that the Lord deserves praise for His mighty acts and excellent greatness from everything that breathes. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Praise God for His mighty acts and excellent greatness, and offer our breath and lives in thankful worship. Bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

All things that are mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.

John 17:10

Great and mighty Lord, every breath we have comes beneath Your care. Please forgive the words we have spent on our own honour and bring us to Jesus for the pardon His finished sacrifice secures. Give our children hearts that trust Your Son. Make our family thankful for Your mighty works and ready to praise You with our words and lives forever. Amen.