The Word Made Fresh
1Hallelujah!
Let God’s praise be raised in God’s sanctuary!
Praise God in the highest heavens!
2Praise God for mighty deeds!
Praise God for awesomeness!
3Praise God with trumpets!
Praise God with lutes and harps!
4Praise God with tambourines and dancing!
Praise God with stringed instruments and pipes!
5Praise God with banging cymbals!
Praise God with loud clanging cymbals!
6Let everything that breathes praise the LORD!
Hallelujah!
Commentary
1-6: Hallelujah! It is fitting that the last psalm tells us the where, why, how, and who of praising God. Where? In God’s sanctuary, the place God established as a dwelling place on earth. Why? Because God’s mighty deeds and surpassing greatness are worthy of praise. How? With every instrument that is available (notice that the instruments listed involve the breath, the fingers, the hands, the legs, the feet – the whole person, in other words). Who? Why, everything that breathes, of course. Hallelujah!
Takeaway
And now give yourself a treat because you have finished the longest book in the Bible, are well over halfway through the Old Testament, and are well on your way to the New Testament. Hallelujah!