Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.
Praise is due to God both for the mighty things He has done and for the surpassing greatness of who He is in Himself. It is a universal summons for everything that breathes to join together in joyful praise from the heart. That praise is fittingly expressed with music and instruments, which He approves when they are used rightly with sincere hearts and melodious voices. It is also expressed in dance as in the worship of David's time, where whether it honors Him depends on its setting, manner, and purpose. Because His goodness is without limit, He deserves unlimited love and fervent gratitude and service with all the strength a person can give, especially from sinners saved by grace who will thank their Redeemer without end.
Words and Setting
The call is to praise God for his mighty acts and according to his excellent greatness, for his great works and for the greatness of his nature. It is praise that fits who he is, since his works and his greatness themselves call for celebration, and it belongs to a song of praise and exaltation to God. That celebration is musical, a summons to praise him with instruments in which every voice and instrument has part, and in which everything that has breath is called to praise him. It is the grateful praise of sinners saved by grace, lifted with voices and musical instruments by those who long to praise and thank their Redeemer without end through eternity.
Psalm 150 is the closing doxology of the fifth book of Psalms, an extended and joyful outburst of praise to God. The Psalms contain many expressions of sorrow, yet they conclude in joyous exultation and a call to praise the Lord. The psalm belongs to a group associated with the return from captivity in Babylon, reflecting the mixed emotions of the returning exiles and the rebuilding and dedication of the second temple.
The verse stands in a final, universal summons for all creation to join together in praising God. That closing chorus calls on all people, with instruments, elements, and stars, and on everything that has breath, to worship him. Scripture in this way admonishes everyone to praise the Lord together. The praise rises from the human heart in grief and joy, in tears and adoration.
Worship and Response
The call to praise for mighty acts and according to excellent greatness is a summons to fitting worship in which musical celebration answers what God has done and who he is. It belongs to a summons to praise with musical instruments, calling on everything that has breath to praise him. Instrumental praise is therefore consistent with the command, and instruments can be properly used in worship when they are employed rightly. God approves such use, as when praise is sung with melodious voices and the deep tones of an organ, but the effect depends on the hearts of those who make the music.
The same call joins music with dance as a way of praising the Lord, after the manner of religious worship practiced in David’s time. Whether dancing honors God depends on its setting, manner, and purpose. The verse also expresses the grateful praise of sinners saved by grace, who use voices and musical instruments and long for eternity to praise and thank their Redeemer without end.
Praise according to excellent greatness means praise that matches a greatness without limit. Because divine goodness is unlimited, it deserves unlimited love, fervent gratitude, and service with all the strength and devotion a person can give. That service remains finite and imperfect even as it is offered without reserve.
Praise is due to God both for the mighty things He has done and for the surpassing greatness of who He is in Himself. It is a universal summons for everything that breathes to join together in joyful praise from the heart. That praise is fittingly expressed with music and instruments, which He approves when they are used rightly with sincere hearts and melodious voices. It is also expressed in dance as in the worship of David's time, where whether it honors Him depends on its setting, manner, and purpose. Because His goodness is without limit, He deserves unlimited love and fervent gratitude and service with all the strength a person can give, especially from sinners saved by grace who will thank their Redeemer without end.
Words and Setting
The call is to praise God for his mighty acts and according to his excellent greatness, for his great works and for the greatness of his nature. It is praise that fits who he is, since his works and his greatness themselves call for celebration, and it belongs to a song of praise and exaltation to God. That celebration is musical, a summons to praise him with instruments in which every voice and instrument has part, and in which everything that has breath is called to praise him. It is the grateful praise of sinners saved by grace, lifted with voices and musical instruments by those who long to praise and thank their Redeemer without end through eternity.
Psalm 150 is the closing doxology of the fifth book of Psalms, an extended and joyful outburst of praise to God. The Psalms contain many expressions of sorrow, yet they conclude in joyous exultation and a call to praise the Lord. The psalm belongs to a group associated with the return from captivity in Babylon, reflecting the mixed emotions of the returning exiles and the rebuilding and dedication of the second temple.
The verse stands in a final, universal summons for all creation to join together in praising God. That closing chorus calls on all people, with instruments, elements, and stars, and on everything that has breath, to worship him. Scripture in this way admonishes everyone to praise the Lord together. The praise rises from the human heart in grief and joy, in tears and adoration.
Worship and Response
The call to praise for mighty acts and according to excellent greatness is a summons to fitting worship in which musical celebration answers what God has done and who he is. It belongs to a summons to praise with musical instruments, calling on everything that has breath to praise him. Instrumental praise is therefore consistent with the command, and instruments can be properly used in worship when they are employed rightly. God approves such use, as when praise is sung with melodious voices and the deep tones of an organ, but the effect depends on the hearts of those who make the music.
The same call joins music with dance as a way of praising the Lord, after the manner of religious worship practiced in David’s time. Whether dancing honors God depends on its setting, manner, and purpose. The verse also expresses the grateful praise of sinners saved by grace, who use voices and musical instruments and long for eternity to praise and thank their Redeemer without end.
Praise according to excellent greatness means praise that matches a greatness without limit. Because divine goodness is unlimited, it deserves unlimited love, fervent gratitude, and service with all the strength and devotion a person can give. That service remains finite and imperfect even as it is offered without reserve.