After covering all 150 psalms, the Songs of the Covenant column will be retiring. The column began in the September 2002 RP Witness. Anthony Selvaggio, Gordon Keddie, Ian Wise, C. J. Williams, and Kit Swartz have all served as writers. We extend our gratitude to them for their years of service in writing these meditations on the psalms.

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Psalm 149

Psalm Category: A song of celebration

Central Thought: David’s celebration in bringing the ark into Jerusalem is a foretaste of the final celebration

Keywords: Everything, praise

Doxology

Each of the five books of the Psalter closes with a doxology in simple praise to God (41:13; 72:18–19; 89:52; 106:48; 150:1-6). Psalm 150 is the last in a series of five doxologies that concludes the whole Psalter (Psalms 146–150). Thus, this psalm concludes Book Five, the final series, and the Psalter.

Like the holy of holies, Psalm 150 is the doxology of doxologies. This character is evident in that, as the other psalms in the series begin and end with “Praise the Lord,” every line in Psalm 150 begins with “Praise the Lord/God/Him.” Psalm 150 fills us with the realization of our purpose to rejoice in glorifying God. It is no wonder that this psalm is a favorite of the children of the kingdom, even elderly ones.

The Grand Finale

Psalm 149 takes us back to the Lord’s victory at the exodus (Ps. 149:3; Ex. 15:20) as a means to point us forward to His final judgment (Ps. 149:5–9; Rev. 19:14–15). Psalm 150 takes us back to David bringing the ark into Jerusalem (Ps. 150:3–5; 1 Chron. 13:8; 15:16, 28) as a means to point us forward to the Lord bringing the heavenly Jerusalem into the new heavens and new earth (Ps. 150:1–2; Rev. 21:1). And so, this concluding doxology is like the grand finale at the end of a fireworks display with a rapid series of bright flashes, loud booms, and punches in the chest from the concussions. Glorious and wonderful!

Whom Shall We Sing the Grand Finale to?

Psalm 150 answers five questions regarding this climactic praise: whom, where, why, how, and who? We are to sing praise to the Lord (vv. 1, 6), the One who adopted Israel as His special possession (Ex. 6:7; Deut. 7:7; redemption). This includes all who are in Christ by grace and through faith (Eph. 2:1, 11). This Lord of Israel is also God over all things (v. 1; Deut. 32:8; Heb. 7:1; creation, providence). The “Him” of the following verses refers to this Lord God (vv. 1–5; Rev. 1:8).

Where Shall We Sing the Grand Finale?

We are to sing the grand finale in His sanctuary, His holy place (v. 1). This refers to His most immediate and intimate personal presence, enjoyed in the garden of Eden, pictured in the holy of holies in the tabernacle, accomplished by Christ (Heb. 9:12; 10:19; 12:22) and fully realized in the new creation (Rev. 21:1). We are to worship Him also in His mighty expanse (v. 1; 19:1; Ezek. 1:22). This is the endless reaches of the heavens of heavens (Neh. 9:6) that testify to His perfect wisdom and immense power. Thus, we are to sing the grand finale of praise everywhere.

Why Shall We Sing the Grand Finale?

The Psalms usually elaborate greatly on this question but, by Psalm 150, everything has been said and everyone has said it. The only thing that remains is to praise God for all of this. But the psalmist kindly gives us a brief reminder that we praise God because of His mighty deeds (v. 2) summarized in creation, providence, and redemption (see Pss. 146–149). His deeds, including His words, reveal His attributes; we therefore praise Him also for His excellent greatness (v. 2). Thus, we sing the grand finale of praise for everything.

How Shall We Sing the Grand Finale?

As noted above, the main purpose of the instruments listed in this psalm is to take us back to David in order to lead us to Christ. A secondary purpose fits in with the developing theme of the comprehensiveness of the grand finale of praise. The instruments listed include every instrumental family: winds (trumpet, v. 3; pipe, v. 4); strings (harp, lyre, v. 3; stringed, v. 4) and percussion (timbrel, 4). Thus everyone participates in this grand finale of praise with everything they have (v. 6; Matt. 22:37).

These instruments did not accompany singing, though singing was another instrument in this celebration (v. 1; 1 Chron. 13:8). This praise is that of a parade, not of an ordinary public worship service. It is loud! The list of instruments begins with rams’ horns blaring (trumpets, v. 3) and ends with large cymbals crashing (v. 5). In between are relatively softer instruments from harps to small cymbals but, all together, they make a loud, joyful noise. Marching bands need only brass and percussion but, in most situations, woodwinds are permitted so that everyone can participate and a louder noise can be produced. It seems that the same idea is at work here. Thus, everyone participates in this grand finale of praise with all their might (vv. 3–5; 1 Chron. 13:8; Matt. 22:37).

Who Shall Sing the Grand Finale?

All kinds of people participate in the parade: priests (trumpets; Num. 10:8, 1 Chron. 15:24); Levites (harps and lyres, cymbals; 1 Chron. 15:16); women (timbrel and dancing; Ex. 15:20), and everyone else (stringed instruments, pipe; Gen. 4:21; Isa. 38:20). Thus, everyone participates in this grand finale of praise (v. 6; see “David and all Israel,” 1 Chron. 13:8; 15:28; Rev. 5:11; 19:1).

Sing the Grand Finale of Praise with Hope

In the Psalter, the Holy Spirit leads us from the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt into the Promised Land, then to the deliverances of David from Saul into the promise of an eternal throne, and finally to the suffering of the Messiah and the glories that followed. Now, at the end of the Psalter, the Spirit leads us to the final judgment of God’s enemies (Ps. 149) and to the true “hallelujah chorus” of our eternal salvation on the last great day (Ps. 150; Rev. 19:1, 3–4, 6).

In Psalm 150 we are strongly exhorting ourselves, and all who will be with the Lord when He comes, to praise Him for all that He is and all that He has done with all that we have. We must and will love Him in our praise with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, all our strength, and all our might. In singing Psalm 149, we are rehearsing for the last great day of our passing sorrow. In Psalm 150 we are rehearsing for the first great day of our eternal joy.

Sing this grand finale of praise with confident expectation that the Lord will establish the new heavens and new earth where righteousness dwells and where we will sing this true hallelujah chorus. We will sing with the elect angels, with all the people of God, and with all creation to the praise of His name. “Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, ‘Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him…’” (Rev. 19:6–7).

Kit Swartz | Comments welcome at oswegorpc@hotmail.com. Sermon audio files and PDF outlines on these Psalms are available at reformedvoice.com.