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Psalms 150

6 verses

TL;DR

Psalm 150 urges all creation to praise God joyfully through diverse musical instruments and dance.

Summary

The psalm begins with a call to praise the LORD in His sanctuary and in the heavens, emphasizing the majesty of God. It lists specific instruments—trumpet, psaltery, harp, timbrel, stringed instruments, organs, and cymbals—each representing a different aspect of worship. The psalm encourages the use of both sound and movement, such as dancing, to honor God. It then expands the invitation beyond human worshippers to include all creatures that breathe. The final verse reaffirms the universal nature of praise, urging every breath to exclaim God’s holiness. Throughout, the psalm highlights the unity of creation in worship and the exuberant joy found in music.

Outline
  1. Call to praise in sanctuary and heavens
  2. Enumeration of musical instruments and dance
  3. Universal invitation for all breathing beings to praise
Themes
Joyful worshipMusic as a means of praiseUniversal call to all creation
Keywords
praiseLORDGodsanctuaryheaventrumpetpsalteryharptimbreldancecymbalsall breath
People
Places
sanctuary
Things
trumpetpsalteryharptimbreldancestringed instrumentsorganscymbalsbreath
Key Verses
  • Psalms 150:1: Introduces the overarching command to praise God in holy and celestial spaces.
  • Psalms 150:6: Concludes with a universal call, emphasizing that all breath should worship.
Questions
  • How does Psalm 150 integrate various musical instruments into the act of praising God?
  • What does the psalm suggest about the relationship between music, dance, and worship?
  • In what ways does the final verse extend the call to praise beyond humans?
  • How can modern worship practices reflect the universal invitation presented in this psalm?
Sentiment

positive
Celebratory, joyous