Sunday School Lesson
November 10
Lesson 11 (KJV)
Songs of Praise
Devotional Reading: Psalm 148
Background Scripture: Psalms 146–150
Psalm 146
1 Praise ye the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul.
2 While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.
3 Put not your trust in princes, Nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.
4 His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; In that very day his thoughts perish.
5 Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, Whose hope is in the LORD his God:
6 Which made heaven, and earth, The sea, and all that therein is: Which keepeth truth for ever:
7 Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: Which giveth food to the hungry. The LORD looseth the prisoners:
8 The LORD openeth the eyes of the blind: The LORD raiseth them that are bowed down: The LORD loveth the righteous:
9 The LORD preserveth the strangers; He relieveth the fatherless and widow: But the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.
10 The LORD shall reign for ever, Even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the LORD.
Psalm 150
1 Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: Praise him in the firmament of his power.
2 Praise him for his mighty acts: Praise him according to his excellent greatness.
3 Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: Praise him with the psaltery and harp.
4 Praise him with the timbrel and dance: Praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
5 Praise him upon the loud cymbals: Praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. 6 Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.
Key Text
While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.—Psalm 146:2
Worship in the Covenant Community
Unit 3: Psalms of Thanksgiving and Praise
Lessons 10–13
Lesson Aims After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to: 1. Summarize why God is to be praised based on Psalms 146 and 150.
2. Provide examples from the Scriptures of God’s care described in these psalms.
3. Identify an example of God’s care in his or her life and write a short praise of thanks.
How to Say It
Israel Iz-ray-el.
Jerusalem Juh-roo-suh-lem.
shofar (Hebrew) show-far.
Torah (Hebrew) Tor-uh.
Zion Zi-un.
Introduction
A. The Power of Praise
When I was 10 years old, my mother threw a 40th birthday party for my father. My dad had been a highly successful high school athletic coach for 15 years. In that time, he had led over 100 young adults to Christ. But a string of difficult years had made my dad eager to retire from coaching. Former athletes had moved on with their lives and no longer called. He began to feel that he had nothing more to contribute. He wondered if his work had been in vain.
My mother knew that my dad needed encouragement. She called up every single one of his former athletes and asked them to come to our hometown for a party. She rented out a nice restaurant and told my dad it was just a normal birthday party with his family. We walked into the dining room to find it packed with nearly 200 of his former athletes. For the next several hours while we ate dinner, I watched person after person get up to a microphone and share some special memory in praise of my dad. And as he received the stream of praise and encouragement, my father’s weariness fell away, and he became joyful again.
Finally, I read my dad the letter I had written to him. I felt overwhelming pride over my father as I lent my voice to the parade of other voices in praise of him. I felt connected to him and to all the other people whose lives he had changed. Praising someone else benefits not only them but also ourselves.
B. Lesson Context
The book of Psalms ends with five psalms of praise (Psalms 146–150). Each of these psalms begins with the admonition to praise the Lord, which suggests that there are common links between them (see Psalms 146:1; 150:1, below). Some have suggested that the initial declaration, “Praise ye the Lord” (Psalm 146:1, below), is actually a title of the work. Both the writer and date of composition are unknown.
Psalm 146 and Psalm 150 are the bookends of this final grouping. At the same time, these two psalms have distinctive elements. Psalm 146 exhorts the reader to rely on God alone and praises Him in part to illustrate how reliable and awesome God is. Psalm 150, on the other hand, is a relatively simple call to praise God. In both psalms, however, the psalmist reiterates the need to consider God’s mighty deeds and show gratitude for them.
I. Praise (Psalm 146:1–2)
A. The Lord (v. 1)
1. Praise ye the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul.
Praise ye the Lord is a translation of a Hebrew word most Christians know very well: hallelujah (see Psalm 150:1, below). The exhortation to praise is given first to the psalmist—to his soul, the seat of the mind and will. If Psalms 146–150 are linked by the common command to praise God (as posited in the Lesson Context), then the psalmist’s choice to begin Psalm 146 with an exhortation to oneself is likely significant. Praise leaders, preachers, and other leaders in times of worship do well to adopt a habit of such encouragement for themselves.
B. Exhortation (v. 2)
2. While I live will I praise the LORD. I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.
Here the psalmist responded to his own exhortation with a commitment to praising the Lord for the entirety of his life. The two sentences in this verse are parallel to one another, and their points are essentially the same. The repetition of two thoughts that are nearly equivalent in meaning creates emphasis. This technique is found frequently in Hebrew poetry.
The speaker has expressed a full and firm commitment to glorifying the name of God for as long as he lives (contrast Psalms 6:5; 30:9; etc.) This commitment will find fulfillment not only in discourse (146:2a) but also in song (146:2b). That distinction may imply praise both in conversation and in worship settings, encompassing all of life.
What Do You Think?
What benefit is there in deciding to praise God for your entire life, even without knowing what will happen?
Digging Deeper
How can you strengthen praise habits now that will allow you to keep this lifelong commitment?
II. Trust
(Psalm 146:3–10)
A. Misplaced in Princes (vv. 3–4)
3. Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.
The speaker shifts focus to warn against placing one’s trust in human leaders. While this shift is initially unexpected, it makes considerably more sense when read in light of the psalmist’s expression of commitment to praising God in the previous verse. Israel and Judah were tempted at various points to make alliances with pagan nations rather than trusting in God. This legacy of infidelity eventually led to the fall of both the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah (2 Kings 18:11–12; 24:20).
Human leaders ultimately cannot provide true and lasting help. Even though life’s circumstances can make trusting God difficult, the psalmist urged his readers to commit to affirming God’s goodness by praising Him alone through it all.
4. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.
The reason why one should not put trust in humans (Psalm 146:3, above) is because people are not only powerless but transitory (see also 118:8–9). Our earthly lives have an ultimate limit in death. And when we die, any outstanding goals we have die with us. We are no longer able to affect the land of the living directly; only the indirect effects of our legacies remain to influence others. Thus, any mortal is unworthy of the kind of trust that others often place in them. Death is the ultimate example of the frailty of human beings (Ecclesiastes 7:1–2). The rest of the psalm picks up this point of contrast between mortal, powerless human beings and the powerful, immortal, and merciful God.
What Do You Think?
What experience do you have of trusting a person instead of God?
Digging Deeper
Can this experience help you minister to someone who has been betrayed by someone they trusted? Explain.
B. Perfectly Placed in God (vv. 5–10)
5. Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God.
This verse returns to the one in whom trust should really be placed: the Lord. Jacob is singled out here among the patriarchs (see Exodus 3:15). The probable reason is that Jacob here refers to Israel, the collective name for God’s people (Genesis 32:28; 35:10; Exodus 1:1, 7; etc.). The expression emphasizes God’s special care for Jacob the individual in particular, then to his descendants by extension. Just as God cared for the man Jacob, so the person who calls on the God of Jacob for help is exceedingly happy. This trust stands in contrast to the misplaced faith in human beings (Psalm 146:3, above).
6a. Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is.
Here the psalm shifts to highlight some of God’s acts and characteristics that make Him worthy of trust and praise. God’s role as creator of the entire cosmos and all its occupants (Genesis 1) shows how infinitely powerful He is (compare Job 38–41). Similar appeals to God’s creative might as justification for hope and trust can be found in Psalms 115:15; 121:2; 124:8; and 134:3. In fact, when the people of Judah returned from exile, they and their leaders likewise confessed their sins to God and referred to God’s creation of the universe in their praises to Him (Nehemiah 9:1–6).
The sea sometimes serves as a metaphor for chaos in the Old Testament (examples: Psalms 74:13–15; 89:9; Jonah 2:2–6), and some ancient peoples believed that the chaotic sea predated the existence of the gods (compare Genesis 1:2). The psalmist asserts that God not only precedes the sea but created it, which speaks highly of God’s great power over even the chaos it represented.
What Do You Think?
What aspects of creation give you confidence regarding God’s faithfulness?
Digging Deeper
Beyond offering praise, how do you express your thankfulness for God’s natural gifts?
6b. Which keepeth truth for ever.
Here the psalmist introduces the next major set of reasons to trust in and praise God: His faithfulness. The claim that God keepeth truth for ever refers to God’s constant loyalty to His people. The speaker does not switch topics here; God’s faithfulness is rooted in His role as the creator of the cosmos. The link between God’s fidelity and His role as creator was established in Genesis. After the flood waters receded, God made a covenant with humanity and all other living creatures, promising that He would never again destroy the world as He had before (Genesis 8:21–22; 9:9–17).
7a. Which executeth judgment for the oppressed.
God’s care for the oppressed would have surprised many in the ancient context, as financial prosperity was often seen as a sign of divine favor. While God has sometimes blessed His people materially (examples: Genesis 24:35; 1 Kings 3:10–14), a lack of means is not necessarily a sign of divine disfavor, although it could be (example: Haggai 1:1–11). Even so, the psalmist notes that God pays special attention to those who don’t have enough (examples: Leviticus 19:10; 25:35; Deuteronomy 15:7–11; Isaiah 58:6–12; Ezekiel 18:5–17). We can also point to Jesus’ identification with these groups (see Psalm 146:7b–8a, below) in His teaching on judgment (Matthew 25:37–45) and in His own summary of His earthly ministry (see Luke 4:16–20, as quoting Isaiah 61:1–2).
We do well to note that asserting a particular care for the oppressed does not suggest God’s lack of concern toward non-oppressed people or even oppressors themselves. After all, His care falls on everyone regardless of one’s standing (examples: Leviticus 19:15; Matthew 5:45).
7b–8a. Which giveth food to the hungry. The Lord looseth the prisoners. The LORD openeth the eyes of the blind. The LORD raiseth them that are bowed down.
One category of the oppressed are the hungry, pointing to a lack of necessities. The next three phrases should be read in parallel. The reference to opening blind eyes is most likely a metaphor for freeing prisoners, and the state of being bowed down is also associated with imprisonment (Isaiah 61:1–2).
8b–9a. The LORD loveth the righteous. The LORD preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow.
These phrases highlight persons for whom God has a special concern. The first are the righteous, whom the text specifically identifies as those whom God loves. The second are the strangers, those who are foreign to the land. God’s special concern for the plight of the alien is illustrated in the Pentateuch (also called the Torah, the first five books of the Bible), as multiple laws demand the fair and generous treatment of those who are not part of the people of Israel (Exodus 23:9; Leviticus 19:34; Deuteronomy 1:16; 24:14).
The third highlights God’s special care for the fatherless and widow, also emphasized in the Torah (examples: Exodus 22:22–24; Deuteronomy 10:18; 27:19), wisdom literature (examples: Psalms 10:14, 18; 68:5; Proverbs 15:25), and the prophets (example: Isaiah 1:17; Jeremiah 22:3; Malachi 3:5). Indeed, James 1:27 affirms that God considers care for widows and orphans as a defining component of “pure” and “undefiled” religious faith.
What Do You Think?
What is our responsibility toward people like those named in verses 7–9?
Digging Deeper
How is your church working to address needs within your community?
Global Help
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is a shining example of an organization that works tirelessly to champion the cause of the oppressed in times of conflict and disaster. With a global reach, it provides aid and assistance to those in need, especially in vulnerable communities. The organization offers essential services such as health care, education, and protection to those most in need. The IRC also provides people with the tools and resources to build better futures for themselves and their families. They empower individuals with vocational training, financial assistance, and other resources to create sustainable livelihoods.
The work of the IRC reminds us of the potential to make a positive difference in the world through helping those in need. But ultimately, this work is God’s; His concern is global, and His help is available to all. How does your own work reflect God’s heart for caring for “the least of these” (Matthew 25:40)? —O. P.
9b. But the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.
In looking after the righteous, the alien, the widows, and the orphans, God specifically acts against the designs and interests of the wicked. This is an example of what is called “antithetical parallelism.” This feature of Hebrew poetry supports the point of the second thought (the half-verse before us) from the opposite perspective of the first thought (in the half-verse before this one).
10. The LORD shall reign for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the LORD.
In contrast to human leaders, God will reign for ever. This eternality, coupled with His creative power, means that God is able to do anything He desires. And this God is the God of Zion, the name for the hill upon which Jerusalem was built (see 2 Samuel 5:6–7). By invoking the name Zion, the psalmist calls the readers’ attention to the fact that their God chose to place His glory in Jerusalem (1 Kings 8:1–11). With that reminder, the psalm concludes with a final exhortation to praise ye the Lord.
III. Exhortation
(Psalm 150:1–6)
A. Where (v. 1)
1. Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary. Praise him in the firmament of his power.
Psalm 150 also opens with the exhortation praise ye the Lord (see Lesson Context; Psalm 146:1 [above]). But right away, we are confronted with an interpretive difficulty: Do the next two exhortations speak of where God is or where the person doing the praising is to be? We need to look for clues. The precise location of God’s sanctuary and its proximity to the firmament of his power is debated (compare Psalm 11:4). The sanctuary could refer to the temple in Jerusalem (example: 1 Chronicles 9:28–29) or to God’s heavenly home (example: “holy habitation” in Psalm 68:4–5). The parallelism of the verses and the reference to the firmament of his power—a heavenly location—may support the celestial sanctuary (examples: Isaiah 6:1–4; Revelation 5). It is also possible, however, that the verse calls for worship in both earthly and heavenly realms. In that case, the psalmist would have envisioned the entire universe gathering to praise God (compare Psalms 96: 148).
B. Why (v. 2)
2. Praise him for his mighty acts. Praise him according to his excellent greatness.
Any discussion of God, whether concerning the Father, Son, or Holy Spirit, will essentially deal with (or presuppose conclusions to) two issues: who God is (in His nature and essence) and what God has done (in His acts of creating, ruling, and redeeming). To praise him for his mighty acts honors God in terms of what He has done; to praise him according to his excellent greatness is to honor Him in terms of His essential being and character. General references to God’s “mighty acts” can also be found in Psalms 106:2; 145:4, 12; etc., with content expounded in texts such as Psalm 136.
C. How (vv. 3–5)
3. Praise him with the sound of the trumpet. Praise him with the psaltery and harp.
The next three verses identify the various instruments that the psalmist envisioned being used to praise God. These instruments are taken both from the religious rites of the priests and prophets and from the realm of the laity, which implies that every form of music should be mustered to glorify God.
The first instrument mentioned is the priestly ram’s horn trumpet, called the shofar. These were used in worship (Leviticus 25:9), as a signal in war (Joshua 6:4–9, 20), to warn of danger (Joel 2:1), to express joyous celebration (2 Samuel 6:15), to herald news (1 Samuel 13:3), at the installation of a king (1 Kings 1:34), and to call to assembly (Jeremiah 4:5). The psaltery and harp were stringed instruments mentioned together seven times in the psalms (here and in Psalms 33:2; 57:8; 71:22; 81:2; 92:3; and 108:2). They were also used by the prophets in their ministering (1 Samuel 10:5; 1 Chronicles 25:1, 6), and David famously played such an instrument for Saul to drive away the spirit that afflicted him (1 Samuel 16:23).
4. Praise him with the timbrel and dance. Praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
The timbrel is similar to a modern tambourine, being small enough to be held in the hand. Use of this rhythm percussion instrument is associated with dances of joy several times in the Old Testament (examples: Exodus 15:20; Psalm 149:3), even joy that has the wrong focus (Isaiah 5:11–12). The term stringed instruments likely refers collectively to the various kinds of such instruments rather than a third type. The organs could refer to a pipe or collectively to various kinds of wind instruments but distinct from horns.
5. Praise him upon the loud cymbals. Praise him upon the high-sounding cymbals.
The percussion section is mentioned in this verse. It is possible that two different instruments are in view here. Alternatively, the same instrument may have been used in different ways. Regardless of the exact items to which the text refers, the idea is that those present to praise God should make loud and joyful noises.
D. Who (v. 6)
6. Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD. The psalm concludes by identifying the persons who should praise God. Every thing that hath breath could refer to human beings, specifically, into whom God breathed the “breath of life” (Genesis 2:7). However, animals are also said to possess the “breath of life” (7:15). Consequently, it seems likely that the psalmist has invited all creation to participate in praising the Creator (compare Psalms 69:34; 103:22; 148:1–10).
What Sound?
When my niece was about three, a favorite pastime of mine was to ask her what sounds different animals make. Some of these were quite easy for her—a cat, a dog, a rooster. But when I asked, for instance, how a bunny or a fish sounds, she would grow quite serious. Sometimes she would remain silent in her contemplation, and sometimes she’d vocalize something off-the-wall just to make us both laugh.
Imagine all the animal sounds we can mimic—and all those we don’t even know—joining in with our human worship. That is the call of Psalm 150: to praise unabashedly. What a sound when all of creation joins in His praise! —J. A. K.
What Do You Think?
How does it feel to assume that all of creation is praising God around you?
Digging Deeper
What opportunities outside of weekly worship services do you have to join in praising the Lord of creation?
Conclusion
A. Praise Your Heavenly Father
I was eager to praise my earthly father. I saw all that he did for me and how he cared for me, and I always looked up to him. Many of you likely can relate to that.
But we often fail to praise our Heavenly Father the same way. We take His blessings for granted, as though these were given to us by nature rather than a loving God. We brag about what someone has done for us, but we never share with others the ways that God shows His mercy toward us. In fact, we are prone to grumbling and complaining about how difficult the circumstances of life can be.
Psalms 146 and 150 exhort us to praise God for all the great deeds He has done and continues to do for us. When we gather together in praise of our heavenly Father, we not only align ourselves with the admonitions of Scripture, but we also grow in our intimacy with God and with other believers. Moreover, when we remind ourselves of and meditate on God’s gracious acts on our behalf, we grow in our gratitude toward God and our resistance to grumbling. We can come to appreciate God’s blessings more and find joy in our lives even in (or especially in) difficult circumstances.
B. Prayer
Heavenly Father, remind us daily of all Your mercies to us. Fill our hearts with gratitude and our mouths with Your praise. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
C. Thought to Remember
God deserves our praise.