Review Of Psalms

The first thing that we learn from Psalms is that we are to praise God for Who He is and for what He has done for us as His followers.  It is not dependent on who we are or how powerful we may be in the world.  David's was a king, who was also at times surrounded by enemies.  He praised God and gave Him the credit for protecting him in either case.  We need to praise God no matter where we stand in the in the eyes of the world.   We also learned that we are to joyously praise God when we gather together in His name, which we should do often.  I believe that we also see that we are to praise God continually, and not just when we are gathered together to worship Him.  David said we are to praise or worship God when we get up in the morning and when we go to bed at night.  As Christians, we need to seriously consider how much of our time each day is spent actually even thinking about God, much less praising and worshipping Him.  We learned that God uplifts the meek and seemingly powerless. We must all come to Jesus in meekness, recognizing our inability to save ourselves spiritually.   God has already provided salvation even for those who are considered the lowest by the world if the come to Him by faith.  Being poor or powerless does not gain salvation for anyone though, but only accepting the salvation of Christ does.

Psalms 150:1

Psalms 150:1 says, Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.  We come to the last psalm, and it is definitely a psalm calling on us to  praise God.  The people of Isreal were called on to praise God in His sanctuary because He is the Creator by His power which is displayed in the sky.  Matthew Henry says this was mainly written for the Levites, the priests, and as followers of Christ we are the priests of God today.  Verse two adds, Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.  We are to praise God for Who He is, the Creator by His mighty acts, and according to His excellence and not our own.  God alone is worthy of our praise.  Verse three states, Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.  Once more, there is a call to praise God through the use of many musical instruments.  I believe that God expects us to be a joyous, praising church, or fellowship of believers, today as well.  Verse four adds, Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.  Then verse five continues, Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.  Many instruments are named to be used in praising God, as well as a call for dancing.  I don't believe that we should make what we call worshipping God just entertainment, but I do believe that there is nothing wrong with praising God with the use of many musical instruments and even with some movement as we worship Him, though I myself might not be inclined to move very much.  Verse five declares, Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.  Since we as human beings have the breath of God in us, this verse would especially apply to us.  As followers of Christ, we are to always praise God.

Psalms 149:1

Psalms 149:1 says, Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.  The people of Israel were called on to sing a new song to God and to praise Him in the congregation of the saints.  Matthew Henry says the previous song was a song to the Creator, and this is a song to the Redeemer.  We sing praises to both, since they are One.  Verse two adds, Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.  This verse speaks of Israel rejoicing in Him that made them.  As Creator He made them, but as Redeemer He made them His people.  We must acknowledge God not just as the Creator, but we must acknowledge Him as our Redeemer through faith in Jesus Christ if we are to be a part of His kingdom.  Verse three states, Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.  This calls on the people of Israel to worship God with musical instruments and dance.  Sometimes, we may have gotten too somber in our worship of God.  Verse four adds, For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.  The people of Israel were told that they needed to joyously worship God because He took pleasure in His people and would beautify the meek with salvation.  Those who humbly come to God by faith for forgiveness and salvation will find it if they put their faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse five says, Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.  We are saints of God as Christians, and we should be joyful and sing new songs to God.  This verse tells us that we are to sing aloud unto God even when we are in our beds.  Verse six adds, Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand;  We are to sing high praises to God based on His word, which is referred to as a twoedged sword.  We are to wield the truth of God as we sing a new song.  Verse seven continues, To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people;  Vengeance and punishment are God's to execute, but I believe that how we praise God should lead lost people to Him.  Verse eight states  To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron;  God's judgment will one day bind all those, even those in power, if they do not put their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.  Verse nine adds, To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD.  God's judgment will come to all those who reject the Redeemer, Jesus Christ.  As followers of Christ, we should always give God the praise for redeeming us.

Psalms 148:1

Psalms 148:1 says, Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights.  This psalm, like all the last few, calls for us to praise God.  It starts with a call for the angels to praise God.  Verse two adds, Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts.  The host of angels who did not rebel against God are called on to praise Him, and they do.  Verse three states, Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light.  Then, there is a call for the  sun ,moon, and stars to praise God.  Though they cannot voice praises to God, the very existence and function of the sun, moon, and stars should bring praise to God.  Verse four adds, Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens.  This is a continuation of a call for the heavens, even the water in the clouds, to bring praise to God.  Verse five continues, Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created.  The heavens should bring praise to God because He created them.  Too many people who do not believe in God want to praise some cosmic accident for the creation of the universe, but as followers of Christ, we must always give God the praise for it.  Verse six concludes, He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass.  Again, scientists attempt to determine when the sun will burn out and earth as we know it will cease to exist, but God said it will not pass.  Verse seven says, Praise the LORD from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps:  This begins the call on all of creation in the earth to praise God.  We may not have dragons, but ever creature that God created is called on to praise Him. Verse eight adds, Fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word:  The elements are all a part of God's creation and fulfill His word.  Verse nine states, Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars:  God shaped the earth and placed all the trees on it, and for this we as Christians should praise Him.  Verse ten adds, Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl:  Likewise,  God created all the animals of the world, and gave mankind dominion over them.  Every though some people claim otherwise, God also gave us animals to provide food for us.  Verse eleven continues, Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth:  God created all the people of the world, from the most powerful to the weakest.  Even those who deny God and attempt to remove any reference to Him from society are still a part of His creation, as they will one day find out.  Verse twelve says, Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children:  Verse thirteen adds, Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven.  There is not an age when we should not praise God.  We should start praising God from the time we are old enough to understand Who He is and continue to do so until we die.  Of course, until we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord we cannot truly do this.  Verse fourteen declares, He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the LORD.  We are to praise God because He provides all that we need.  We as Christians are God's people, as were the people of Israel who put their faith in Him, and because He has forgiven our sins and given us everlasting life with Him, we should continually praise Him. 

Psalms 147:12

Psalms 147:12 says, Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise thy God, O Zion.  David calls on all the leaders of Jerusalem and Zion to praise the LORD.  This was the Holy City and the Holy Hill of God, so it would be natural for the people there to praise God, just as it should be natural for the people of the Church to praise God today.  Verse thirteen adds, For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates; he hath blessed thy children within thee.  David said the people of Jerusalem and Zion should praise God because He protected them, and He still protects those who put their faith in Jesus Christ and follow Him today.  Verse fourteen continues, He maketh peace in thy borders, and filleth thee with the finest of the wheat.  God makes peace for us in the world today as Christians, and He provides more than just ordinary bread, since He gives us the Bread of Life. Verse fifteen states, He sendeth forth his commandment upon earth: his word runneth very swiftly.  God sent His commandments to the people of Israel, and has preserved them for us today.   God created the universe by His Word, and He is still in charge today.  Verse sixteen adds, He giveth snow like wool: he scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes.  God is in charge of the snow and the frost and the entire climate of the world.  I don't believe this means that all bad weather is caused by God, though, since He has granted Satan certain power over the world until Chist returns.  Verse seventeen says, He casteth forth his ice like morsels: who can stand before his cold?  God can indeed make it so cold that people cannot endure it. Verse eighteen adds, He sendeth out his word, and melteth them: he causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow.  Just as God can freeze everything to the point that people cannot endure it, He can just as easily melt the snow.  God causes wind to blow and water to flow.  I believe that we as Christians have the responsibility to do everything we can to care for the earth, but God is the ultimate authority on what happens in the earth.  Verse nineteen continues, He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel.  God made His statutes known to Israel, and He makes them known to us today if we put our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. Verse twenty concludes, He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the LORD.  God did not deal with other nations as He did with Israel, because they were the people that God was going to use to ensure that the world knew Who He was and what His word said.  As Christians, this is our responsibility today, and it is not confined to just one nation.  God's word has been spread throughout the world.  

Psalms 147:1

Psalms 147:1 says, Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.  David said that it is good to sing praises to God.  Sometimes, as Christians, we seem to be more inclined to complain to God than to sing praises to Him, especially if things are going the least bit wrong.  Verse two adds, The LORD doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel.  David said God was responsible for Jerusalem being strong and that He gathered the outcasts of Israel.  Matthew Henry said this could refer to the outcasts of Israel during Saul's reign after David had been chosen king.  Verse three continues, He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.  God still heals those who are broken hearted and binds their spiritual wounds if they put their faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse four states, He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.  David said that God not only knows the number of the stars, but He calls them by name.  Scientists continue to discover new stars today, but they have never been unknown to God.  Verse five adds, Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.  We need to always remember the greatness of God's power and understanding.  We do serve the all powerful God as followers of Christ, so we should never have a reason to live in fear.  Verse six continues, The LORD lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground.  If you are feeling weak as a Christian, remember that God will lift you up if you continue to put your faith in Him.  Verse seven declares, Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God:  David did not say to occasionally sing praises to God if things were going well, but to always sing praises to Him.  Verse eight adds, Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.  David said that the people of Israel were to sing praises to God because He is the Creator and Sustainer of the world.  Verse nine continues, He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry.  As David said, God provides for the animals of the world.  Verse ten says, He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man.   David said God is impressed by the armies of man, either by the strength of their calvary  or their infantry.  We may have much stronger weapons today, but God is still not impressed.  Verse eleven adds, The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.  God's pleasure is in those that put their faith in Him and their hope in His mercy.  This is what we should do as followers of Christ today. 

Psalms 146:1

Psalms 146:1 says, Praise ye the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul.  This should be the cry of the Christian everyday.  We should praise God with our soul, our everlasting part of ourself.  Verse two adds, While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.  There is no retirement age for praising God.  We should praise Him as long as we live, and spiritually this will be forever.  As followers of Christ, we should never stop praising God in this lifetime, and we certainly won't in the one to come.  Verse three states, Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.  David said that we are never to put our trust in people.  I believe this means for everlasting security.  Verse four adds, His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.  People die, and when they do, they no longer have any thoughts in this world.  Verse five declares, Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:  After telling the people of Israel then and us today to not put their or our faith in people, David tells if we put our faith in God, then we should be happy.  Verse six adds, Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever:  David said that we should put our faith in God because He alone is the Creator and Sustainer of everything.  Verse seven continues, Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The LORD looseth the prisoners:  David said God provides judgment for the oppressed, food for the hungry, and sets the prisoners free when they put their faith in Him.  We may not see this happen in every circumstance in this lifetime, but it will certainly happen in the lifetime to come.  Verse eight says, The LORD openeth the eyes of the blind: the LORD raiseth them that are bowed down: the LORD loveth the righteous:  God can indeed do this physically, but more importantly He opens our blind eyes spiritually and removes the burden of sin that causes us to bow do when we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.  Verse nine adds, The LORD preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.  David said that God helped the orphans and widows, but He turned the wicked upside down.  As Christians, we are to help the orphans and widows a much as we are able to since we represent God in the world.  Verse ten declares, The LORD shall reign for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the LORD.  God will rule forever.  We need to praise God for Who He is.