Psalms Of Praise

Most folks think of the Psalms as a book of praises to God, and that’s true, but the praise hits a new high in the last of the five “books” of the Psalms, beginning at Psalm 107.

Here are a few selected verses on praise from Psalm 107–150:

Psalm 107:2

Has the LORD redeemed you? Then speak out.

Psalm 111:9

He has paid a full ransom for his people.

He has guaranteed his covenant with them forever.

Psalm 113:3

Everywhere—from east to west—

praise the name of the LORD.

Psalm 116:1

I love the LORD because he hears

and answers my prayers.

Psalm 126:3

Yes, the LORD has done amazing things for us!

What joy!

Psalm 136:16

Give thanks to him who led his people through the wilderness.

Psalm 139:14

Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!

Your workmanship is marvelous—and how well I know it.

Psalm 149:5

Let the faithful rejoice in this honor.

Let them sing for joy as they lie on their beds.

Psalm 150:6

Let everything that lives sing praises to the LORD!

Praise the LORD!

We praise everything we enjoy—athletic victories, restful vacations, fascinating books, or good movies. C. S. Lewis said, “We delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not only expresses but completes the enjoyment.” That’s also true of our praise to God.

These final forty-four psalms fall into three sections: 107–117, 118–135, and 136–150. Each of these sections begins with the same verse: “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.” And each section is concluded with a psalm that begins and ends with hallelujah, or “praise the Lord.”

In the earlier psalms (especially 1–72) there are many laments and cries to God for help. “Why have you forsaken me?” is typical of many. But in the latter psalms, there is a buildup of praise to God until the final psalms erupt with hallelujahs like a fireworks display. All creation joins in the mighty chorus. When F. B. Meyer paraphrased a verse in Psalm 148 to read: “Let the gnat make music with the stirring of her wings,” he wasn’t exaggerating.

At sunset, pious Swiss herdsmen used to take their alpine horns and shout loudly through them, “Praise the Lord!” On a distant mountain, another herdsman would hear him and take up the echo, “Praise the Lord!” Soon the Alps would be reverberating with praises and echoes of praises to the Lord.

In some medieval monasteries the chanting of praise to God was never allowed to cease. As soon as one choir of monks stopped singing, another choir would begin. Maybe our life can be something like that as we take our cue from these psalms of exaltation. There is so much to praise God for—can we ever finish the task? As the apostle Paul put it, “No matter what happens, always be thankful” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

Praise to God, eternal praise

For the love that crowns our days;

Gracious source of every joy,

May your praise our tongues employ;

And when every blessing’s flown,

I’ll love you for yourself alone.

C. D. BARBOULD

The closing chapters of the Psalms have something in common with the last chapters of the New Testament. Turn to Revelation 19:1-10, and see how often hallelujah (“praise the Lord”) is repeated there.