As Long As I Have Breath
If we have learned anything over the past year and a half, it’s that the places we were used to being in and the people that we were used to seeing and the things we were used to doing…are not guaranteed to us. Since March of 2020, we have endured quarantines and limitations on the places we could go and the people we could see. We have had to stay away from large gatherings, including our church buildings and in person worship services. We have a renewed perspective, and we realize that we enjoy and experience these things only because God allows it. In the final psalm of the psalter, Psalm 150, the psalmist tells us that through all of life’s highs and lows, all of our lamentations and our exultations, we find that God is there… and He is worthy of our praise. For in every situation and circumstance, He is there, He is loving, He is faithful and He demonstrates His sovereign power. My prayer for you, is that as you study Psalm 150 (and Psalm 149:1-5) and reflect on all He has done in your life, that you will join in with all creation…and praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD.
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens.
Praise him for his acts of power;
praise him for his surpassing greatness.
Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre,
praise him with timbrel and dancing,
praise him with the strings and pipe,
praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals.
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD. (Psalm 150)
The psalmist incites us here at the end of the book of Psalms and in the penultimate psalm, to praise God. This psalm is a doxology (short hymn of praise) at the end of the entire book of Psalms. And it doesn’t matter where we are…whether in a building sanctuary or worshiping Him in the sanctuary of our hearts, we are called to join in great praise to the LORD. Here at the end of the book of Psalms, the psalmist calls for a crescendo of exaltation and praise to God. And we are called to use everything in our praise of Him, from the multitude of instruments that are listed, to the movement of our bodies in playing instruments and dance, to the lifting of our voices. We are called to praise Him in the sanctuary, not only here on earth, but also in the heavens. We are called to praise Him for all that He has done for us. His mighty acts that have sustained us, delivered us, protected us and saved us. And we are to praise Him because He is great and His unlimited greatness. Finally, the psalmist calls on everything that has breath to praise the LORD. God is the creator of everything, so this goes beyond just a call for God's people to praise Him. The psalmist is calling on all of God's creation to praise Him! Wherever I am and with whatever I have, I'm going to praise the LORD! For in my living I have found...He is worthy to be praised!
Imagine you were at a great concert. During the concert, the music was so great that it took you all over the emotional spectrum. Oh the songs that you heard! There was a song that caused you to feel deep sadness and pain...so you wept. There were songs that tapped into your triumphant spirit and took you to a mountaintop experience. Some of the songs that were played, made you break out in dance and some caused you to sing along with them in a complete state of joy. At some point during the concert, everyone was on their feet and no one wanted to sit down. Everyone was connected and in tune spiritually with the one who was leading the experience. And all during the concert, there were shouts of approval and applause for every song, because every song was great and was performed and directed by a masterful musician who knew exactly what they were doing. Well, you don't have to imagine. The Psalms are the great song catalogue that captures every human emotion and allows us to connect with God even as we go through our own similar experiences. As we read through the Psalms and see how the psalmist looks to God in every circumstance and in every emotional state, we begin to join in and do likewise. And at some point we begin to see with clearer eyes how the LORD has been faithful in every aspect of our lives. And we begin to praise Him through every circumstance, for every deliverance, for every blessing, for every trial and every triumph. At some point we begin to understand how great God is and how masterful He is. We begin to see how mighty His hand has been in moving mountains out of our way and keeping our enemies at bay. And we can't help but praise Him! Psalm 150 is a triumphant call to praise God. It is intentionally placed at the end of the Psalms, because after everything we go through and through everything we experience, God is worthy to be praised. The psalmist ends by calling on everything that has breath to praise the LORD. And I say: As long as He still gives us breath...we must Praise the LORD!
Blessings,
Rev. Glenn
