Psalm 150[a]
Harmonious Praise of God
1 Alleluia.
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in the firmament of his power.[b]
2 Praise him for his awesome acts,[c]
praise him for his immeasurable greatness.
3 [d]Praise him with the sound of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre.
4 Praise him with tambourines and dancing,
praise him with strings and flutes.
5 Praise him with clanging cymbals,
praise him with crashing cymbals.
6 Let everything that breathes
offer praise to the Lord.
Alleluia.[e]
Footnotes
- Psalm 150:1 In the same manner in which our “Glory be to the Father” concludes the recitation of our psalms, this doxological psalm concludes the Psalter on an urgent invitation to praise (see the conclusions to the first four Books: Pss 41:14; 72:18f; 89:53; 106:48). May every living creature praise the Lord everywhere, on the part of everyone, and by every means. The word “Alleluia” or “Hallelujah” (translated as “Praise [or bless] the Lord” or “Praise [or bless] him”) echoes thirteen times in this psalm. The Psalter could not end on a richer or more powerful note. Everything leads to the immensity of God’s glory (see Rev 15:3-4; 19:4-8). “Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying: ‘To the One seated on the throne / and to the Lamb / be blessing and honor and glory and might / forever and ever!’. . . Amen!” (Rev 5:13f).
We should heed this recommendation and carry it out, for we Christians are more aware than the psalmist of the work of God and Christ in the world and in us. Christ is enthroned in the highest heavens, his own sanctuary, but he is present and active in the heart of every creature, giving to each existence, motion, and life, as the case may be. He is in the heart of the whole world, directing its march in the material, living, human, and spiritual spheres and realizing his greatest victory in the last—the construction of the Church, his Body, his spiritual Spouse. - Psalm 150:1 God is to be praised in his sanctuary on earth and his sanctuary in heaven (see Ps 8:3). The Church of the New Covenant has the mission to glorify God in the world, and her members must gather in the house of God in order to carry out this mission. Firmament of his power: this is also translated as “mighty heavens,” which ensures the well-being of those on earth.
- Psalm 150:2 God is to be praised because of his creating and redeeming awesome acts (see Pss 106:2; 145:4, 12), which reveal his greatness (see Pss 145:3; 147:5; 1 Chr 29:11).
- Psalm 150:3 God is to be praised with a full orchestra (with trumpet, harp, lyre, and tambourine) and with dance in a liturgy of praise that will reach as high as the heavens.
- Psalm 150:6 God is to be praised by everyone and everything endowed with life by the Creator (see Pss 103:22; 148:7-12; Rev 5:13). By doing so, Christians will be following the “way” of the Lord, with which the Psalter began (see Ps 1:2), a way that leads to eternal life.