Psalms — Chapter 150

Loading ESV text...

1Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.

2Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.

3Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.

4Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.

5Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.

6Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.

1Praise ye Jehovah. Praise God in his sanctuary: Praise him in the firmament of his power.

2Praise him for his mighty acts: Praise him according to his excellent greatness.

3Praise him with trumpet sound: Praise him with psaltery and harp.

4Praise him with timbrel and dance: Praise him with stringed instruments and pipe.

5Praise him with loud cymbals: Praise him with high sounding cymbals.

6Let everything that hath breath praise Jehovah. Praise ye Jehovah.

1Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in the sky, which testifies to his strength!

2Praise him for his mighty acts; praise him for his surpassing greatness!

3Praise him with the blast of the horn; praise him with the lyre and the harp!

4Praise him with the tambourine and with dancing; praise him with stringed instruments and the flute!

5Praise him with loud cymbals; praise him with clanging cymbals!

6Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!

1Praise Yah! Praise God in his sanctuary! Praise him in his heavens for his acts of power!

2Praise him for his mighty acts! Praise him according to his excellent greatness!

3Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet! Praise him with harp and lyre!

4Praise him with tambourine and dancing! Praise him with stringed instruments and flute!

5Praise him with loud cymbals! Praise him with resounding cymbals!

6Let everything that has breath praise Yah! Praise Yah!

Summary
Authorship & Background
Map & Geography
Videos
Reflection

Summary

The grand doxology closing the Psalter — 'Praise God in his sanctuary'; praise Him with every instrument: trumpet, lute, harp, tambourine, strings, pipe, cymbals; 'Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.'

Authorship & Background

Author: Multiple authors — primarily David (73 psalms attributed), plus Asaph (12), Sons of Korah (11), Solomon (2), Moses (1), Heman (1), Ethan (1), and anonymous. The Psalter was compiled over approximately 1000 years and served as Israel's hymnal and prayer book. The book is divided into five 'books' (1-41, 42-72, 73-89, 90-106, 107-150), paralleling the five books of Moses. Key themes: worship, lament, praise, trust, kingship, creation, wisdom, Messianic prophecy, and the full range of human emotion brought before God.
Classification: Doxology / Hallelujah Psalm — The Grand Finale Attributed Author: Anonymous Key Themes: Universal praise with every instrument, praise everywhere (sanctuary and sky), praise for who God is and what He's done, everything with breath praising the LORD, the Psalter's climactic conclusion
Historical Context: Psalm 150 is the grand finale of the entire Book of Psalms — the final word of Israel's hymnal. After 149 psalms spanning every human emotion — joy, sorrow, anger, fear, love, doubt, confidence, despair — the Psalter ends with PURE PRAISE. The word "praise" (hallelujah/hallelu) appears 13 times in 6 verses. The psalm answers five questions: WHERE to praise (v.1), WHY to praise (v.2), HOW to praise (vv.3-5), and WHO should praise (v.6). The answer to the last question is the climax of the entire book: "Let EVERYTHING that hath breath praise the LORD." Every instrument, every location, every living being — all exist for one ultimate purpose: praising God. This is where all of Scripture points: universal, unending praise.
Structure:
  • WHERE: Praise in Sanctuary and Heavens (v.1)
  • WHY: Praise for His Acts and Greatness (v.2)
  • HOW: Praise with Every Instrument (vv.3-5)
  • WHO: Everything with Breath (v.6)

Map & Geography

  • No specific geographic locations are referenced in this chapter.

Videos

The Bible Project — Psalms Overview

Reflection

  • 1. The Psalms end in praise — and so should you. Whatever you've been through — lament, doubt, anger, fear — the destination is PRAISE. The entire Psalter moves toward this: everything resolves in worship.
  • 2. Use everything (vv.3-5). Every gift, every talent, every instrument, every capacity you have — use it for praise. Nothing is too common, too loud, too physical for worship. Dance. Shout. Play. Sing.
  • 3. EVERYTHING with breath (v.6). If you're breathing, you should be praising. It's not optional for the gifted — it's the purpose of all life. The breath God gave you was meant to return to Him as praise.
  • 4. Praise for acts AND greatness (v.2). Don't just praise for what God has done FOR YOU — praise Him for what He IS. His greatness exceeds His gifts. He is worthy regardless of what you've received.
  • 5. This is where everything is heading. Revelation 5:13 pictures the fulfillment: EVERY creature praising. History's final scene looks exactly like Psalm 150. You're rehearsing the finale of the universe.