My family has a tradition at dinner time. We normally sing the Doxology as a prayer before we eat, “Praise God from whom all blessings flow.” This is a special and appropriate way to end each day, praising God and reminding each other of how He provides for us. In a similar way, the Book of Psalms ends with a rousing call to praise.
In Psalm 150, the Psalmist commands the congregation to “Praise the Lord” twelve times! Normally, praise psalms not only call people to praise God but also provide reasons to do so. Psalm 150 is unusual in this regard. It does not give any reasons to praise God. Perhaps this is because in the concluding psalm, the Psalmist knows that reasons galore have already been provided throughout the Psalter.
We have come a long way since our journey through the Psalter began. We know that life is not always easy. There have been many laments in this book which describe the problem of enemies, sickness, sin, and turmoil. However, throughout the Psalms we see the stabilizing presence of God. He is the one who created us, cares for us, hears our prayer, and works for our salvation.
It is appropriate then to be reminded of all that God has done and will do at the end of this book. In some ways, this ending foreshadows the ending of the Bible in Revelation. After all the trials and tribulations that the people of God will go through, Revelation also ends on a rousing note of praise, “Hallelujah! For the Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory!” (Rev. 19:6–7).
>> When we praise God today, we not only recount all that He has done for us in Christ but also look forward to His Second Coming when all things will be made new. Revelation reminds us, “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:20). Hallelujah indeed!
Pray with Us
God of Heaven and Earth, and all that is within them—we praise You! We praise You for Your acts of power, we praise You for Your surpassing greatness, we praise You for Your undying faithfulness and love. We praise Your holy name!
BY Ryan Cook
Dr. Ryan Cook has taught at Moody Bible Institute since 2012. He earned his bachelor of arts in Bible and Theology from Moody and his master of arts in Old Testament from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary. He has worked in Christian education and served as a pastor in Michigan for seven years. During his time as a professor at Moody, he earned his doctorate from Asbury Theological Seminary. He now lives with his wife, Ashley, and their three children in the Chicagoland area.