What have we our breath for but to spend it in praising God and how can we spend it better?
Since we must shortly breathe our last, while we have breath, let us praise the Lord.
Psalm 150
1 Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.
2 Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.
3 Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.
4 Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
5 Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.
6 Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.
Psalm 150 – J. Vernon McGee
Psalm 150 – The Praise-Songs of God’s People
A worthy close to the Psalter. Ten times the summons to praise rings out, and ten is the number of perfection. Think of the tears and groans, the questionings and perplexities, the feeble faith and disappointed aspiration, that have preceded! Now it all finishes thus! So life will finish! Our Misereres (Latin hymn based on Psalm 51 asking for God’s mercy) will be forgotten in the outbursting Jubilates (Latin hymn of jubilation based on Psalm 100). The first three books of the Psalter end with Amen and Amen, the firm expression of faith. The fourth book with Amen, Hallelujah, as though faith were beginning to be lost in glad realization. But here, at the end of all, there is one abounding and unhesitating Hallelujah! —Through the Bible Day by Day
Psalm 150:6—Praise ye the LORD.
The Psalter begins with “Blessed,” and ends with “Hallelujah.” Obedience in walk and conduct leads to blessedness, and this culminates in rapture. The heart that does God’s will in the world may not be always happy, but it is always blessed; and when patience has had her perfect work, it will break into such rapture as to need all creation to help its song to perfect and complete expression.
Your life may resemble the Psalter with its varying moods, its light and shadow, its sob and smile; but it will end with hallelujahs, if only you will keep true to the will and way and work of the Most Holy.
Your estimate of the world is often pessimistic to the last point; but if you will be still, and let God finish his work perfectly, you will hear all things that have breath joining in the Hallelujah Chorus, and saying, The kingdoms of the world have become those of the Lord and of his Christ.
God is preparing the whole universe to be an orchestra of praise and adoration to his Son. On one occasion a great conductor, amidst the burst of five hundred instruments, is said to have missed the piccolo; and he stayed the entire performance till it chimed in. Nothing can satisfy God till creation’s groans are changed to rapture, and the curse, which restrains her songs, is lifted from the face of all nature; but He wants to hear your voice. If you cannot praise Him in the church, praise Him in Nature, “the firmament of his power” (Psalm 150:1). If you cannot praise Him for his acts, do so for his excellent greatness. If not with the blare of trumpet, then with the softer lute. If not with the realization of the senses, then in the assurance of faith. Only be sure to praise Him. —Our Daily Homily