Week 33, Psalm 146-150

Psalms 146-150

Psalms 1 and 2 introduce the book by addressing the two major themes of the whole collection: 1) the two ways of life and 2) the second coming of Christ. Psalms 146-150 conclude it with five successive Hallels. That is, each is bracketed [first and last word] by the Hebrew words Hallel-Jah, meaning "Praise the Lord" or "Hallelujah." The full-throated, totally committed and devoted, unreserved joyful praise of these concluding Psalms is the natural result that flows from a deep understanding of the two great themes of the Psalms, stated at the beginning of the Psalter. It is an example of the law of cause-and-effect.

Without a single personal need, difficulty, or mention of human suffering, without any request for relief from distress, without complaint of evil doers, and barely an allusion to history (147:13, 20; 148:5-6), the entire focus is on God. He only is worthy to be praised. Each of the five poems emphasizes a particular aspect of the praise that God deserves and receives: Psalm 146 -- our individual praise; Psalm 147 -- Israel's communal praise as a nation; Psalm 148 -- praise from all areas of His physical creation; Psalm 149 -- Praise of the Church; 150 -- Praise of every living thing of God in His Temple sanctuary. The last five psalms are about victory. 149 is the most pointed. The historical setting is most likely the triumph of Nehemiah when the restoration of the walls of Jerusalem was completed, but the prophetic setting is the return of Christ and the establishing of His Kingdom. This set of psalms is a perfectly fitting crescendo building to the grand finale of the Psalter.

Psalm 146

Author: Not known.

Time/Occasion: Not known, post exilic. Similar to the general tone of the previous psalm.

Main theme: God alone is unfailingly worthy to be ultimately trusted.

V. 1-2. Call to each individual to personally trust God.

V. 3-4. No man, not even powerful leaders, can be trusted. Only God can be implicitly trusted. There are three reasons for this which are explained by contrasting man with God:

• Man doesn't have the ability; God has the power of the Creator.

• Man is temporary; God is eternal.

• Therefore, man is unreliable; Therefore, God is faithfully reliable.

• More than this, God's power is used as the expression of His outgoing love for people, His creation.

V. 5ff. He is described as the God of Jacob because of the Old Covenant relationship of helping Israel.

• Ten examples are given of His help.

• Seven descriptions are given of His character: mighty Creator, keeps trust (faithful), righteous (just), provident, glorious Savior and protector, and eternal King.

Hymnal: #84 Hallelujah, Praise God.

Personal application: Like all Psalms, this is an instruction for the personal prayer life of the saints. Psalm 146 specifically calls for personal worship.

The main lesson of absolute faith must be learned and internalized individually. We have an analysis of God's characteristics and motivations -- how He expresses love for His people. The idea of teaching His character traits is to exhort His people to think like He thinks and act in the same ways. Highlighting God's example of helping Jacob is the same. Jesus set a human example of servant-leadership. That is, He translated the OT instruction to think and act like God to a human level: "This is what God would act like if He were a human being" (John 14:9). He lived in the same spirit as He had previously as the Eternal of the OT. He loves the righteous (V. 8) because they show that they have the same motives and Spirit that He has by also doing these things. Underlying all of this is the fact that we can trust God, His laws, and every other aspect of His way absolutely.

Psalm 147

Author: Not known.

Time/Occasion: Not known, post exilic. This develops the theme of the praise that God deserves. Building on the personal praise of Psalm 146, Israel's communal praise as a nation is taken up. It is divided into three parts with three calls to praise in V. 1, 7, and 12. Praise is due Him for the many reasons listed in 146. Psalm 147 revisits some of the same reasons and examples of His help and merciful acts and adds more to the list.

Main theme: Praise God for His provision and blessing of all creation, especially Israel.

Secondary Theme: A prophecy that Christ has returned and is setting up His Kingdom starting with Jerusalem.

V. 2. This has not yet been fulfilled. It speaks of the glorious predictions of Isaiah and the other prophets, for example, the wonderful prophecy in Isaiah 54:11-13.

Hymnal: # 85 O Sing Ye Hallelujah; # 95 From All Who Dwell Below the Skies; # 120 We Hope in Your Mercy; # 135 Great God Who Made the Universe; # 136 Let All Things Now Living.

Personal application: This is a prophecy for the Church! It takes place at the beginning of the World Tomorrow. The first two calls to praise (V. 1, 7) are to the world in general -- anyone who reads at any time. The third call in V. 12 is to Jerusalem (all Israel) and Zion (the Church). The recounting of God's character and motive of love and how He shows them (in this whole series, 145-150) is significant. The world will be rebuilt on these principles, and the Church of the Firstfruits will have a direct part in this great rebuilding! An example of God's actions and love is the fact that He upholds those who have fallen or are bowed down in some way (145:14; 146:8-9; 147:2, 6; 148:14; 149:4). The responsibilities to lift up, encourage, and build people up for a new start will fall to the Firstfruits as they help Christ. After the great tribulation, there will be many broken-hearted, wounded outcasts who will need God's love shown to them through us. We must become this type of person -- a Christ-like servant leader. This is our calling!

Psalm 148

Author: Not known.

Time/Occasion: Not known, post exilic. The praise, placed at the center of the five concluding set, moves into a mighty climactic crescendo looking to the time when the old order will be destroyed (Revelation 18-19) and the New World will be a reality.

Main theme: Deserved praise from the entire creation.

V. 13. The whole underlying concept of the series is that ONLY the true God is worthy to be praised, and being the true God, deserves to be praised.

Hymnal: #86 Praise the Lord, Sing Praise!; #87 Praise Ye the Lord; #129 How Great Thou Art; #135 Great God Who Made the Universe; #136 Let All Things Now Living; #159 Praise the Lord

Personal application: V. 14 leads into the next psalm by focusing on "the children of Israel, a people near unto Him." Physical Israel was never close to Him on a long-term basis. They always cooled off and left the relationship. This refers to the Church, the Firstfruits, the Israel of God (Galatians 6:16), who will be lifted again up to great strength and honor ("horn lifted up") and are "close to His heart" (NIV). As Israel is converted, followed by all other nations and peoples, Psalm 148 will refer to millions and later billions who will become "a people near unto Him" as well.

Psalm 148 expands the model prayer of Jesus, "Thy Kingdom come!" The Firstfruits earnestly yearn for the glorious day when all creation will sing praises to the true God along with them!

Psalm 149

Author: Not known.

Time/Occasion: Not known, post exilic. As the others in this concluding set, Psalm 149 was most likely originally written as a joyous hymn of triumph for the celebration of the finishing of Jerusalem's walls, and as the others, it was a prophecy of which the composer probably didn't conceive the extent of the deeper meaning.

Psalm 145 prophesied the singing of the Hallelujah Chorus that is later magnified in Revelation 19:1-7 and referenced in different contexts in Luke 2:14, and Matthew 10:34. Psalm 149 completes the prophecies of this great event in Psalm 145.

Main theme: The prayers and praises of the resurrected saints. The Redeemed Firstfruits lead the whole world in the Hallelujah Chorus.

Personal application: The psalm has two sections. Both show the resurrected saints fulfilling their responsibilities. Prefigured by Nehemiah's builder-soldiers, the saints begin to help Christ set up the Kingdom and are armed with swords to execute the justice of the Lord.

1. V. 1-4. The new song, the Song of the Redeemed in Revelation 19:1-7. The "Children of Zion" is a title of the Firstfruits. The Lord takes pleasure and delight in His people as He always has. Those who are humble (admit they are without resources -- Luke 14:26ff) are adorned or crowned with victory.

2. V. 5-9. The judgment of the nations: one of many prophecies of the second coming of Christ:
   Psalm 2, Jude 14, Revelation 19:11-16. The glorified saints will be honored to take part in God's army and fight Satan and his followers as they set up the Kingdom. The Two-edged sword is a symbol of God's perfect justice in punishment in both the OT and NT.

Psalms 149 (the second from the last) answers to Psalm 2, which describes the Father crowning His Son, and Christ taking the rulership of the world. Psalm 149 adds the rest of the Firstfruits/Saints to the picture, as Jude 14 predicts.

. The lessons of the Psalms all support the Bible's conclusion of the ultimate triumph of the people of God. We should never give up -- always persist, keep trying because in the end, we win!

Psalm 150

Author: Not known.

Time/Occasion: Not known, post exilic. Described as an "unequaled hymn of extolment [worship]".

Main theme: The climactic grand finale of the "Hallelujah Chorus" and conclusion to the Book of Praises, the Psalter of the Temple of God in Israel.

All people are called to praise God. In the sequence of Hallelujah Psalms from 146, 150 reaches the place in prophecy foretold by Isaiah 45:23: "... unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear." The NT Church yearns for this day, as expressed by Paul in Philippians 2:10-11: "That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

#95 From All Who Dwell Below the Skies; #138 Praise Ye the Lord, the Almighty.

Personal application: We tend to be to a great extent muted when we speak of God, or sing out loud, and we almost never shout. When we open our mouths to worship and offer joyful praise, we tend to quietness, emotional control, and not allowing free expression of our feelings. Not that we should "let ourselves go" into an uncontrolled reverie, but we should learn to praise God with great joy and express it!

Genesis records that God breathed into man's nostrils the breath of life. God created man to have a relationship with Him. The relationship, since it is so lop-sided (God is SO great, powerful and permanent, and we are SO weak, fragile, and temporary) and since it has to be a relationship based on truth, must be based on His love toward us and our reflected praise back to Him. That's honest reality -- truth. God gave us breath, the ability to breathe, live, and speak so that we can have this relationship with Him. We should use our breath for the purpose it was created. We should appreciate and praise God every day of our lives! Truly, God the Father and His Son Jesus profoundly deserve our fullest, most enthusiastic, worshipful, joyous praise!