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Save "How do we praise and thank God? -

Psalm 150 explains
"
How do we praise and thank God? - Psalm 150 explains

What does the Book of Psalms say about the right way to praise God?


Psalm 150

"Praise Him with the call of the shofar;

Praise Him with harp and lyre.

Praise Him with timbrel and dance;”

The shofar: Open to God's holiness,

increasing from below to above.

The harp: Resonating together,

in harmony with God's love.

The final psalm of the Book of Psalms sings of the many ways to praise God. Perhaps this teaches us that just as there are different instruments there are different ways each of us can serve God in holiness - different people, different ways of worship. All are loved by God.

Additionally, the order itself reveals more and more involvement in the physical as the list goes on. The ways of worship go from the air (shofar) to the hands (lyre and harp) to the entire body (timbrel and dance). Perhaps this teaches that we may praise God by our spiritual openness - as well as our involvement in the physical world.

There is also the aspect of this prayer that tells us that all are needed in the world. We can't possibly do it all by ourselves, all alone. We can't praise God by blowing a shofar, playing a lyre and a harp, drumming and dancing all at the same time. We need each other.”

Still one more way to think about this psalm is as a group. Just as the individual may praise God in varying ways, groups of people may serve Him in ways that are distinct, yet all are beloved by God.

(excerpt from "Software for the Soul: Psalms for Everyone - discovering the inner meanings" - click Here for the link.)

(א) הַ֥לְלוּ יָ֨הּ ׀ הַֽלְלוּ־אֵ֥ל בְּקָדְשׁ֑וֹ הַֽ֝לְל֗וּהוּ בִּרְקִ֥יעַ עֻזּֽוֹ׃ (ב) הַֽלְל֥וּהוּ בִגְבוּרֹתָ֑יו הַֽ֝לְל֗וּהוּ כְּרֹ֣ב גֻּדְלֽוֹ׃ (ג) הַֽ֭לְלוּהוּ בְּתֵ֣קַע שׁוֹפָ֑ר הַֽ֝לְל֗וּהוּ בְּנֵ֣בֶל וְכִנּֽוֹר׃ (ד) הַֽ֭לְלוּהוּ בְתֹ֣ף וּמָח֑וֹל הַֽ֝לְל֗וּהוּ בְּמִנִּ֥ים וְעוּגָֽב׃ (ה) הַֽלְל֥וּהוּ בְצִלְצְלֵי־שָׁ֑מַע הַֽ֝לְל֗וּהוּ בְּֽצִלְצְלֵ֥י תְרוּעָֽה׃ (ו) כֹּ֣ל הַ֭נְּשָׁמָה תְּהַלֵּ֥ל יָ֗הּ הַֽלְלוּ־יָֽהּ׃
(1) Hallelujah. Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in the sky, His stronghold. (2) Praise Him for His mighty acts; praise Him for His exceeding greatness. (3) Praise Him with blasts of the horn; praise Him with harp and lyre. (4) Praise Him with timbrel and dance; praise Him with lute and pipe. (5) Praise Him with resounding cymbals; praise Him with loud-clashing cymbals. (6) Let all that breathes praise the LORD. Hallelujah.
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