Read Psalm 146

And here begins what are traditionally called the “Hallelujah Psalms.”

Psalms 146-150 are a great hallelujah chorus of praise! Each of the five chapters opens and closes with Hallelu Yah. Translated Hallelu– “praise” and Yah- a condensed form of Yahweh/Jehovah/YHWH (translated as LORD in all caps), and the most sacred name of God. So sacred that, to this day, there are Jews (including the Complete Jewish Bible below) who will not say it or write it. Instead, they may use other names for God like Adonai (below) or Hashem. Modern day Jews may just write “G-d.”

Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul!
Psalm 146:1 ESV

Halleluyah! Praise ADONAI, my soul!
Tehillim (Psalm) 145:1 CJW- Complete Jewish Bible

The Psalter is filled with a whirlwind of emotions. We saw great pain and suffering, sickness and death. We saw God’s saving power and loving mercy. The ups and downs of a nation struggling to walk with the Lord over time.

But here, now, nothing is left but to sing praise to the Lord. Hallelu Yah.

This life is short. There are many things we can spend our time on earth doing. There are many things that we can give our thoughts, our worries, our fears, even our joy to. But all is meaningless if we do not praise the Lord. We have one life on earth and one soul- we do not have time to waste.

And in the end, we will sing Hallelu Yah again together in that great chorus of praise,

Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,
"Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.
Revelation 19:6 ESV

Today, praise the Lord. And praise Him loudly and with all that you are. Whether that is through actual singing, or maybe your praise is through speaking the Gospel to a friend, maybe it’s helping a neighbor, loving your family, or serving in some other way . . . praise the Lord. Whatever you do today, praise the Lord,

Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.
Colossians 3:23-24 NLT

Whether you actually speak these words, Hallelu Yah, or you wash someone’s feet in service, may your heart and soul praise the Lord today.

And may those who do not know the Lord around you hear and wonder at your joy, your strength, and your love that seems to not end. May you be “different” enough from the world and culture around you for them to wonder what it is that makes you so.

When David danced before the ark, even his wife scoffed at his behavior,

David returned home to bless his family. Michal, Saul's daughter, came out to greet him: "How wonderfully the king has distinguished himself today- exposing himself to the eyes of the servants' maids like some burlesque street dancer!"

David replied to Michael, "In GOD's presence I'll dance all I want! He chose me over your father and the rest of our family and made me prince over GOD's people, over Israel. Oh yes, I'll dance to GOD's glory- more recklessly even than this. And as far as I'm concerned . . . I'll gladly look like a fool . . . but among these maids you're so worried about, I'll be honored no end."
2 Samuel 6:20-22 MSG

Keep on dancing, my friends. Hallelu Yah.

I will praise the LORD as long as I live. I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath.
Psalm 146:2 NLT

Although the psalm is not signed, there are many who believe these are David’s words. If you’ve been following along with me through this study, you might say the same. These words sound like David, or like those around David who wrote songs and poems for God during that time. But God did not want this psalm signed, He just wants us to sing Hallelu Yah.

God clearly wanted the closing songs of His Psalter to be this great chorus of praise.

I will praise the Lord as long as I live and with my dying breath.

Don't put your confidence in powerful people; there is no help for you there. When they breathe their last, they return to the earth, and all their plans die with them. But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the LORD their God. He made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. He keeps every promise forever. He gives justice to the oppressed and food to the hungry. The LORD frees the prisoners. The LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are weighed down. The LORD loves the godly. The LORD protects the foreigners among us. He cares for the orphans and widows, but he frustrates the plans of the wicked.
Psalm 146:3-9 NLT

Are we too quick to put our trust in earthly princes? Do we look to powerful people to save us? Do we look up to those same people as the goal of what to become? There is only One to keep our eyes upon. There is only One who holds our future in His hands. There is only One who we should try to please.

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
Psalm 20:7

We may look up to some people. We may even depend upon some. But we must always remember that a man is but a man, just a breath of life, here one day and gone the next. It is to God alone that we look to for strength and that we put our trust in. And anyway, a good man or woman should point us to the Lord.

Oh, how blessed a thing it is to know that God is our present help, and our eternal hope.

Charles Spurgeon, English preacher, 1834-1892

The psalmist is confident of these two things: the ungodly will wither away like dust in the wind and the godly- meaning those who have given their hearts to the Lord- have the Creator of the universe watching over them. And the attributes of God listed in these verses are reminders of why we should sing Hallelujah,

He is our helper.
He is our hope.
He is the creator of everything.
He sets us free.
He breaks the burdens upon our hearts and our backs.
He protects us all, even those who are different.
He helps us to see.
He provides justice.
He is all that we need.
His promises are true.

And, we are loved.

How can we thank Him for all that He is and all He has done throughout time? How can we even begin to thank Him? Praise the Lord. Each day choose again to praise the Lord. Hallelu Yah.

The LORD will reign forever. He will be your God, O Jerusalem, throughout the generations.
Praise the LORD!
Psalm 146:10 NLT

ADONAI will reign forever, your God, Tziyon, through all generations.
Halleluyah!
Tehillim (Psalm) 146:10 CJB

Tziyon- Zion, the hill and the city of Jerusalem. Also means, “holy place” or “kingdom of heaven.” (www.vocabulary.com)

Psalm 146 ends where it began, with praise. Praise the Lord. Praise Him now. Praise Him always. His reign has no end. All generations will know Him.

Choose today. Do not wait another day. Don’t say, “tomorrow I will get right with God.” Do it today. Right now. Choose to praise the Lord.

"Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End."
Revelation 22:12-13

Father in heaven, thank you for this great Hallelujah Psalm. Thank you for the beautiful book that the Psalter is and all that we can learn from it. Thank you for your promises and your faithfulness throughout time. Help us to love and serve our neighbors. Help us to spread your love to all we come in contact with today. Father if there is anyone who reads my words but does not know you, please draw them closer to you today. Reveal your love and your promises to them, and may they choose to sing your praises today. We love you. Amen.

Heidi xoxo