Psalm 150

Let All Things Praise the LORD

¹Praise^a the LORD!

Praise God in His sanctuary;

Praise Him in His mighty ^bfirmament!

²Praise Him for His mighty acts;

Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!

³Praise Him with the sound of the ^ctrumpet;

Praise Him with the lute and harp!

⁴Praise Him with the timbrel and dance;

Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!

⁵Praise Him with loud cymbals;

Praise Him with clashing cymbals!

⁶Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.

^dPraise the LORD!

Answers to Life’s Questions

What happens when we praise God?

Ps. 150:1–6

Perhaps no book exemplifies the spirit of praise and worship more than the book of Psalms. It records more verses of praise than any other book of the Bible. Obviously, God wants the praises of His people.

God tells us to give Him thanks in everything (1 Thess. 5:18), even when things press against our souls. We may not understand what is happening; we may never understand. But God’s will in each circumstance is that we praise and thank Him.

But why? It’s because praise is the clearest and most direct means by which you declare your dependence on God. It repeats your trust in Him in the midst of darkness. It confesses your allegiance and devotion to the One who was crucified for you and to whom you are eternally joined.

Consider a few of the specific benefits we derive from praising the Lord:

Praise magnifies God: Praise puts our focus on God, not on our problems. God’s power, presence, and ability transform our thinking.

Praise humbles us: When we worship God, we gain a right view of ourselves. Praise deflates excess pride and ego. We gain a healthy self-image, based on God’s view of us. By removing pride, praise strengthens us against temptation.

Praise reveals our devotion to God: If I love Christ, I will praise Him. If He has first place in my life, I will honor Him with worship and thanksgiving.

Praise motivates us to holy living: Praise opens our hearts to want to live the way God desires—holy and separated unto Him, to do His will above our own, to want to be like Him more than like anyone else. The more we worship Him, the more like Him we will become.

Praise increases our joy: Joy is the constant companion of praise. If we feel depressed or discouraged, praising God will soon bring us joy.

Praise establishes our faith: The greater we see our God, the smaller we see our problems.

Praise elevates our emotions: Worry, fear, and doubt cannot survive for long in an atmosphere of praise.

If you want to see a difference in your relationship with Christ and in your walk with Him, start to praise Him today. Continue even when you feel prone to give up. Commit yourself to a life of praise and fellowship with Jesus—and experience the fullness of what God means by “joy.”

See the Life Principles Index for further study:

1. Our intimacy with God—His highest priority for our lives—determines the impact of our lives.

Life Lessons

150:6 — Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!

Do you have breath? Then praise the Lord! Praise Him before you turn the page. Praise Him in your car. Praise Him at home. Praise Him while you work. As long as you draw breath, praise Him!