Creation In Psalms / Part Three: Creation’s Hallelujah!

Feature 4 – June 2015 – Grace & Truth Magazine

CREATION In Psalms
Part 3: Creation’s Hallelujah-Crescendo!

Psalms 145-150 celebrate the blessed reign of the Creator over His restored creation with creation’s “hallelujahs” (compare with Revelation 11:15, 19:1,3-4,6). Hence the repeated opening and closing refrains of Psalms 146-150: “Praise the L ORD ! [Hallelujah!].” While these “hallelujah psalms” primarily celebrate the power and glory of Messiah’s rule, they also express the praise that all creation ought to give now to its Creator.

Psalm 145
Psalms 146-150’s grand finale of hallelujahs to the Creator flows out of Psalm 145. Literally, its title is “David’s praise” and it completes all his personal worship (v.21). The psalm is full of hope of Christ’s rule (see verse 13 as an example) and it extols the greatness (vv.1-7), goodness (vv.8-10), glory (vv.11-13), providence (vv.14-16) and saving grace (vv.17-21) of David’s “God and king” (v.1).

As the last alphabetical psalm,1 Psalm 145 is a complete2 acrostic of praise from David, the “sweet psalmist of Israel” (2 Sam. 23:1). His prophetic vision of the Creator present upon earth was of “one [who] rules justly over men ... He dawns on them like the morning light, like the sun shining forth on a cloudless morning, like rain that makes grass to sprout from the earth” (2 Sam. 23:1,3-4 ESV).

Knowing their Creator, restored Israel will also praise in each ensuing generation throughout the millennium (v.4). They have firsthand experience of Him – all His majesty, awe-inspiring acts, ever-flowing and abundant goodness, ability to establish and maintain righteousness with grace and tender mercy (vv.5-9). But above all, they will appreciate His abundant steadfast love (“great loving-kindness,” v.8 JND). Every part of His creation (“all that He has made,” v.9 ESV) benefits from His presence and responds appropriately with thanksgiving (v.10). However, His saints are able to bless Him (v.10), speak of the glory of His kingdom and tell of His power, making Him known to the children of men throughout the entire globe (vv.11-12). The result is that in the millennium there will be universal acceptance of the sovereign Creator (v.13).

Verses 14-20 outline what dependence on the Creator’s constant benevolence [compassion, kindness] will mean in practical terms. Throughout the millennium there will be help for the vulnerable (v.14), food for all creatures (vv.15-16), speedy answers to prayers (vv.18-19) and total preservation of those who love Him (v.20).

David concluded his meditation on Messiah’s rule by expressing that the Creator’s praise will outlast the millennium and will continue past the end of time into eternity (v.21, compare with v.1).

Psalm 146
The praise of Psalm 146 contrasts dependence upon man – of whatever status (vv.3-4) – with the blessedness of the one whose help and hope are in “my God” (v.2 JND). As a godly Israelite, the psalmist personally knew the Creator and appreciated His grace as revealed by the name the “God of Jacob” (v.5). Like Jacob, he had come into the blessedness of God’s faithfulness. His hope was in his God, who is “the LORD ... who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them” (vv.5- 6 ESV). The Creator is the compassionate one who has sovereign rights that are both judicial and moral (v.7). Hence the praise repeats the themes of justice, providence, saving grace and tender mercy found in Psalm 145:6- 9. It also echoes Psalm 145 in that it climaxes with the enduring praise of the everlasting reign of the LORD (v.10).

Psalm 147
Psalm 147 invites re-gathered Israel to praise their God (vv.1- 2,12), who is the great and powerful Creator (vv. 4-5,8,14-18). He is the tender Protector of His new covenant people, “who hope in his steadfast love” (vv.2-3,11-14). Verse 4 says He is the same one who determined the number of the stars and named all of them (see Isaiah 40:26-31)! Verses 8-9 arise from a second invitation to praise (v.7) and include praise/thanks for His providential care for all His creatures (including the ceremonially unclean ravens) via the natural food cycle. His providential care is executed by His creatorial control of the elements (snow, wind and water) and their seasonal variation through the means of His commanding, powerful word (vv.15-18).

But to restored Israel He will give peace and prosperity – “the finest of wheat” (v.14). Therefore the invitation to “praise the LORD” is renewed in verse 12, with verses 13-20 listing reasons for it. Most of all, Israel’s special relationship with the LORD includes the privileges of knowing (and propagating) His written Word (vv.19-20, compare with Psalm 145:11-12).

Notice that verse 1 announces that praise is good, pleasant and fitting for the people of God (including us!) whenever they fear Him (that is, accept His all-powerful wisdom). Praise sets their hope in Him – their trust in His steadfast love (v.11).

Psalm 148
Psalm 148 commands universal praise – from the heavens and the earth. We know from romans 8:19-22 why such praise will rise during the millennial reign of Christ. Verse 4 is an echo of creation day two when the heavens were formed (see nehemiah 9:6); and the “waters above the heavens” suggest the re-establishment of Edenic climatic conditions. Verses 5-6 invite heavenly beings (v.2, compare Psalm 29:1-2) and heavenly bodies (v.3) to praise the LORD. He is the Creator, Controller and Sustainer of the latter, “for He commanded and they were created. and He established them forever and ever; He gave a decree [“law of nature”] and it shall not pass away.”

Verses 7-14 invoke praise from the planet earth – the seas and all in them; all the elements of nature; mountains and hills; plants, animals and birds; as well as from all peoples whatever their status or age (compare with Psalm 103:21-22). In verses 11-13 the whole of mankind is required to raise an adequate “hallelujah chorus.” But verse 14 says it is especially from “the people of Israel who are near to Him.”

Israel has a central and universal significance for the whole life of creation. Darby comments, “The great Creator whom heaven and earth must praise is the God of Israel, and Israel His people.”3 Israel is the people called by Jehovah’s name (2 Chr. 7:14 JND). It is the excellence of Jehovah’s name and His transcendent majesty (Ps. 8:1) that generate praise from a restored earth (v.13).

Psalm 149
Psalm 149 arises out of Psalms 146 and 148 and it anticipates the millennium by commanding the “new song” in which revived Israel shall rejoice in its Maker with joyfulness and gladness of heart (v.2). This ecstatic praise is expressed both publicly and privately (vv.3,5) and is elaborated upon in Psalms 93 and 96-100. The children of Zion rejoice in their long-awaited king (v.2). according to Psalm 147:20, this rejoicing also occurs when the nation wakes up to the privileges of its calling (see Psalm 110:3). But the new song can only be maintained throughout the world by the application of divine righteousness. Therefore verses 6-9 remind Israel to be the effective instrument of God’s government (compare with Isaiah 26:9), which is why the psalm ends with a resounding hallelujah of victory!

Psalm 150
Psalm 150 is the grand finale both of these “hallelujah psalms” and of the entire Psalter. It celebrates the actual realization of all the hopes and aspirations in Messiah found in all the prophetic psalms. It is a fitting doxology to the Creator from “everything that has breath” (v.6).

Verse 1 tells who will be praised – the LORD (“Hallelu-Jah”) who is also God (“Hallelu-El”). It also tells where praise will be found during the millennium – in the sanctuary (v.1) of the temple, His chosen dwelling-place in Jerusalem, the capital of Israel and the metropolis of the world (compare Psalm 65:1 with Ezekiel 48:35). But His praise extends to the whole universe (v.1) and fills His mighty heavens, because His creatorial glory fills the universe and His praise must do no less.

Verse 2 explains why He will be worshiped – for what He does through His mighty deeds (v.2, see Psalm 33:6-9) and for His excellent greatness (v.2, consider Psalm 8:1) because He is the Creator and the Sovereign.

Verses 3-5 state how He will be praised – with all the instruments that are used by Israel in worship.

Verse 6 states who shall praise Him in its invitation: “Let everything that has breath praise the LORD” (v.6)! Stated literally, “all breath [every living creature which breathes]” means the total variety of life mentioned in Psalm 148:7-12. This includes the whole of mankind from kings to children, who will “Praise the LORD!”

SECTION NOTES
1. Alphabetical psalms all have an acrostic formation – the verses begin with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
2. This assumes acceptance of the inclusion of verse 13 in ESV, that is the Hebrew letter “Nun,” as in the SEPTUAGINT.
3. J. N. Darby, Synopsis of the Bible, (Kingston on Thames, London, Stow Hill Bible and Tract Depot, 1943), vol. II, p.185.

By David Anderson