Gie it laldy!

Deborah Bate July 20, 2026 0 0

Playlists

Add to Favourites

Save for later

Listen to this daily worship

Psalm 150 (NIV-UK)

1 Praise the Lord.

Praise God in his sanctuary;
    praise him in his mighty heavens.
2 Praise him for his acts of power;
    praise him for his surpassing greatness.
3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
    praise him with the harp and lyre,
4 praise him with tambourine and dancing,
    praise him with the strings and pipe,
5 praise him with the clash of cymbals,
    praise him with resounding cymbals.

6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord.

Ok, I think we get the message. “Praise the Lord!” Could the writer mention it any more times?

Actually, this ultimate psalm may be a pretty good conclusion of the whole book, if we think again just how many times the theme of praise reoccurs.

When I read this psalm, I think of the “question words”: what, where, why, how and who. Yes, I used to work in a primary school.

The writer first of all tells us “What” to do in verse 1. He also tells us “Where”, “in his sanctuary”. We might well sometimes praise God inside a building designed specifically as a place of worship, but are not our bodies temples of the Holy Spirit? (See Paul’s writings in 1 Corinthians 6:19). We can praise God right where we are, in our inmost being. As for the mighty heavens, I take this as an invitation to join with the angels!

Verse 2 tells us “Why”- God’s “acts of power” and “surpassing greatness”. Good enough for me!

Then he spends the next 3 of the total 6 verses suggesting “How” we might do this and lists a number of instruments and dancing. Ok, you might not play a musical instrument (although maybe this is your moment to decide to learn?) but we can respond to music of praise with our bodies, tap our feet, clap our hands, move to the beat, and in Ephesians 5 we are encouraged to “make music to the Lord in our hearts”.

Finally, just in case we haven’t got the message, the writer tells “Who” ought to praise the Lord in verse 6, “everything that has breath”. We get the picture.

I realised at the end of reading today’s psalm that a song I had heard years ago by worship leader, Godfrey Birtill, had entered my head. Godfrey led a song called “R U Ready?”, which contains lyrics like “Glory in the kitchen, glory in the hall”… “in the restaurant…in the pub…in the prison…in the club”. Search this song online and I challenge you not to join in the praise party!

Pray with me

Lord, thank you for those who lead us in musical and sung worship. We ask you to bless and anoint them and help them to make praising you accessible to all. And give us hearts that want to join in and praise you. Amen