After Ghanaâs Asamoah Gyan scored a goal against Germany in the 2014 World Cup, he and his teammates did a coordinated dance step. When Germanyâs Miroslav Klose scored a few minutes later, he did a running front flip. âSoccer celebrations are so appealing because they reveal playersâ personalities, values, and passions,â says Clint Mathis, who scored for the US at the 2002 World Cup.
In Psalm 150, the psalmist invites âeverything that has breathâ to celebrate and praise the Lord in many different ways. He suggests that we use trumpets and harps, stringed instruments and pipes, cymbals and dancing. He encourages us to creatively and passionately celebrate, honor, and adore the Lord. Because the Lord is great and has performed mighty acts on behalf of His people, He is worthy of all praise. These outward expressions of praise will come from an inner wellspring overflowing with gratitude to God. âLet everything that has breath praise the Lord,â the psalmist declares (150:6).
Though we may celebrate the Lord in different ways (Iâm not encouraging back flips in our worship services), our praise to God always needs to be expressive and meaningful. When we think about the Lordâs character and His mighty acts toward us, we cannot help but celebrate Him through our praise and worship.
The last five psalms (146â150) are also known as Hallelujah psalms because each of them begins and ends with âHallelujahâ or âPraise the Lord.â The psalmist calls for âeverything that has breathââevery living thing on earth and spiritual beings in the heavensâto worship God for what He has done (v. 6). We praise Him for âhis acts of powerâ and for âhis surpassing greatnessâ (v. 2). God deserves the full and joyous expression of our commitment and devotion, and we can praise Him exuberantly with singing and musical instruments (vv. 3-6).