Hallelujah

December 31, 2015

Doxology of praise to Yahweh (Ps 150:3-150:6)

“Praise him

With trumpet sound!

Praise him

With lute!

Praise him

With harp!

Praise him

With tambourine!

Praise him

With dance!

Praise him

With strings!

Praise him

With pipe!

Praise him

With clanging cymbals;

Praise him

With loud clashing cymbals!

Let everything that breathes

Praise Yahweh!

Praise Yahweh!”

This psalm and the whole book of psalms end with the double phrase “praise Yahweh,” another way of saying alleluia, the Hebrew “Hallelujah.” This doxological praise of God explains how this is done here on earth. The various instruments were to be used in praising Yahweh, the trumpet, the lute, the harp, and the tambourine. There was to be dancing with stringed instruments, playing pipes, and clanging cymbals. Everything that breathes should praise Yahweh. This is a fitting end to a great book of praise to God.

December 31, 2015

Final psalm (Ps 150:1-150:2)

“Praise Yahweh!

Praise God

In his sanctuary!

Praise him

In his mighty firmament!

Praise him

For his mighty deeds!

Praise him

According to his exceeding greatness!”

Psalm 150 begins with the phrase “praise Yahweh,” another way of saying alleluia, the Hebrew “Hallelujah.” Yahweh is to be praised both in his sanctuary and in the mighty heavens. He is to be praised for his deeds and his greatness.

December 31, 2015

Triumph of Israel (Ps 149:6-149:9)

“Let the high praises of God be in their throats!

Let the two-edged swords in their hands

Execute vengeance on the nations!

Let the two-edged swords in their hands

Punish the peoples!

Let them bind their kings with chains!

Let their bind their nobles with chains of iron!

Let them execute on them

The judgment decreed!

This is glory for all his faithful ones.

Praise Yahweh!”

Psalm 149 ends with the phrase “praise Yahweh,” another way of saying alleluia, the Hebrew “Hallelujah.” This is the triumph of Israel. They will have executed judgment on their enemies with the two edged sword. They will have punished people. They will have bound up the kings and nobles. They will have executed judgment on them. The faithful ones will live in glory. Thus they will praise Yahweh with an alleluia.

December 31, 2015

Israelite festival (Ps 149:1-149:5)

“Praise Yahweh!

Sing to Yahweh a new song!

His praise is due

In the assembly of the faithful!

Let Israel be glad in its maker!

Let the children of Zion rejoice in their King!

Let them praise his name with dancing!

Let them make melody to him

With the tambourine!

Let them make melody to him

With the lyre!

Yahweh takes pleasure in his people.

He adorns the humble with victory.

Let the faithful exult in glory!

Let them sing for joy on their couches!”

Psalm 149 begins with the phrase “praise Yahweh,” another way of saying alleluia, the Hebrew “Hallelujah.” There is no introductory title. The Israelites were to sing a new song in the assembly of the faithful. They should be glad because Yahweh is their creator. They should rejoice with their king. They were to dance and play the tambourine and the lyre. Yahweh was pleased with his people. He would give them glory and victory. Thus they can sing with glory from their couches after their victory.

December 31, 2015

People should praise Yahweh (Ps 148:11-148:14)

“Kings of the earth!

All peoples!

Princes!

All rulers of the earth!

Young men!

Women!

Old men!

Children!

Let them praise the name of Yahweh!

His name alone is exalted!

His glory is above earth and heaven.

He has raised up a horn for his people.

He wants praise for all his faithful.

The people of Israel are close to him.

Praise Yahweh!”

Every person should praise Yahweh. This included the kings, princes and all the rulers of the earth. Besides them, both the young and the old men as well as women and children should praise Yahweh. His name should be exalted above very other name. He has given to his people the horn of plenty. He also wants praise from the people of Israel who are near to him. This psalm ends with the appropriate phrase “praise Yahweh,” another way of saying alleluia, the Hebrew “Hallelujah.”

December 30, 2015

Cosmic praise of Yahweh (Ps 148:1-148:6)

“Praise Yahweh!

Praise Yahweh from the heavens!

Praise Yahweh in the heights!

Praise him!

All his angels!

Praise him!

His entire host!

Praise him!

Sun and moon!

Praise him,

All you shining stars!

Praise him!

You highest heavens!

Praise him!

You waters above the heavens!

Let them praise the name of Yahweh!

He commanded.

Thus they were created.

He established them forever and ever.

He fixed their bounds.

They cannot be passed.”

Psalm 148 is another “praise Yahweh” psalm, another way of saying alleluia, the Hebrew “Hallelujah.” This time all created things are to praise Yahweh, not just Israelites or other humans. Everything and everyone was to praise Yahweh. In particular the highest heavens are to praise Yahweh. All the angels and hosts of armies of Yahweh were to praise him. The sun, the moon, and the stars in the skies were to praise Yahweh. The highest heavens with the water that was to fall on the earth were to praise Yahweh. This is truly a cosmic praise of Yahweh. However, all theses heavenly angels and sky were created at the command of Yahweh. He established them forever with a certain boundary that they cannot pass.

December 30, 2015

Praise Yahweh for all he does for you (Ps 147:12-147:20)

“Praise Yahweh!

O Jerusalem!

Praise your God!

O Zion!

He strengthens the bars of your gates.

He blesses your sons within you.

He grants peace in your borders.

He fills you with the finest of wheat.

He sends out his command to the earth.

His word runs swiftly.

He gives snow like wool.

He scatters frost like ashes.

He hurls down hail like crumbs.

Who can stand before his cold?

He sends out his word.

He melts them.

He makes his wind blow.

He makes the waters flow.

He declares his word to Jacob.

He declares his statutes and ordinances to Israel.

He has not dealt thus with any other nation.

They do not know his ordinances.

Praise Yahweh!”

The end of this alleluia psalm naturally has the phrase “praise Yahweh,” another way of saying the Hebrew “Hallelujah.” This section begins and ends with that phrase. This is a long description of what Yahweh is doing in the current time to help Israel with the use of the present tense. He keeps the bars strong on the gates into the town. He blesses them with children. He grants them peace at home. He fills them with a good harvest of wheat. Yahweh commands the whole earth. His word controls the climate as snow, frost, and hail follow his command. He sends out his wind to make the snow melt and the waters flow in the various rivers. He has given his word, his statutes, and his ordinances to Jacob or Israel. No other nation is like Israel. Notice that this is not the Mosaic code but the ordinances of Jacob.

December 30, 2015

Yahweh the all powerful (Ps 147:1-147:6)

“Praise Yahweh!

How good it is to sing praises to our God!

He is gracious!

A song of praise is fitting.

Yahweh builds up Jerusalem.

He gathers the outcasts of Israel.

He heals the broken hearted.

He binds up their wounds.

He determines the number of the stars.

He gives to all of them their names.

Great is Yahweh!

He is abundant in power.

His understanding is beyond measure.

Yahweh lifts up the downtrodden.

He casts the wicked to the ground.”

Psalm 147 is the second alleluia psalm as praise for Yahweh dominates. Once again there is no beginning title. It almost seems like a continuation of the preceding psalm. They were to all sing praises to Yahweh, another way of saying alleluia, the Hebrew “Hallelujah,” because he is gracious. It is fitting to sing to Yahweh because he built up Jerusalem. He gathered the outcasts. He healed the broken hearted by binding up their wounds. He determined the number and named all the stars. Yahweh is great with abundant power. No one could measure his understanding. He lifted up the downtrodden, but he cast out all those wicked ones to the ground.

December 29, 2015

Alleluia (Ps 146:1-146:2)

“Praise Yahweh!                    

Praise Yahweh!

O my soul!

I will praise Yahweh

As long as I live.

I will sing praises to my God

All my life long.”

Psalm 146 is the first of these last few psalms that are the alleluia hymns since they have no title. They all begin and end with the phrase alleluia or praise Yahweh, another way of saying the Hebrew “Hallelujah.” These psalms or hymns were usually recited in the morning. The opening verses are clearly about praising Yahweh. This psalmist will praise Yahweh as long as he would live. He was going to praise his God all his whole life.