Have you ever been to a celebration where everyone joined in?

Maybe it was a wedding reception where people of all ages crowded onto the dance floor. Or perhaps it was a sporting event where thousands of fans stood and cheered together. Even people who are normally quiet can get caught up in the excitement.

There’s something wonderful about a celebration that brings everyone together. That’s how the book of Psalms ends.

Psalm 150 is one great invitation to praise the Lord.

The psalmist calls for trumpets, harps, lyres, tambourines, strings, pipes, and cymbals. It’s quite a collection of instruments! Strike up the band and the orchestra! Then, after calling for all those instruments, the psalm ends with an invitation that includes everyone:

“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!”

What a way to end the book of Psalms!

Think about everything in the book of Psalms.

• We’ve heard David cry out to God in suffering.
• We’ve wrestled with the prosperity of the wicked.
• We’ve confessed our sins and rejoiced in God’s forgiveness.
• We’ve been reminded of God’s care in times of trouble.
• We’ve His faithfulness in times of uncertainty.
• And we’ve experienced His steadfast love that endures forever.

The Psalms have taken us through nearly every emotion we experience in life. And we will still experience the struggles and joys of life, both highs and lows. But now, at the end, we’re invited to praise the Lord.

Why?

The psalmist tells us:

“Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness!”

We praise God because of who He is and what He has done.

We praise Him because we know whether we are in a high or low of our life, there is another reality that always exists. God is good, He loves and cares for us, and His mercies never come to an end.

And as Christians, we have the greatest reason of all to praise Him.

Jesus Christ has redeemed us.

Through His death on the cross, He has paid for our sins. Through His resurrection, He has defeated death. Through His Word and Sacraments, He continues to give us His gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation.

Because of Jesus, we know that our present troubles are not the end of the story.

One day, Christ will return. The dead will be raised, and all who belong to Him will live in His presence forever. The suffering, sorrow, struggles, and sin of this present life will be gone.

If you think the celebration at the end of Psalms is big, imagine the celebration when Christ returns!

Revelation gives us a glimpse of it. People from every nation, tribe, people, and language stand before God’s throne, praising Him and the Lamb.

The praise that fills Psalm 150 will continue into eternity, but we don’t have to wait until then to join in.

Every Sunday, when Christians gather for worship, our voices join with the whole Church in praising the Lord. We sing with believers around the world and with the saints who have gone before us. And throughout the week, we praise God as we receive His gifts with thanksgiving and use them to love and serve our neighbors.

As we’ve read through Psalms, we’ve seen that the Psalms give us words for every season of life. When we’re afraid, we can pray the Psalms. When we’re grieving, we can lament. When we’ve sinned, we can confess. When we’re thankful, we can rejoice.

Whatever we’re experiencing, we can bring it before the Lord and there’s probably a Psalm that fits the situation.

And through it all, we have a Savior who hears us, loves us, and has promised never to forsake us.

So, let’s finish today where the Psalms finish.

“Praise the Lord!”

Let’s pray…

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the gift of the Psalms and for all that You have taught me through Your Word. Thank You for hearing my prayers, forgiving my sins, and caring for me in every season of life. Above all, thank You for Jesus Christ, whose death and resurrection have given me eternal life. Fill my heart with praise and thanksgiving, and help me to glorify You in all that I do until the day I join all Your people in praising You forever.

Amen.

As part of your devotion time, I encourage you to also pray for at least some of the following:

• Your family
• Your local church
• Your pastor
• Some of your fellow church members
• The people on your B.L.E.S.S. list
• Your country and her leaders
• Your community

After praying for these people, you may want to finish your devotion time with the Lord’s Prayer…

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and every. Amen.