What is the meaning of Psalm 146:1? Hallelujah! • The opening shout, “Hallelujah!”, is an immediate call to joyful, wholehearted celebration. It is not a suggestion; it is a summons to lift our voices because God is absolutely worthy of it. • Scripture consistently uses this exclamation to mark moments of overflowing wonder at God’s deeds (Psalm 150:6: “Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Hallelujah!”; Revelation 19:1: “After this I heard a sound like the roar of a great multitude… crying out, ‘Hallelujah!’”). • Such praise springs from confidence in the literal, unchanging character of the Lord; every promise He has made stands firm, so our response can be nothing but exuberant worship. Praise the LORD, • The sentence shifts from the exclamation to the command. Praise is directed specifically to “the LORD,” the covenant-keeping God who revealed Himself to Israel and, through Christ, to the world. • Who He is: – Creator (Psalm 146:6: “the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—He remains faithful forever”). – Sustainer (Colossians 1:17: “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together”). – Redeemer (Isaiah 25:1: “O LORD, You are my God; I will exalt You, I will praise Your name, for You have worked wonders”). • What He does: – Keeps truth forever (v. 6). – Executes justice (v. 7). – Sets prisoners free (v. 7). – Opens blind eyes (v. 8). • Because Scripture is accurate and literal, these descriptions are not poetic exaggerations; they are declarations of God’s actual works, past, present, and future. O my soul. • The psalmist now turns inward, urging his own innermost being to engage in praise. Worship is not a mere outward act; it involves every fiber of who we are. • Self-exhortation appears often in God’s Word: “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name” (Psalm 103:1). • Personal implications: – Praise must be intentional. Like David, we speak to ourselves and choose gratitude (Psalm 34:1). – Praise must be comprehensive—mind, will, emotions, and strength (Matthew 22:37). – Praise realigns the soul under God’s truth, silencing doubt and fear (Colossians 3:16: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly… singing to God with gratitude in your hearts”). summary Psalm 146:1 begins with a thunderous “Hallelujah!”, commands us to “Praise the LORD,” and finishes by directing that praise inward—“O my soul.” The verse calls for exuberant, God-centered, whole-person worship grounded in the absolute reliability of His Word and works. |
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