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Open Your Mouth and Praise the Lord ~ Hymn 640

By: Steve Negley

Posted: January 10, 2020

Category: Daily Devotional

Devotional Thoughts Based on the Glory to God Hymnal

Psalm 150

Praise the Lord!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty firmament![a]
Praise him for his mighty deeds;
praise him according to his surpassing greatness!

Praise him with trumpet sound;
praise him with lute and harp!
Praise him with tambourine and dance;
praise him with strings and pipe!
Praise him with clanging cymbals;
praise him with loud clashing cymbals!
Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!

The biblical book of Psalms is a marvelous collection of faithful poetry. The words and verses in the Psalms can help our souls soar. As “the hymnbook of ancient Israel” we find instructions in the text for singing and presenting many of these pieces in worship. It is appropriate that many of our own hymns have been inspired by psalms. In the “Glory to God Hymnal”, the final biblical psalm (Psalm 150) is linked to over 2 dozen hymns. Let’s close out the book of Psalms as some of those songs set our own souls soaring in praise to God.

I don’t know if I have even sung this hymn, but the title is so direct it caught my attention. Psalm 150 encourages us to pick up instruments for praise. There are trumpets and harps for those who are skilled at reading music. There are tambourines and cymbals for those of us who let the rhythm move us. And this hymn reminds us that our own bodies are an instrument for the praise of our God.

Prayer

God, let me open my mouth today in praise to You. Let me clap my hands in response to Your goodness. Let me dance like King David, moving to Your bounty. Let me praise You today and every day with all that I am. Amen.