“Do you shout ‘Hallelujah’ to Psalm 148” Page 1 of 8 “Do you shout ‘Hallelujah’ to Psalm 148?” Psalm 148 NIV “(13) Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his “Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD from splendor is above the earth and the heavens. (14) the heavens, praise him in the heights above. (2) He has raised up for his people a horn, the Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his praise of all his saints, of Israel, the people heavenly hosts. (3) Praise him, sun and moon, close to his heart. Praise the LORD.” praise him, all you shining stars. (4) Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the Do you wonder how this sermon title fits skies. (5) Let them praise the name of the Psalm 148? LORD, for he commanded and they were The word “Hallelujah” does not appear in created. (6) He set them in place for ever and the NIV translation of this psalm. ever; he gave a decree that will never pass In the original Hebrew text, however, away. 1 Hallelujah is the first and also the last word. “(7) Praise the LORD from the earth, you When you hear the term “Hallelujah!” great sea creatures and all ocean depths, (8) what image comes to your mind? lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy My first memory of “Hallelujah” winds that do his bidding, (9) you mountains wasn’t created at church. and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars, (10) wild The churches my parents attended sang animals and all cattle, small creatures and several hymns every Sunday; I don’t recall flying birds, (11) kings of the earth and all hearing “Hallelujah” in any songs then. nations, you princes and all rulers on earth, (12) My first memory came from an entry a friend young men and maidens, old men and Ron, wrote in my high school annual. children.” 1 This also true of Psalms 117, 135, 146-150 “Do you shout ‘Hallelujah’ to Psalm 148” Page 2 of 8 Ron was chaplain of a fraternity to which I “An exclamation used chiefly in songs of belonged. praise or thanksgiving.” “Hallelujah, brother,” Ron wrote, “may your soul be saved.” The 2016 edition of Merriam-Webster: Whether my friend wished the same for other “Used to express praise, joy or thanks,” meaning “Praise (ye) the Lord (Yah-Jah)” Sigma Delta Phi members at Milwaukie (OR) Union High School is beside the point. This 2016 definition agrees with most Bible On this occasion, referring to my soul’s concordances and dictionaries: future, do you get the impression Ron Hallel is the Hebrew word for praise. was praising God? Yah or Jah is a shortened version of In the 1950s, folks heard many reports of Yahweh or Jehovah, personal name of faith healers shouting “Hallelujah!” God in the Old Testament. Hallelujah means: “Praise the Lord.” If you surveyed current usage of “Hallelujah” As you know, we give praise for numerous you’d likely conclude reasons; the ancients were no different. that many folks use the The King James Version translates about term as Ron did. ten different Hebrew words as praise. What does Some of those terms refer to singing. hallelujah mean? Others refer to extending or stretching out the hand. Some folks praise out of fear. My old Webster’s New In some praise, they gave thanks. International Dictionary (Second edition) defined it: In other praise, they blessed people— “Do you shout ‘Hallelujah’ to Psalm 148” Page 3 of 8 “Well bless your heart!” Norma ran to help the coaches. Being profoundly impressed or awed by I escorted our elderly friend back to the something led to another type of praise. stands asking him to wait there and then returned to the field to help. In 1977, our son Rob was a lineman on the Hollywood High School JV. football team. For several minutes, we were pulling One fall afternoon, Rob’s team played players off and away from one another. Verdugo Hills, CA in Verdugo Hills. When we thought Norma and I took an old friend, whom all our things stopped in one kids loved and who was an avid sports fan. part of the field, it Norma, Gardiner, and I were the only erupted elsewhere. spectators for either team in the stands. The pink socks reveal that this prep photo is from a later era. Fisticuffs broke out often during the contest, Norma at 110 lbs. quickly learned how she which, as I recall, Hollywood won. could best separate 180 lb. fighting players. At game’s-end, the referees left for the Those burly guys became almost weightless locker rooms; the players and coaches when she pulled them by their hair. gathered to shake hands. After several exhausting minutes (for Fighting suddenly broke out becoming an coaches and us), the Verdugo Hills players all-out-war involving virtually every player. headed to their lockers and the Hollywood Some players removed their helmets players got on their bus. and used them as weapons. Rob told us that on the bus ride back to Hollywood, the team praised Norma: Though the coaches tried to separate the “Three cheers to Mrs. Blair for helping us!” players, they were badly outnumbered. “Do you shout ‘Hallelujah’ to Psalm 148” Page 4 of 8 “She was awesome.” “She knew how to heavenly hosts. Praise him, sun and moon, handle those cheaters. praise him, all you shining stars. Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the “Well what about Reverend Blair?” as skies. Let them praise the name of the LORD, some referred to me, “Where was he?” for he commanded and they were created. He “Reverend Blair,” someone said, “was at the set them in place for ever and ever; he gave a sidelines on his knees making the sign of the decree that will never pass away.” cross. Three more cheers for Mrs. Blair!” Other than the inaccurate report of my Angels and other living beings praise God. prayer activities, I tell this incident Through their continued existence and without embellishment. function, inanimate objects glorify God. On Christmas evening, some friends of This story helps me explain variations of our daughter and son-in-law visited us. praise: gratitude, awe, blessing, maybe a This couple’s four sons range from six little fear (of Mrs. Blair in this case). Had Norma been on the bus, players would years to three and a half. Norma and I brought out a few games we have extended their hands in respect to her. thought the boys would enjoy, but nearly We owe God praise for these reasons and every gadget needed new batteries. additional ones too numerous to count. God’s creation has been in existence Psalm 148’s praise comes from two sectors: scientists think for 5-6 billion years. No Above: the heavens praise God in verses 1-6. batteries needed-“he commanded and they “Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD from were created,” and just keep going. the heavens, praise him in the heights above. Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his “Do you shout ‘Hallelujah’ to Psalm 148” Page 5 of 8 For his awesome creation, God deserves This bandleader’s orchestra played the respect, extending of our hands, fear, music for many 50s and 60s movies. blessing, gratitude, trust, and obedience. He scored music for over one hundred films. His recordings often attained top status. Psalm 148’s second section speaks of earth: His mother worshiped faithfully, yet, to my (7) Praise the LORD from the earth, you knowledge, this bandleader never did. great sea creatures and all ocean depths, (8) As far as I knew, he lived respectably, lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy but he never took time to honor His Creator. winds that do his bidding, (9) you mountains When we met that week, he explained and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars, (10) wild changes in the music industry that animals and all cattle, small creatures and made musicians such as he obsolete. flying birds, (11) kings of the earth and all A popular new musician worshiped with us nations, you princes and all rulers on earth, (12) young men and maidens, old men and children. at the time in Hollywood; would I put in a good word to the entertainer for him? (13) Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his We, who consider ourselves so relevant splendor is above the earth and the heavens. and important, grow obsolete and wither. Once-adored actors and ball players now (14) He has raised up for his people a horn, peddle walk-in showers, second mortgages, the praise of all his saints, of Israel, the people and nice-smelling horse lineament. close to his heart. Praise the LORD. In contrast our eternal God and His In the 1980s, a former band leader attended Creation deserve our honor, appreciation, worship one Sunday at the Hollywood respect, and awe. church and asked if we could talk. “Do you shout ‘Hallelujah’ to Psalm 148” Page 6 of 8 As I age, three truths increasingly impress me God gave it to Adam and Eve and, and lead me to praise God and thank Him. according to Jesus, never revoked it:2 “A man leaves his father and mother and is 1. First, God’s dependability. united to his wife, and they become one flesh.” Think how reliably God’s Creation works.