Two of the most frequent words used in Christian tradition are “Hallelujah” and “Amen.” The word “Amen” means “so be it” or “truly.” When we end our prayers with “Amen,” we are affirming our dedication to God through Jesus Christ. We also use it to show agreement and support. When the minister says something powerful from the Bible, the congregation may respond by saying “Amen.” Whether we say it aloud or quietly in our minds, “Amen” expresses our faith and affirmation.

In our text for today, Psalm 150, the word “Hallelujah” appears numerous times. In Hebrew, this phrase is “Hallelu-Yah.” The first part, “Halleu,” means “praise,” and “Yah” refers to “Yahweh,” the Lord, our God. The Psalmist calls us to sing, “Hallelujah! Praise the Lord.” That is why we are here this morning. That is why we were in the sanctuary last Sunday, and That is why we will gather again next Sunday. God never grows tired of our songs, no matter how often we sing them.

Today I want us to reflect on four important questions that the psalmist addresses in Psalm 150: Where do we praise the Lord? Why do we praise God? How do we praise the Lord? Who should praise God?

Firstly, we are told that our praise is to be in the sanctuary. The word “sanctuary” in Hebrew refers to “God’s chosen meeting place.” In the Old Testament, this place was the Temple, while in the New Testament, every Christian is considered the temple of God. In other words, as Christians, we should fill our temples -our very lives-with songs and praises to God.

We are also told that our praise is to be in “His mighty heavens.” Since God’s power is everywhere, we should praise Him everywhere. We can praise God not only in church but also at home during our personal devotions, in the car while driving, or while walking in the park. Locations do not matter; what matters is what is in our hearts. When we come before God with a pure and repentant heart and praise Him with all our heart and strength, He will be pleased and accept our praises. We can praise the Lord in every part of the universe because He is the Creator of all.

Secondly, we are to praise the Lord because of “His acts of power and His surpassing greatness.” When the psalmist talks about “God’s acts of power,” he is referring to God’s mighty creation. God made everything out of nothing. He created the whole universe and each one of us. When we look at all the marvellous things God has made, we cannot help but say, “Halleluiah! Praise the Lord.”

The Psalmist also reflects on God’s salvation for the people of Israel. The Lord saved Noah and his family, brought the Israelites out of Egypt, and led them into the Promised Land. He provided for them in miraculous ways, bringing water from a rock and feeding them with manna-bread from heaven- for forty years.

There was a time when we were like the people of Israel, who complained to God and doubted His love for them. When we consider where we were and where God has brought us, we cannot help but praise Him. We are not to sing to the Lord out of habit or ritual, but out of genuine gratitude.

We can each thank God for the privilege of waking up this morning. As I have often asked before, think about how blessed we are to worship Him here in the church. In a discouraging, even terrifying, world, the church is one of the few places where we can sing freely and joyfully to God. If we didn’t come to church on Sundays, how many of us would sing hymns during the week?

We are given the privilege to be in a holy and sanctified place to lift up our spirits. I believe that praising the Lord is a kind of medicine. We are thankful for our brothers and sisters in Christ who care for us and for everything we enjoy today. We are grateful for God’s faithfulness and His amazing love for us. The Lord our God gives us blessings too numerous to count. How blessed we are! God wants us to sing to Him while reflecting on all the wonderful things He has done for us.

However, sometimes we struggle to find any reason or motivation to praise God because of the difficult situations we face. We may stop praising God when we feel we have nothing to thank Him for. We may stop singing to God when He seems distant.

In one of my favorite poems, which I have shared several times, titled “Footprints,” a man asked the Lord why he saw only one set of footprints in the sand during the most challenging times of his life. He did not understand why God had left him when he needed Him most. The Lord replied: “My son, my precious child…” We need to remember that in those moments when we feel most alone, God is carrying us in His arms, giving us His love and strength. This is why we need to give thanks to God in all circumstances and praise the Lord at all times.

Thirdly, we are told to praise the Lord with all kinds of musical instruments. The psalmist mentions many instruments: the sounding of the trumpet, the harp and lyre, the tambourine and dancing, strings and flute, and the clash of cymbals and resounding cymbals. The music of these instruments inspires us and adds joy to our praise because they produce beautiful rhythms. If the psalmist were to see modern musical instruments today, he would likely add the organ, piano, guitar, violin, drums, keyboard, and more. We can praise the Lord with a wide variety of musical tools. We can also praise God through dance. King David danced before the Lord when the Ark of God was recovered. In worship, we can express our emotions through our bodies as well.

Years ago, when I worked in campus ministry, I was preparing for a talent show at a summer Bible conference. One of the members of our group suggested we form an orchestra to praise the Lord. However, we were not allowed to use any traditional musical instruments, so each of us brought alternative items instead. For example, some used two garbage cans as drums, playing them with chopsticks. Others used tin lids as cymbals, and pots and frying pans as a makeshift drum set. Some brought empty water bottles filled with small stones to create a maraca-like sound. A few even took various glasses with different water levels to produce musical tones. These recycled materials seemed funny, strange, and even ridiculous at first. Still, we spent time together with one heart, making a joyful noise to God. The performance was amazing; everyone in the audience loved the creativity and was moved by our effort for the Lord.

God is pleased with any sound Hie creation makes for Him, using its natural characteristics. Some of us may not have a good singing voice, while others have musical talents and can praise the Lord by playing different instruments. Some of us, like me, do not play a ten-stringed instrument, but we all have a ten – fingered device – our hands. We can make a joyful sound by clapping our hands or simply lifting them up to the Lord. We can also praise God with our movements, just as King David did thorough dance.

How are we to bring our “Hallelujah”? The answer is that we can praise the Lord with everything we have. The word “worship” is related to the word “worth.” When we worship, we declare God’s worth. True and spiritual worship is always associated with our heart’s attitude toward God. It extends to every part of our worship service-whether we are praying, reciting the Lord Prayer, reading Scripture, listening to the message, or presenting our offering.

In the first and greatest commandment, Jesus echoes this attitude: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). Loving the Lord our God with all our being is the ultimate purpose of our worship. God wants us to be fully engaged in His praise, giving Him all our emotions, passion, intellect, understanding, and strength. God wants our one hundred percent.

Fourthly, who should praise God? The psalmist answers that everything that has breath is to praise the Lord. In other words, praising the Lord is not only for human beings but also for every creature. The psalmist writes: “Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths, lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding, you mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars, wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds, kings of the earth and all nations, you princes and all rulers on earth, young men and women, old men and children. Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted…” (Psalm 148:7-13).

We also see this praise in the book of Revelation: “… Every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: ‘To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!’” (Revelation 5:13). Praising the Lord can be done on earth as well as in heaven. God desires everyone, everywhere, to worship Him in their body, soul, and spirit. He wants us to involve our whole being in praise.

Some time ago, Caleb Jr. and I attended a talent show… It was an incredibly inspiring talent show and one of the best concerts I have ever attended. This venue also marked the conclusion of a pilot study on the effectiveness of music care in alleviating isolation and loneliness, particularly among long-term care residents.

In our Old Testament reading today, we see King David, known as a man after God’s own heart, providing music therapy for King Saul. Due to his disobedience to God’s commands (1 Samuel 15), Saul suffered from a distressing spirit. Saul’s attendants suggested finding someone who could play the lyre, believing that godly music would help Saul feel better. David was called to play music whenever the evil spirit came upon Saul. His music, often from the Psalms, had the power to help Saul physically, emotionally, and spiritually. The evil spirit departed from him because it could not endure godly music.

The book of Psalms, almost in the middle of the Bible and the longest book, contains songs that are often related to David’s journey of faith before the Lord, his Shepherd. Bible scholars believe that nearly half of the Psalms were either written by David or dedicated to him. When we read the Psalms, we find expressions for every emotion in life. Whether we are happy, sad, depressed, or encouraged, there is a psalm that expresses our feelings. That is why the psalmist calls for everything that has breath to praise to the Lord with an “Amen” and “Hallelujah” attitude.

This morning, our Lord delights in seeing us, as a whole congregation, lift our voices together, pouring out our hearts in song during worship. God uses congregational singing to comfort and heal us. We are grateful to the Lord for the privilege of singing to Him in every place, at every hour, and at any time of the day. We thank God for the opportunity to use our voices praise Him wholeheartedly, Sunday after Sunday, in this sanctuary. We pray that God will continue to fill us with the desire to praise Him with all our hearts and strength. May God bless our singing-whether in praise, prayer, or proclamation-so that each of us may receive His healing and joy, and be strengthened by His mighty Spirit. Amen.

*In this sermon I have used some thoughts from various sermons based on the texts, 1 Samuel 16:14-23; Psalm 150:1-6; Revelation 5:8-14.