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150 Praise the LORD!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens!
Praise him for his mighty deeds;
praise him according to his excellent 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 sounding cymbals;
praise him with loud clashing cymbals!
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD!
(ESV)
The number 10 is used 242 times in Scripture. The title of “10th” is found 79 times. Though it doesn’t get as much airtime as 3 and 7, the number 10 is categorized in this list of numbers as one that signifies completion. The stars, the sun and the moon were created on the “fourth day” and man was created on the “sixth day.” Put them together and you have the physical world along with humanity. It is no wonder this psalm calls for “everything that has breath to praise the Lord.”
What we also find in Genesis 1 is the phrase “God said.” We find it exactly 10 times.
Gen 1:3, Gen 1:6, Gen 1:9, Gen 1:11, Gen 1:14, Gen 1:20, Gen 1:24, Gen 1:26, Gen 1:28, Gen 1:29
We could go on and on. We have the 10 commandments as well as the 10% tithe in the OT. The Passover lamb was selected on the 10th day of the 1st month and day 10 of the 7th month is known as the Day of Atonement.
The point being, Psalm 150 cries out 10 times for praise to ascend to God the Father. Though the reasons are innumerable, the psalmist does provide a complete picture of how and why we praise and worship.
Just as our life will finish with the praise and worship of our God, the Psalms conclude in the same way. Think back to all the tears and trials which were explored over the past 149 chapters prior. Does it not mirror the lives we live today?
Our God is mighty to save and worthy to be praised.