Psalm 150

The Psalter ends not with an argument, a lament, or a lesson, but with pure praise: horn, harp, tambourine, dancing, and cymbals both clashing and resounding. Then the last line opens to every living, breathing thing. After 149 psalms of tears, curses, confessions, and questions, this is where it all goes.

"Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Hallelujah!" (Psalm 150:6)

Versions/Hebrew: "everything that has breath" is kol hanneshamah [5397], the breath God breathed into Adam (Genesis 2:7). "Praise the LORD" is tehallel Yah... hallelu Yah [1984, 3050], "Hallelujah" itself. This is the place for a breathing prayer: breathe in the breath He gave, and breathe it back as praise.

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