Starting with the highest вЂ“ and down to the lowest вЂ“ all of us owe our origins вЂ“ and thus our allegiance and adoration вЂ“ to Him. We are reminded вЂ“ verse by verse вЂ“ that all of creation owes praise to God. We must praise God because God is Creator, God is Sovereign, and God is Protector. And doesnвЂ™t it help to know why we should do something instead of just be told to do it? The psalm writer is genius, perhaps without even knowing it, because within the summoning of us to praise God there are reasons we should do it. When I read this hymn вЂ“ the words bring out several nuances, and we are going to talk about some of those вЂ“ but the main message I hear is a simple one: Many English translations put them in there. Just look at all those exclamation marks in Psalm 148. And вЂњhallelвЂќ in Hebrew is more than just вЂњPraise.вЂќ The writer does not intend for us to monotonously and lifelessly recite, вЂњI praise you God.вЂќ No, вЂњhallelвЂќ in Hebrew means a joyous praise in song, a boasting in God вЂ“ almost to the extent of acting foolishly. Most of the lines begin with an imperative summons to praise.

But here, the invitation is greatly elaborated. Our text follows the typical structure of a song of praise because it has an invitation to praise followed by reasons for praise. ItвЂ™s a command to praise вЂњYahвЂќ, short for Yahweh, the Hebrew name of God. ItвЂ™s an exhortation to many peopleвЂ¦ to Israel вЂ¦ to us. TodayвЂ™s text вЂ“ Psalm 148 вЂ“ is a part of that collection. The last five hymns in the book of Psalms all begin and end with that word. It is used 24 times in the Old Testament, and only in the book of Psalms. ItвЂ™s actually the transliteration of a Hebrew word, or, rather, a Hebrew phrase. It is fitting that a song of praise вЂ“ an oratorio about Jesus вЂ“ would be associated with Christmas, during this time we celebrate how our God took on flesh to become one with us. But through time the association was altered and now those echoes of вЂњHallelujahвЂќ are an integral part of the Christmas season. You may not know that Handel never conducted it during Christmas. The Hallelujah Chorus вЂ“ and all of the Messiah вЂ“ has become one of the best-known and widely loved Christmas presentations of all time. вЂњHallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah.вЂќ You surely recognize at least one of the songs from the Messiah. Did you hear it this season? Written for orchestra, choir, and soloists, HandelвЂ™s Messiah is performed each year. In 1741 George Frideric Handel composed an oratorio which has become a Christmas tradition. Sermon for Grace Baptist Church on December 29, 2013 If you would prefer to read, I will put the text below вЂ¦ If you would like to hear the sermon, here is a link to Grace Baptist ChurchвЂ™s website.В YouвЂ™ll see my date (December 29) and my name. It was a part of the psalm that I would have probably skipped over had I not studied the text for the purpose of preaching. I especially love that last part about the horn. Praise the Lord from the earth, you sea monsters and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and frost, stormy wind fulfilling his commands, Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars! Wild animals and all cattle, creeping things and flying birds! Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth! Young men and women alike, old and young together! Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted his glory is above earth and heaven He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all his faithful, for the people of Israel who are close to him. He established them forever and ever he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed.

Here вЂ¦ you can see it in the poem вЂ¦ Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens praise him in the heights! Praise him, all his angels praise him, all his host! Praise him, sun and moon praise him, all you shining stars! Praise him, you highest heavens, and you wanters above the heavens! Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded and they were created. When I say we must вЂњjoin inвЂќ the praise of God, IвЂ™m referring to joining the rest of creation. ItвЂ™s a вЂњHallelujahвЂќ psalm вЂ“ because that word is the first line and last line of this Hebrew poem.

Their church follows the lectionary, and Psalm 148 was one of the texts I could choose. I felt honored to be given the opportunity. My good friend, Aurelia Pratt, is one of the pastors at Grace, and she invited me to preach at her church the Sunday after Christmas. When I read Psalm 148, thatвЂ™s the main message I hear, and so that is what I talked about for my sermon at Grace Baptist Church in Round Rock, Texas.

Words to raise a hallelujah