AN ECUMENICAL PRAISE According to the Hebrew text, this psalm (150) is the last one of the whole book of psalms. Whereas in the Septuagint Version, there is another one – psalm 151 This psalm (150) came with neither a title nor the name of its author, whether in the Hebrew version or the older ones. Being the end of the psalms, It is sung by the whole choir of singers together, using every kind of musical instrument in the temple, the dwelling place of God with men.. The book of psalms begins by blessing the man, who walks according to the divine commandment, who “walks, not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful”, for he enjoys the rivers of water of the Holy Spirit, “that brings forth its fruits in its season” (Psalm 1). In this last psalm (according to the Hebrew text), the book ends by an ecumenical call to all mankind to partake of the exultant heavenly life. In the introduction to the book of psalms, we said that many scholars have noticed a conformity between this book and the five books of Moses (the Pentateuch). By psalms 1 to 41, the church sings, as though with the book of Genesis, where man enjoys salvation. By psalms 42 to 72, the church sings, as though with the book of Exodus; where the believer enjoys the ecclesiastical membership, as a way to unify with the Savior. By psalms 73 to 89, the church sings , as though with the book of Leviticus, where the believer is impressed by seeing the holy new temple, set in his depths. By psalms 90 to 106, the church sings, as though with the book of Numbers, where the body is sanctified to be together with the soul in a journey toward the bosom of the Father, by the Holy Lord Jesus Christ. And finally, by psalms 107 to 150, the church sings, as though with the book of Deuteronomy, where the believer takes pleasure in the word of God working in him. The fifth book of psalms, with the last five psalms (156 to 150), are psalms of praise, where every psalm begins with a call to sing praise to the Lord, and ends with Alleluia (Praise the Lord)…. In all of them, we do not hear moaning, nor any hint of going through sufferings or https://coptic-treasures.com/ 320 troubles ; but you only hear unceasing joyful songs of praise and thanksgiving on the salvation of God. … This final psalm, in the Hebrew text, is a call to praise the Lord, where the word “praise”, came 13 times. 1- Where do we praise God? On both the local and the ecumenical level; in the temple, and in heaven (1); We praise Him wherever we are, as long as we long to enjoy the deposit of heaven. 2- Why do we praise Him? For the sake of His works with us; and for His own sake as well. For, the more we recognize Him, and His works, the more we take pleasure in praising Him. 3- How would we praise Him? By the voice (the mouth), as well as by the musical instruments, which refer to our members, and even to our whole being, both the physical and spiritual. 4- Who will praise Him? Every being that has breath (6); and even the creatures without (Psalm 148: 7-9). We, humans, as the breath of our life is from Him (Acts 17: 25), we are committed to use it to praise His name. The breath is the weakest thing in us; but we can dedicate it for the greatest thing we can present, to praise God St. Clement of Alexandria, interpreted psalm 150, which the church sings during the distribution of the Holy Mysteries, in a beautiful symbolic way, in which he presented the church, risen from the dead, together with her Groom, as a living musical instrument, on which the Holy Spirit plays, to produce a sweet melody of love, he says: [In the divine service, the Spirit sings; “Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet”; For, by the sound of the trumpet He raises the dead. “Praise Him with the flute”; For the tongue is the flute of the Lord. “Praise Him with the harp”; Here he means the mouth, which the Spirit moves as a string. “Praise Him with timbrel and dance”; referring to the church, meditating in the resurrection from the dead, through the sound of hitting on the leather of the timbrel (as a reference to the dead). “Praise Him with the stringed instruments and the organ”; Here he calls our body ‘an organ’, and calls its nerves and tendons, ‘strings’, on which the Spirit plays, to produce harmonious human tunes. “Praise Him with cymbals”. He calls the tongue a cymbal; for it produces the sound through the lips. Then he cries out to all mankind, saying: https://coptic-treasures.com/ 321 “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord”; For He cares for every breathing creature1]. In the fourth chapter of his second book “The Instructor”, St. Clement of Alexandria said that the church, in his time, did not use the musical instruments; For those instruments were used by the nations and the peoples to stir up hatred in wars: The people of ‘Etruria’, west of Italy used the trumpet; Those of ‘Arcadia’, in Greece, used the flute; The Cretians used the harp; The Egyptians used the drums; And the Arabs used the cymbals….. Whereas the unique tool of peace, is the “Word”, by which we honor God; and that is what we use; and not the ancient traditional instruments like the trumpet, the flute, the drums, etc. used by the heathens in their wars and celebrations. 1- Where would we praise God? 1 2- Why would we praise God? 2 3- How would we praise God? 3 - 5 (a) 4- Whom would we praise? 5 (b) 1- WHERE WOULD WE PRAISE GOD? “Praise the Lord! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty firmament” (1) According to the Hebrew version, this is the first time the name “EL” of God, came together with the word “Praise”, instead of the name “Jehovah”. Gathering together as one complete choir, carrying all the musical instruments, all singing in one voice in the temple, with the spirit of joy, together with strength; praising God, the Mighty, who set a covenant with mankind, who blesses and saves them, and lets them enjoy the eternal life2. The singers, gathering together in the temple, feel as though they are in heaven, where the divine sanctuaries are; Or in the bosom of the Holy God “His sanctuary”…. They stand in His mighty firmament! The word “firmament”, used in Genesis 1: 6, is derived from a verb meaning ‘to strike’ or ‘spread by striking’, like when you spread a plate of gold. God is praised by the heavenly hosts, as well as by His church, spread, extended, and lifted up high, like the firmament of heaven. Lifted by the Spirit of God3 up beyond the temporal things, the believer testifies to the salvation work of God and His exalted might; 1 Paedagogus 2: 4. 2 Cf. Adam Clarke, Ps. ترجمة مریان فایز 150 3 Cf. Adam Clarke, Ps. ترجمة مریان فایز 150 https://coptic-treasures.com/ 322 and sings: “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament show His handwork” (Psalm 19: 1). Starting by praising God in His saints, the psalmist declares praising Him in His mighty firmament. And according to St. John Chrysostom, he declares by this that God has created the ‘sky’ for the sake of man, and not man for the sake of the sky. St. John Chrysostom also believes that the angels dwelling in heaven partake of the praise to God. God should be praised by those dwelling, walking, and existing in holiness. For outside holiness and purity, it would be a foreign land; and how would it be possible to praise God in a foreign land? … How would the holies be cast to the dogs; and the jewels to the pigs? The great prophet says: “Praise God in His saints”; meaning, praise Him while you are counted among the saints; And meaning as well: Praise God for the sake of the saints; giving Him thanks, for, by his grace, He made men saints, and added them to the angels, for the sake of their pure behavior; and granted them great talents. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) “Praise God in His saints”; or “in His sanctuary”. Here is a reference to the holy people, the holy life, or to the saints. Let us notice that he ends the book of psalms by thanksgiving; teaching us how our deeds and words should begin, and how they should end, with thanksgiving. The apostle Paul also says: “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Colossians 3: 17). This is how we begin our prayers by saying: “Our Father”; which in itself bears thanksgiving for the sake of His goodness, showing that it is befitting to refer all of them to His holy name. By saying, “Our Father”, we confess our sonhood, and by confessing sonhood, we proclaim the righteousness, sanctification, salvation, and the forgiveness of sins. We present all that, to enjoy the sonhood, and become qualified to call God “Our Father1”. It seems to me that he hints to something else, when he says “in His saints” … He gives Him thanks, for presenting such an amazing way of life to our being; namely, He makes human beings angels2. (St. John Chrysostom) 1 On Ps. 150. 2 On Ps. 150. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 323 2- WHY WOULD WE PRAISE GOD? “Praise Him for His mighty acts; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness” (2) Looking at His excellent greatness, love, care, grace, and what He prepares for the believers of eternal heavenly glories, righteousness, and justice; We shall never cease to praise Him with all our energies, and in every way. Being unable to perceive the perfection of God’s greatness, nor to express it, we would never stop praising Him; together with calling all creation to taste the sweetness of praising Him. Our praise of God, amazing in His might and love, not only pours sweetness in the souls of those who praise Him, but would also grant them a fellowship with Him, who pours in them from His might, goodness, and righteousness, and who makes of them a living icon, drawn to the original. “Praise Him for His mighty act” … Namely, for His wonders; for the might He declares in every thing, both in those in the heights, and down below; in the congregation as a whole, and in every individual, in particular, under any circumstances, and to all persons under all circumstances1. “Praise Him according to His excellent greatness” … Do not you see here, a mind, kindled with fire, striving and suffering to overcome its own limitation; to fly high to heaven itself; and, in servitude to God, to presents to Him its deep longing2? (St. John Chrysostom) 3- HOW WOULD WE PRAISE GOD? “Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; Praise Him with the lute and harp” (3) “With the sound of the trumpet” (showpaar); he refers to the exaltation, joy, and greatness of the sound.“with the lute” (neebel) 3. “With the harp” The origin and meaning of the word (kinowr) is not known. All languages quoted the name from the Hebrew; and came in the Septuagint version as (Kithara), or (Kinura), a stringed instrument, played by hands or fingers4; mentioned in the book of Genesis (4: 21) as an invention of ‘Jubal’; and often mentioned by the psalmist (Psalms 32: 2;43: 4; 49: 5); and by Isaiah (5: 12). 1 On Ps. 150. 2 On Ps. 150. 3 Cf. Adam Clarke, Ps. 150. 4 Cf. Adam Clarke, Ps. ترجمة مریان فایز 150 https://coptic-treasures.com/ 324 Some believe1 that most of the musical instruments mentioned in this psalm, which were used in the Jewish worship, are now gathered together in one instrument -- the ‘organ’, which is played by one individual in harmony. The “lute” (neebel), from which is derived the Greek word (nablion), and the Latin (nablium), and (nabla), is a hollow stringed instrument similar to the guitar2, assumed to be bottle-shaped, was used in the east; or like a skin of wine (1 Samuel 10: 3; 25: 18; 2 Samuel 16: 1). In the beginning it was made of ‘fir’ wood, then of ‘almug’ wood, then of metal (2 Samuel 6: 5; Job 13: 6). The outer part of that instrument was of wood, on which strings were drawn in different ways. According to Juciphus, it had 12 strings, played by fingers; according to Hecichius, was played by both hands together3; and according to St. Jerome, Isidros, and Casidorus, it was Greek delta-shaped. “Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes” (4) The “timbrel” in Hebrew is (top), which is the (drum), played by the hand. The “dance”: The Jews used to dance accompanied by the timbrels. Yet, according to Adam Clarke, the Hebrew word (maachowl) does not mean (dance) at all. The “stringed instruments” are the (miniym). The “flute” (nwgaab) is derived from the word (aagab), meaning (to blow). There is no mention that this instrument, or any other (blowing instrument), like the (pipes) were used in the temple. According to some, it is mentioned here, on account of that it was used in the feast of the dedication of the walls, as a sign of gladness. It representing all kinds of blowing musical instruments. “Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with clashing cymbals” (5a) Praising with the clashing cymbals suits the noisy celebrations (Nehemiah 12: 27); which are none other than the voice of the inner heart, that reaches up, unhindered, to the throne of God’s grace; interpreted by the believer, by exerting every effort, and by forsaking everything else, in love for Him, who has delivered Himself for our 1 Cf. Adam Clarke, Ps. ترجمة مریان فایز 150 2 Cf. Adam Clarke, Ps. ترجمة مریان فایز 150 3 Antiq. B. viii, ch. X. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 325 sake. The cymbals are similar to plates, stricken one against the other, to produce loud sound. According to St. John Chrysostom, God commanded His people in the old covenant, to use the musical instruments, because of their spiritual weakness, to stir up in them the holy zeal to praise Him. … Whereas now, as man reached the spiritual maturity, he uses all his body members as musical instruments, to express what is in his heart of love and thanksgiving to God. The psalmist exhorts the Jews to praise God with all musical instruments, to stir up and ignite their minds; and exhorts us, as well, to praise God by all our body members: the eye, the tongue, the hearing, and the hand: To which it is also referred by the apostle Paul, saying: “I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12: 1). The eye praises God, when the vision is under control;… The tongue, when it sings;… The hearing, when it receives no evil tunes, nor the reviling of one’s neighbor;… The mind, when it thinks of no evil plots, but binds with love;… The feet, when they do not run toward evil, but practice good works; …And the hands, when they are not used in robbery, greed, and violence, but in giving alms, and in the defense against the wrong doers. By all that, man becomes like a harp that presents to God tunes of a symphony, spiritually harmonious. At that time, they were commanded to use musical instruments, because of their spiritual weakness, to calm down their spirits, to conform to love and harmony, and to stir up their minds to contribute to what is for their benefit. Through the effect of music, it was meant to lead them to the great zeal1. (St. John Chrysostom) When we lift up holy hands in prayer, without wrath or doubting (1 Timothy 2: 8), we play, according to the psalmist, on an instrument with ten strings for the Lord; And we play on the harp of our bodies and souls, in perfect harmony2. (St. Jerome) 4- WHOM WOULD WE PRAISE? 1 On Ps. 150. 2 Homilies on the Ps., 21. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 326 “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. …. Praise the Lord” (5 b) Together with the use of every possible instrument, the call came to all the rational beings, both the heavenly, and the earthly, to form one harmonious choir, to praise God. And as the apostle says: “that you may, with one mind and one mouth, glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 15: 6). The most magnificent music presented to praise God, does not emerge from mute instruments, nor lifeless strings, but from hearts, kindled with love of God and men. The call here, is to praise God with hearts full of trust, confidence, and hope in the Savior; to praise Him through our living faith, by which we would overcome the hosts of darkness, and become partners with the heavenly creatures in their love of God, their obedience, purity, and unity together. I wish we praise God unceasingly, and not fail to present to Him, thanksgiving for everything, by words and by work; For that would be our best sacrifice and offering; and would be the most exalted worship, like the life of angels. … If we persist on praising God in this way, we would enjoy a blameless life, and the good things to come1. (St. John Chrysostom) There are many, who are living by the body, yet are dead, and could not praise God…. And there are many who are dead in the body, yet they praise God by their spirits; As it is written: “Bless the Lord, O spirits and souls of the righteous”; and “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord” (Psalm 150 : 5 b). In the book of Revelations, we find the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held, not only praising God, but also requesting from Him (Revelation 6: 9-10). In the gospel, the Lord, very clearly says to the Sadducees: “Have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying: ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; God is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for all live in Him’” (Matthew 22: 31-32); And the apostle says: “God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them” (Hebrew 11: 16). … Being separated from the body, does not make the souls without work, nor deprive them of feeling and sensing2. 1 On Ps. 150. 2 Cassian, Conferences 1: 14. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 327 (Father Moses) All creation keep a feast, O brethren, And, according to the psalmist, “everything that has breath, praise the Lord” (Psalm 150: 5 b); for the sake of the destruction of the enemies (the devils), and for our salvation. Indeed, if “There will be … joy in heaven over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15: 7), How could there be no joy, because of putting an end to sin, and of the resurrection of the dead? Oh! What a feast and joy in heaven! Oh, yes, How much will be the joy of the heavenly hosts, when they come to partake of our gathering together, to be perpetually with us, particularly during the days of the feast of resurrection. They watch the sinners as they repent; those who turn their faces away from sin, and change; and those who used to be sunken in lusts; and now, are contrite by fasting and chastity. And, finally, they watch the enemy (the devil), cast down, weak and lifeless, with his hands and feet bound; and scornfully say to him: “O death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” (1 Corinthians 15: 55). Let us now sing to the Lord the song of victory and conquest. (St. Athanasius the apostolic) AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 150 LET US PRAISE GOD IN HIS HOLY SANCTUARY All the heavenly hosts unceasingly shout and praise; They are in a continuous feast; And in an unceasingly glorious joy; You are the secret of their exultation and shouting; I wonder whether to call You, to incline Your ear to hear the praises of my heart. Or to grant me Your Holy Spirit, to take me up to Your heavens; For there, I shall rejoice in praising You in the language of the heavenlies; In such a glorious heavenly atmosphere, the lips will never cease to praise You; https://coptic-treasures.com/ 328 Here, setting Your heavenly kingdom in my depths; Grant me to forsake and forget everything around me; Entering into my depths which You sanctify; There I find pleasure in praising You. Who is worthy of playing, what is befitting to Your Holiness? Your Holy Spirit condescends and embraces me; Plays on the strings of my soul, mind, and emotions; Even on all the energies of my body members; To become, indeed, a unique harp; The handwork of Your amazing Spirit; I take pleasure in praising You; Although You need, neither my praise, nor my goodness; Praising You, lifts me up to Your heavens; It brings me into Your bosoms; It includes me among the heavenly hosts; It opens up my insight; To enable me to drink from the fountain of Your knowledge; Praising You, increases the thirst of humanity for You; When shall I see all men have become members in the heavenly choir? Prepare all men, O Lord, with Your Holy Spirit; That all men, together with the heavenlies, would form an amazing and a unique choir of praise; Glory be to You, O who Grant praise, and receive it as an exalted sacrifice of love.
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