Psalms 150:1

Old Testament Poetry/Hymns ASV (1901)

What does Psalms 150:1 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “Praise ye Jehovah. Praise God in his sanctuary: Praise him in the firmament of his power.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

Praise ye Jehovah. Praise God in his sanctuary: Praise him in the firmament of his power.
Psalms 150:1 — American Standard Version

Context — Psalms 150

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
1Praise ye Jehovah. Praise God in his sanctuary: Praise him in the firmament of his power.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“Praise ye the Lord, etc.] Or, “hallelujah”; which, in the Targum, Septuagint, and Vulgate Latin versions, is the title of the psalm; and expresses the subject of it, the praise of the Lord; praise God in his sanctuary; in the temple, the house of his sanctuary as the Targum and R Judah; or in heaven, as R. Moses, his holy place, where he is praised by holy angels and glorified saints; or in the church below, of which the sanctuary or temple was a type. The Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and the eastern versions, render it, “in his Holy Ones”; among his saints, in the assembly of them, where he is to be feared and praised: it may be translated, “in his Holy One”f1980; and be understood of Christ,…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Praise ye the Lord - See the notes at Psalms 146:1. Praise God in his sanctuary - His holy place; the place where he dwells. The allusion here is, probably, to the temple, the place of his abode on earth. Praise him in the firmament of his power - The whole expression is equivalent to earth and heaven; Praise him on earth; praise him in heaven. The word rendered firmament is the same which is used in Genesis 1:6. It properly means an expanse - a thing spread out. The verb from which the word is derived means to beat; then, to beat out - that is, to spread out by beating, as gold is; and then, simply to spread out, to expand. Compare Psalms 136:6; Isaiah 42:5; Isaiah 44:24. In Syriac the word…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Sanctuary - In his temple. The firmament - In heaven: there let the blessed angels praise him. Psalms 150:6”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“Ps 150 Everything that breathes is commanded to praise the Lord as he deserves. The whole Psalter describes the greatness of the Lord, so this psalm is a fitting conclusion. 150:1 The phrase mighty heaven alludes to Gen 1 and to God’s glorious work in filling the emptiness.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Praise ye the Lord: Heb. Hallelujah, Psa 149:1 in his sanctuary: Psa 29:9, Psa 66:13-16, Psa 116:18, Psa 116:19, Psa 118:19, Psa 118:20, Psa 134:2 in the firmament: Gen 1:6-8; Eze 1:22-26, Eze 10:1; Dan 12:3 Psalms 150:2”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · 19th-century historical commentary
“The Synagogue reckons up thirteen divine attributes according to ex. Psa 34:6. (שׁלשׁ עשׂרה מדּות), to which, according to an observation of Kimchi, correspond the thirteen הלּל of this Psalm. It is, however, more probable that in the mind of the poet the tenfold halaluw encompassed by Hallelujah's is significative; for ten is the number of rounding off, completeness, exclusiveness, and of the extreme of exhaustibleness. The local definitions in Psa 150:1 are related attributively to God, and designate that which is heavenly, belonging to the other world, as an object of praise. קדשוּ (the possible local meaning of which is proved by the קדשׁ and קדשׁ קדשׁים of the Tabernacle and of the…”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification