The Last Psalm

The first Bible I ever read was my father's Gideon pocket New Testament.  It is one of those which also included the book of Psalms.  After his death I found it midst his stuff and to a seven year old boy it became like treasure.  I still have it tucked away in a drawer and from time to time hold it for a few minutes in my hands.   As a young man midst the horror of a war, I imagine it was something he picked up and read from time to time.  And, like most people who find themselves looking for help in troubling times, it is easy to see him reading some of the Psalms.     

The Psalms have always been special to those who are hungry for the presence of God.  The words are timeless. Many of us learned the 23rd Psalm from our Mother before we could hardly read.  The ancient saints who lived in deserts, on the edge of wild places, and in huts and cells had high regard for these writings of David and often spent large amounts of time copying the Psalms.  Even today it is not an uncommon thing for those who read the Bible daily to include one of the Psalms as a part of their disciplined reading.   

A few days ago I found myself turning to those holy pages in a moment of quietness.  For some reason I decided to begin reading at the end instead of the beginning which brought me to some powerful words of praise.  It is not only an easy Psalm to memorize quickly, but one which tells us that praise is more than calmly speaking the words which are used in praise to God.  This last Psalm of the collection reminds us that praise should be as effusive as shaking tambourines and dancing (Psalm 150:4) and as extravagant as praising God not just with clanging cymbals, but with loud clashing cymbals (Psalm 150:5).  For those of us who worship nailed to our pews and who insist hands belong in the pockets, maybe there is a word here about turning loose and letting ourselves move with enthusiasm and energy into the stream of praise already in place according to the Word which says, "Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!"  (Psalm 150:6)