Psalm 150:5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Counting from one Lord's Day to the next encompasses eight days, during which the revelation of the New Covenant is proclaimed, obscured in the Old Covenant by worldly promises. Additionally, the sum of seven and eight equals fifteen. A similar numerical significance is found in the Psalms of Ascent, named such because of the number of steps in the temple. The number fifty also embodies a great mystery. It is derived from seven weeks, with an additional one added to reach fifty—forty-nine plus one. This number fifty holds exceptional importance, as it was on the fiftieth day after the Resurrection of the Lord that the Holy Spirit descended upon those gathered in Christ. The Scriptures reference this Holy Spirit significantly under the number seven, as noted both in Isaiah and in Revelation, where the seven Spirits of God are mentioned, reflecting the multifaceted operation of the same Spirit. This sevenfold manifestation is echoed in Isaiah. Consequently, the Holy Spirit is often associated with the number seven. The Lord designated this fifty-day period into two parts: forty and ten. For on the fortieth day post-Resurrection, He ascended into heaven, and ten days later, He sent forth the Holy Spirit—where forty signifies His temporary presence in this world. The number four is prominent in forty, as both the world and the year have four quarters. The number ten, as a reward for fulfilling the law through good deeds, represents eternity itself. Thus, the total of fifty, equivalent to one hundred and fifty, embodies the Trinity thrice represented. This reinforces our belief that this count of Psalms is fitting.

When others suggest that the Psalms are divided into five books, they often reference the frequent occurrence of the phrase "Let it be so" at the end of many Psalms. However, upon examining this division, the five sections do not exhibit uniformity in content or in the count of Psalms, with none having thirty as a consistent total. If each book indeed concludes with "let it be so," one might wonder why the fifth and final book does not end similarly. Nonetheless, adhering to the authority of sacred Scripture, which states, "For in the book of Psalms it is written," we affirm there exists only a single book of Psalms. Yet, it is reasonable to conclude that both perspectives could simultaneously hold truth without contradiction. Just as a singular church may consist of several congregations, so too one book may encompass multiple parts; similarly, we refer to the world as a singular entity containing various lands. The expression "the book of Psalms" may not strictly imply one singular volume but can refer to any one of these five sections.

This collection, structured into segments of fifty Psalms each, offers crucial insights worthy of our consideration. It seems significant that the fiftieth segment deals with repentance, the hundredth with mercy and judgment, and the hundred and fiftieth with the praise of God through His saints. Thus, we are guided toward eternal joy by first condemning our sins and living righteously, achieving eternal life through remorse for our wrongdoings and commitment to a good life. Our ultimate fulfillment is not in ourselves, but in Him through His divine foreknowledge. The call to repentance invites us to reject sin, and the call to mercy grants us justification against judgment. One who has received salvation fears not condemnation. Having been called, we renounce the devil through repentance, moving beyond his dominion; being justified, we receive healing through mercy, voiding our fears of judgment; and being glorified, we enter eternal life, where we worship God endlessly. The closing verse of this Psalm embodies the voice of eternal life.

Praise the Lord in His saints, that is, in those He has honored; praise Him in the heights of His power. Praise Him for His mighty deeds; praise Him according to the greatness of His majesty. All these saints, as the Apostle reminds us, are "But we may be in Him the righteousness of God." Yet, if they embody God's righteousness, why are they not also identified as the power of Christ within them, leading to resurrection? In Christ’s resurrection, the display of power is particularly evident, for during His Passion, there was fragility, as the Apostle indicates. Therefore, it is rightly stated, "the firmament of His might." The essence of His power resides in His triumph over death, which no longer has dominion over Him. Why not designate them as the works of God's power manifested through them? They also represent His accomplishments, as it is written, "We are the righteousness of God in Him." What could be stronger than His everlasting reign, where all enemies are subdued? Why should they not also embody the multitude of His greatness? This greatness arises not solely from His inherent majesty but from what He has wrought in creating many wonders. Righteousness can be understood in two ways: that by which He is right and that which He cultivates in us, bestowing upon us His righteousness. These saints are consistently represented by all musical instruments to glorify God. For the Psalmist, having commenced with "Praise the Lord in His saints," fulfills this by illustrating these very saints through various instruments.

Praise Him with the sound of a trumpet, for the clarity of their praise; praise Him with the psaltery and harp. The psaltery lifts its note from the heights, while the harp resonates from the depths, reflecting both heaven and earth, as the Creator of all. In another Psalm, we have noted that the psaltery consists of a frame upon which numerous strings create harmonious sounds, while the harp produces sound from below. Praise Him with timpani and chorus. The tambourine, transformed without earthly decay, praises God in this renewed state. The chorus praises God when the community comes together in harmony. Praise Him with stringed instruments and organ. The psaltery and harp both feature strings, yet the term organ serves broadly to encompass all musical devices, traditionally applied especially to instruments using air; however, I do not think the current emphasis is solely on such types. It seems he refers to any stringed instrument. For diverse stringed instruments including psaltery and harp, while resonating jointly in a harmonious blend, signify various aspects—each instrument representing part of the divine harmony where even the saints have distinct attributes yet harmoniously glorify God.

Praise Him on the cymbals of sound; praise Him on the cymbals of rejoicing. Cymbals generate sound through contact, akin to our voices. However, I believe it's more fitting to understand that God is praised through the cymbals when each honors their neighbor rather than themselves; thus, through mutual praise, they honor God. To ensure such cymbals are not interpreted as lifeless, it is made clear they produce "the cymbals of rejoicing." True exaltation, that is, the profound expression of praise, springs only from the living. It is important to note the musicians classify sound generation into three categories: voices, breaths, and blows—voices arise from the throat, breaths from instruments like whistles, and blows from ensemble instruments like harps. All these forms of expression are incorporated: the choir conveys voices, the trumpet offers breaths, and the harp employs blows, signifying the mind, the spirit, and the body using metaphorical devices rather than in their literal sense. When he calls to "Praise God in His saints," he directs this appeal to them, recognizing that they are the saints and to whom praise should ultimately be directed. For indeed, He declares, "Ye are His saints; ye are His strength, and what He has accomplished within you; ye are His power, the manifestation of His majesty executed through you." You represent the trumpet, the psaltery, the harp, the tympani, the chorus, the strings, the organ, the cymbals of rejoicing—all of you, resounding with harmonious unity. Let no triviality or transience be associated with this; for since partaking of the flesh results in death, let every spirit exalt the Lord.

The Jews, through the instruments mentioned, once offered praises to God, as noted in the introduction of our interpretation. A lyric generally refers to a song sung by a choir, representing a different kind of melody that exists without instruments, in contrast to that which arises from strings. The term organ typically refers to a specific instrument, though it can also encompass all musical instruments broadly. There were two types of cymbals: those with a pleasing sound that were used in sacred songs and hymns, and others that produced harsh, unrefined noises often used in reprimands. I acknowledge that there are interpretations regarding these instruments, but I choose to set them aside, as I have with other similar interpretations in the Psalms, due to their susceptibility to refutation and lack of acceptance. Nyssa explains that one cymbal symbolizes the divine nature of angels, while the other represents the spoken nature of humanity, aligning with the Apostle’s teaching that every tongue shall confess—whether in heaven, on earth, or beneath the earth—that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Thus, when all creation unites in a single visage, producing a cohesive harmony, both heavenly and earthly, the spiritual realm—currently fragmented by sin—will generate a sweet sound through our unity. In this way, our nature will approach the angelic and, having emerged from that oneness, this divine assembly will proclaim a triumphant song at the glorious defeat of our adversaries. Then, there will be continuous praise from every breath, celebrating unending grace and joy.

For the untamed passions of our flesh can sometimes lead to frenzied excess, prompting many to create bizarre and foolish pastimes, all the while neglecting God. This moral decay could not have been addressed without God guiding the weak and coarse through spiritual practices as a form of restraint. Thus, the Prophet, seeking to remind the faithful to place their joy in praising God, unites all the Musikiah instruments in use at that time, urging them to commit these offerings to divine worship. This collection of expressions, denoting the names of the Musikiah instruments, remains unexamined, but it serves as a reminder that the Prophet enumerates the many instruments necessary for the divine service in the Old Testament, reinforcing the idea that the children of God must give their utmost to celebrate God's glory, fully dedicating themselves to this noble endeavor.

The shofar, a ram's horn trumpet, is not only sounded during the New Year (see Psalm 80) and at the inception of the jubilee, but also plays a role in joyous celebrations (2 Samuel 6:14). The timbrel, or tambourine, accompanied by kettledrums, is employed in dance. The term "organ" refers broadly to musical instruments, particularly stringed ones, while the Hebrew word Gugab signifies a shepherd's flute or whistle. Cymbals, crafted from metal and used in pairs, produce varying sounds; smaller cymbals emit a soft, melodious tone, while larger ones create a loud, piercing sound, typically used during jubilee celebrations to signal exultation.

Their hands bring praise to God when they refuse to take what does not belong to them but instead extend their hands to aid those in need for the sake of Christ. Glory is given to God through their feet when they avoid all paths of wickedness. They honor Him with their ears by attentively listening to the Holy Gospel. Furthermore, they praise God with their hearts when they do not lean toward evil words but instead embrace true love for both God and their neighbors. In engaging in such actions, a person discovers a beautifully harmonious instrument that is pleasing and resounding in the sight of the Creator.