The Hallelujah of Joy

 Temple Baptist Church - 8-30-2026

Psalm 149

 

Introduction:

 

A. Tonight, the fourth of five of the Hallelujah Psalms. Though the word “Hallelujah” is not found in your Bible, it is a translation of the Hebrew words “Praise ye the LORD.”

 

1. “Praise:” הָלַל hâlal haw-lal' and “ye the LORD:” יָהּ yâh yaw. Thus, Praise ye the LORD!” To hallow or praise, Jah - Jehovah, the LORD. Praise ye Jehovah! I am not changing the Bible, but am trying to show you the importance of knowing Who we praise!

 

2. Jehovah God of the Old Testament and Christ Jesus of the New Testament. The great “I AM THAT I AM!” The eternally, self-existing, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent Creator, Sovereign, Sustainer, and Owner of all that is or ever will be!

 

3. The reverence of the Jewish nation for Jah should be the same as our reverence of Jesus Christ! Religion in our day has tried to bring Christ Jesus down to our human level instead of elevating Him and striving to attain His level!

 

4. “Be ye holy” is commanded in both Old and New Testaments”

 

Leviticus 20:7 Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God.

 

1 Peter 1:16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

 

5. “Praise ye the LORD is found in both the beginning and end of each of these 5 psalms, giving us a First Mention and Last Mention, as in all cases, that are same. Therefore, the entire Psalm is about Jehovah God, Christ Jesus our LORD, not about us.

 

B. My reason for saying all this is that with a First Mention and Last Mention being the same, everything between lines up with them. Each of these Hallelujah Psalms drive home a different theme and all together, they worship Him who alone is worthy of all our praise.

 

C. I call this psalm “The Hallelujah of Joy!”

 

1. One of the essentials of Christianity that is missing in most of God’s children is that of joy! The complexity of this world in which we live s, to some degree, as permeated our hearts and minds, therefore, stealing the joy of the LORD, which is our strength according to Nehemiah 8:10.

 

Nehemiah 8:9-12 And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law. (10) Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength. (11) So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved. (12) And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.

 

2. Joy is not found in our circumstances! Joy is despite our circumstances. I heard a story about circumstances controlling our spiritual state.

 

After the Sunday Morning worship service, a pastor stood at the door shaking hands with and encouraging the people as they went home. An older lady shook the pastor’s hand, and he asked her how she was doing. She answered, “Not too bad under the circumstances.” The pastor then asked, “Sister, what are you doing under the circumstances?” I heard a song say that when the waves are over your head, they are under His (Jesus’) Feet!”

 

3. Too many of God’s children choose to live under the circumstances. One of my favorite portions of Scripture is found in the little Book of Habakkuk:

 

Habakkuk 3:17-19 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: (18) Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. (19) The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.

 

4. I will reiterate something that I have often said that has shaped my spiritual life in my older years: I refuse to allow my circumstances to dictate who I am or what I become!

 

D. Though Psalm 149 is all about the LORD, it also involves our appreciation for the things of life that only God can give. The “why” of our joy is enveloped within our relationship to the “WHO” of our praise. Let’s just break down the psalm into its parts.

 

1. Verse 1. The Who of our Joy! “Praise ye the Lord!” Personal and congregational praise. Why are we here this evening and what are we here to do! We are here to Worship the Lord!

 

“Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.”

 

John 4:23-24 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. (24) God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

 

a. Personal Joy through our Praise! “Praise ye the LORD!” “when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit …” Everyone here tonight should have come to personally praise the Lord for who He is and all that He has done for us day by day!

1) Have you “tasted” and personally “seen” that the Lord is GOOD?

 

Psalms 34:8 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

 

2) Have you come into His presence tonight with the realization of His Person?

 

Psalms 100:3-5 Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. (4) Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. (5) For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

 

3) Have you come with the realization that you are His Peculiar Treasure? I am His and He is mine!

 

Psalms 135:3-4 Praise the LORD; for the LORD is good: sing praises unto his name; for it is pleasant. (4) For the LORD hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure.

 

4. Have you worshipped Him this evening?

 

Psalms 29:2 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

 

b. The Congregational Joy of our Praise. “Praise ye the LORD!” “Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.”

 

1) Have we sung into the Lord in audible songs of praise. “Sing unto the LORD … and His praise in the congregation of the saints.” I cannot overly emphasize the importance of singing too much. It is of great importance both personally and corporately! Sing together and make a loud noise!

 

2) Have we sung “new songs” unto the Lord? This is not writing a new song every time that we sing. It is singing the old songs with a freshness, as if this were the first and will be the last time that we sing them. Using the songs in our hymnal to speak to the Lord and to express our desire to worship Him and Him alone!

 

2. Verses 2-5. The Why of our Joy! Because of our personal relationship with the Lord!

 

a. Because He’s my King! Thank you, Dr. S. M. Lockridge! I belong to Him. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God!” Oh joy, oh delight! Do you know Him tonight? Does He know you tonight? “Our Father, which art in heaven.” “My Father which art in heaven!” Just look at the singular, personal pronouns in Psalm 23! Sixteen of them! Not one plural pronoun because salvation is a very personal relationship. He loves me as if I were His only child!

 

Psalms 23:1-6 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. (2) He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. (3) He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. (4) Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (5) Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. (6) Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

 

b. Because He is My Sovereign King! Psalms 100:3 Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

 

1) He not only knows me, but He sovereignly controls everything that comes my and surrounds me!

 

2) Nothing can touch me unless God allows and then, it becomes for my good and His glory! Though God does not cause all hardship, He certainly controls it!

 

c. Because He taketh Pleasure in Me! This is another truth hard to be understood until we realize that when the LORD sees us, He sees us through the precious blood of Christ applied to the Mercy Seat in heaven!

 

He sees me as worthy and not as I am! He thinketh upon me! He watches over me! He sustains me! He protects me! He provides for me! He guides me! He has mercy upon me. He is good to me! He gives me grace! He provides me with strength! He gives me hope! He is the reason that I get up in the morning, and He is my Joy and Praise when I lay down to sleep!

 

3. Verses 6-9. Why our Joy? Because He gives us Victory!

 

a. We find Victory in our Faith! I have read the first verse of the Bible and have sneaked a view of the end of the Bible! Jehovah God, our Lord Jesus Christ is found in both! He is before all things and He will be after all things and is EVERYTHING we need between!

 

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

 

Revelation 22:21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

 

b. We find Victory in our Fears. Be careful for NOTHING because He is the LORD of everything!

 

Psalms 53:5a There were they in great fear, where no fear was: for God …

 

c. We find Victory over our Foes! Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world!

 

Psalms 53:5b … for God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee: thou hast put them to shame, because God hath despised them.

 

Conclusion: Just these four words: “Praise Ye The Lord!”