Praise the LORD!

¹ Praise the LORD! Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty expanse.
² Praise Him for His mighty deeds;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness.
³ Praise Him with trumpet sound;
Praise Him with harp and lyre.
⁴ Praise Him with timbrel and dancing;
Praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe.
⁵ Praise Him with loud cymbals;
Praise Him with resounding cymbals.
⁶ Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD! (Psa 150)

I was raised in a mid-20th century, conservative, Christian home. The date made "harp and lyre" not typical instruments in church. Okay, sure, we had timbrels (better known today as tambourines). But the conservative condition made "loud cymbals" (which appears to be repeated for emphasis) certainly not welcome. Stringed instruments and trumpets and certainly pipes -- at least those for the organ -- were okay, but I have to say, dancing was not to be.

So while I get the idea of this exulting psalm, I have to admit that the imagery offered here is not familiar to me. Maybe some day I'll see it. In the meantime I'll have to content myself with praising Him for His mighty deeds, His excellent greatness, His mighty expanse. You know, that might be quite enough!

Let everything that has breath praise the LORD!!!