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THE HALLEL PSALMS
(Hallel- Praise)

A. Groups/ Clusters of Psalms

1. Egyptian Hallel Psalms (Psalms 113-117)

2. Greater Hallel Psalms (Psalms 118-136)

B. Essential Feature of these Psalms

1. Praise to be given to God

2. Challenge to give Praise to God

a) Worship (Public and Private)

b) Personal

c) Community

C. Use of these Psalms

1. On Feast Days

a) Passover

b) Pentecost

c) Tabernacles

d) Dedication

2. Only reference of Jesus singing hymn

a) Matthew 26:30

b) Occasion: Passover

c) Thus, the Hallel Psalms (Psalm 113-117)

D. The Challenge to make Praise a part of our spirit of faith

1. A study of the Hallel Psalms

2. Personal Challenge

3. A commitment to make Praise a very real part of our life

PSALM 113

1. Praising the name of God

a) He is the LORD (Psalm 113:1a)

b) His name should be praised (Psalm 113:1b)

2. Blessing the name of the Lord

a) Essentially “praise”

b) Added elements

i) Reverence

ii) Awe

iii) Attribution of praise and thanksgiving to God for who He is

3. Effective understanding of how Praise works

a) From the rising of the sun (Psalm 113:3a)

b) To its going down (Psalm 113:3b)

4. Reasons for Praise

a) The LORD is high above all nations Psalm 113:4a

b) His glory above the heavens Psalm 113:4b

5. An attempt to describe the greatness of God

a) He humbles Himself to behold the things in heaven (Psalm 113:6a)

b) The things on earth (Psalm 113:6b)

6. Special reasons to give praise to God

a) He raises the poor out of the dust (Psalm 113:7a)

b) He lifts up the needy out of the ash heap (Psalm 113:7b)

c) He seats him with the princes (Psalm 113:8)

d) He gives the barren a home (Psalm 113:7)

7. Extolling the LORD

a) Who is like the LORD our God who dwells on high? (Psalm 111:5)

b) Written as a rhetorical question

i) For effect

ii) For impact

iii) To extol the greatness of God!

8. Who should practise the praising of the name of the LORD?

a) All servants of His

b) Everyone who knows the Lord

c) Everyone who loves the LORD