This is the great and comprehensive chorus. God, El, the mighty, and stable, and only One, who judges and swears in Himself alone, is celebrated, not Jehovah. It looks in the sanctuary now-indeed, specially, the heavenly Jerusalem is this, in the day of glory for the Lamb—but, instrinsically, in the light which none can approach unto, His own secret place of holiness and separatedness from all He is praised in. There, thought, spiritual thought by the Holy Ghost, on earth at least, alone reaches Him-there, not only in His separation above all, but in the "Firmament of his power," the strength and stability of this place of steadfast testimony, of immovable greatness and power—there, His acts and greatness—there, with man's (still on earth) best praise, and there "Everything that breathes" is to celebrate Jah the existing One, Him, indeed, in whom they live and move, and have their being and breath to praise. This is our privilege now, but it is anticipative of the time when they shall actually be called on to do so. This shall be the full tide of unhindered praise to God Himself, where He is, for what He has done. Yea, with all given energies, and by all that bath breath. In formal character it is indeed Jewish and earthly, but, as before, it reached to the heavens, the created heavens where we may be, here to the sanctuary of El where He is in His own glory. And this must close as indeed it is the source of praise, for the soul rises up from Ashrey ha-Ish (happy the man) to Hallelu-Jah, Hallelu eth Jehovah (praise Jah, praise Jehovah) Hallelu El B'kod'sho (praise God in His holy place). There the soul necessarily stops, at least finds itself at the infinite close of all before it- known only by the Holy Ghost.
This is, blessed be God, the closing Psalm-the feeble effort, though by the Spirit, to express His great praise; yet, though feeble, perfect in its principle, perfect in what is expressed, if not in the expression, because of the greatness of Him spoken, and yet rightly expressed to perfection, as human utterance of words can carry it. In "His sanctuary"—in His "firmament of power"-"for his mighty acts"-for "His excellent greatness"-"Praise him" with every effort and instrument—and let "everything," that can express praise, do so to Jah.
6. Kol han-n'shamah (everything that breathes) is a very strong and comprehensive expression. Now, though this clearly hangs its witness on the Jews, or Israel, in the millennium, still it looks, it seems to me, beyond. Jehovah is not mentioned in it. "Jehovah" is the securing perpetuity (in the midst of evil, or putting it away) of all that is proper to "Jah." I speak of what is expressed in the name. "Jah" is the essential Object of praise. He is known, as Jehovah reveals Him to us, as Jah. When then we have learned Jehovah in all these things, we say "Hallelu-Jah." So here it is El. Israel has been the grand instrument of revealing these things—to them He was Jehovah. Having fully revealed Himself (compare Psa. 68, and notes thereon) thus He comes forth, so to speak, in His Name Jah - His Name of existence in Himself—His Name of strength—"Hallelujah." "Hallelu-El" be, etc. So everything from "Hallelu-El" to th'ruah (loud sound) verse 5, hangs upon El—God in His essence. Then comes every derived existence living in the earth (Kol n'shamah) to praise Jah —the great, intrinsic I Am, and Source of life; and then closes with the "Hallelu-Jah."
Blessed be God (my Father, through grace) who has permitted me to make this Book my study, thus to go through it, to finish it, not in study but in, thus far, estimate of its truth and blessedness, seeing it concerning Christ, my Master and Lord, to the praise of our God! May we abound more and more in the discernment of Him, and all His purpose! Ashrey ha-ish (Blessings of the Man) may well begin, and Hallelujah finish it; and all between shall reveal the blessedness of that Man, and the glory of that Jah, as Jehovah, through it. And this is the Psalms. And He is a Man, and Jehovah in connection with the Jews (and Israel), whatever other blessings may come in, as there do, besides, and whatever essential glory of Person and existence may be behind, from which they flow, as there is, so as to make it good; else as both the Church and Creation are the witnesses for Supreme Glory known and revealed, and the Head, and bringing in the last (even the creature) and sustaining in Christ, and enclosing the glory, here spoken of, beneath, perhaps for a season and in its parts, but crowned with glory (blessing them) in the Person of Jesus, holding the Creation (by virtue of His personal glory) for their blessing, but this glory the Church brought into, for the Church's glory (as the Creation) flows from, and is identified with Supreme Creation, and creating blessing; quad nota, for it is worthy of much—a great Mystery revealed, and yet above revelation! The Jews are a people known, and no mystery, though a wonder. The Church is, for it is in unity with the Head, the I Am, in its place in Jesus; and so Creation comes in, for it is the head of the new, with the prototokos (Firstborn).
The more I read the Psalms, and the more I see God's mind—what the Spirit would teach in them—the more I see Christ's sufferings with Israel, in holy fulfilling of righteousness, but taking His place with the godly ones in their feelings and thoughts, yea, the pattern and spring of them. And it gives the deepest sense of what the Lord went through, and it is different from atonement. But how deep they must have been, loving them as God's people!