Single lesson
Psalm 150: Let Everything That Has Breath Praise the LORD
Psalms 150:1–6
Psalm 150 is a short praise poem with repeated commands, named instruments and a strong ending. In this lesson, children hear who it calls to praise God and how the poem gathers everything with breath into praise.
Before you teach
These six verses are entirely focused on praise. The speaker repeatedly says, “Praise Yah” and “Praise him”, so the voice of the psalm is calling others to praise God. The poem names God’s sanctuary and his heavens, gives reasons for praise, lists instruments and actions, and ends with a final call to everything that has breath.
Students will identify the speaker as the voice of the psalm calling others to praise God, list the psalm’s images of praise, and explain that the poem ends by calling everything with breath to praise the Lord.
Welcome: Listen for the speaker’s repeated command
5 minTell the group they will hear a poem with one command repeated many times. Read the psalm aloud clearly. Ask children to listen for “Praise Yah” and “Praise him”. Explain that these repeated commands help us identify the speaker as the voice of the psalm calling others to praise God.
Psalms 150:1, Psalms 150:2, Psalms 150:6
Read and explain: Where and why praise is given
7 minRead verses 1 and 2 again. Show that the poem first names places: “his sanctuary” and “his heavens”. Then it gives reasons for praise: God’s “acts of power”, his “mighty acts” and his “excellent greatness”. Keep children close to the words of the poem as they notice where and why praise is spoken.
Psalms 150:1, Psalms 150:2
Discuss: How the list of instruments builds the poem
6 minRead verses 3 to 5 slowly and invite children to call out each instrument or action they hear. Write them in order. Point out how the poem keeps adding trumpet, harp, lyre, tambourine, dancing, stringed instruments, flute and cymbals. The growing list gives the psalm a strong, joyful movement.
Psalms 150:3, Psalms 150:4, Psalms 150:5
Make and respond: Create a praise image card
8 minGive each child paper and art supplies. Ask them to choose one phrase from the psalm and draw a matching picture, such as an instrument, the heavens, the sanctuary or breath. Older children can label their card with where, why, how or who from the poem. Invite brief sharing using the psalm’s own words.
Psalms 150:1, Psalms 150:2, Psalms 150:3, Psalms 150:4, Psalms 150:5, Psalms 150:6
Closing: Join the final line together
4 minRead verse 6 as a group. Invite the children to take one quiet breath and then say the final line together. Explain that the poem ends with a bigger call than the instrument list alone, because it says, “Let everything that has breath praise Yah!” Finish with a short optional prayer.
Psalms 150:6
Questions to explore
Who is speaking in this psalm, and how can you tell?
The poem repeatedly gives commands such as “Praise Yah” and “Praise him”, so the speaker is the voice of the psalm calling others to praise God.
Psalms 150:1, Psalms 150:2, Psalms 150:6
What reasons for praising God are named in the psalm?
Look for the phrases “acts of power”, “mighty acts” and “excellent greatness”.
Psalms 150:1, Psalms 150:2
How does verse 6 change the poem after all the instruments have been named?
The ending moves from a list of instruments and actions to “everything that has breath”, making the final call wider.
Psalms 150:3, Psalms 150:4, Psalms 150:5, Psalms 150:6
Make, think or respond
Illustrated Praise Card
What you’ll need
- paper or card
- pencils
- coloured pencils or crayons
- markers
Try it together
- Read the psalm aloud again and let each child choose one phrase from it.
- Ask each child to write or copy the chosen phrase onto the paper.
- Invite them to draw matching images such as instruments, the heavens, the sanctuary or breath.
- Let children share their card and say whether it shows where, why, how or who in the poem.
- Read verse 6 together at the end.
This activity helps children notice the psalm’s own words and images by turning one line of praise into a picture.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, write short phrases such as “Praise him” or “Praise Yah” for tracing, and let them point to instruments as they hear them.
- For older or confident readers, ask them to sort the psalm into four ideas: where to praise, why to praise, how to praise and who should praise.
An optional closing prayer
“Lord God, help us notice your mighty acts and your excellent greatness, and help us praise you. Amen.”
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Psalms 150
1 Praise Yah! Praise God in his sanctuary! Praise him in his heavens for his acts of power!
2 Praise him for his mighty acts! Praise him according to his excellent greatness!
3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet! Praise him with harp and lyre!
4 Praise him with tambourine and dancing! Praise him with stringed instruments and flute!
5 Praise him with loud cymbals! Praise him with resounding cymbals!
6 Let everything that has breath praise Yah! Praise Yah!
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.