Don’t Stop Short
Don't Stop Short: Why Your Praise Matters More Than You Think
Have you ever watched someone completely lose themselves at a concert — singing at the top of their lungs, hands in the air, tears streaming down their face — and then walked into church and stood with your hands in your pockets, barely mouthing the words? I have. And I've got to be honest with you: something is wrong with that picture.
That's exactly what Psalm 150 is all about. And today, we're diving into what I'm calling the framework of praise — because too many of us have been stopping short of what God has for us.
Hallelujah — More Than Just a Word
The last five chapters of the Book of Psalms all begin and end the same way. Whether your version says "Praise the Lord" or "Hallelujah," it's the same word. Hallel — praise. Yah — Yahweh, Jehovah. We are praising the Lord, and the psalmist meant this as a declaration and an exhortation. It's a rally call with an exclamation point.
What if that was our attitude every time we came together? What if we walked in before the music even started and said, "Praise the Lord!" — and when it was over, we walked out saying the same thing because he's just that good?
Here's what C.S. Lewis said: "In the process of being worshiped, God communicates His presence to men." A.W. Tozer put it this way: "God wants worshipers before workers. Indeed, the only acceptable workers are those who have learned the lost art of worship." And Jack Hayford said, "Worship changes the worshiper into the image of the one worshiped."
Why would we ever want to stop short of that?
We Won't Stop Short for a Stranger, But We Stop Short for God
People will scream, shout, dance, throw their hands up in the air, and sing with the greatest exuberance to their favorite song. But when it comes to coming into church, we become reserved, passive, hands-in-the-pocket Christians.
Think about it. We won't stop short at screaming the name of someone who won't even know we exist. But we stop short of shouting the name of the One who calls us by name. We will deliver our praise to that which will die and stop short our praise to the One who will never die.
In 2 Samuel 6:22, King David — a man who danced before God with everything he had — said, "Yes, and I am willing to look even more foolish than this, even to be humiliated in my own eyes." We can't afford to keep stopping short of praising the Holy One and honoring him in everything we do.
What Happens When We Stop Short
All throughout the Bible, when you see people stop short, they usually do it right before God is ready to bless them.
In Exodus 32:1, the Israelites — people who had witnessed the Red Sea part, who had seen the pillar of fire and the pillar of cloud, who had experienced miracle after miracle — stopped short. Moses had been on the mountain with God for just a few weeks, and they said, "Make us some gods who can lead us." They built a golden calf and began to celebrate.
That's how far they came in just a few weeks.
It was easier to get the people out of Egypt than to get Egypt out of the people. They longed for comfort over change. And we have to make sure we are not taking on the same spirit that kept the Israelites from the promised land.
What about Joshua at the battle of Jericho? God had instructed Joshua and the Israelites to march around the walls of Jericho for seven days, and on the seventh day the walls would fall. What if Joshua had stopped short on day six? The walls would have stayed standing. We can't afford to stop short right before the breakthrough.
The Framework of Praise in Psalm 150
So let's look at Psalm 150 — all six verses — and break down the framework of praise: the who, the where, the why, and the how.
Who Receives Our Praise?
"Praise the Lord." That's it. God wants our praise exclusively, solely, without any rival. In Exodus 20:5, God says, "You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods."
Even the Apostle John, in Revelation 22:8, fell at the feet of an angel in worship — and the angel immediately said, "No, don't worship me... Worship only God." God does not want angels, saints, preachers, culture, or even yourself worshiped before Him. He, and he alone, is to be praised.
And here's why that matters: he knows every fault, every mistake, every thought — and he still looks at you and says, "I love you." He decided the price of his Son was worth it for you. That's how good he is.
Where Does Praise Take Us?
Psalm 150:1 says, "Praise God in His sanctuary. Praise him in his mighty heaven." David is encouraging everyone to praise God not just in church, but everywhere. And here's what's really amazing: when you and I praise on earth, it's the one activity that is mirroring and matching exactly what is going on in heaven right now.
Revelation 4:11 says, "You are worthy, O Lord, our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you please." The praise never stops in heaven. The worship never stops. That's why praise should fill our earthly lives now, because praise will be a part of your eternal occupation.
Worship is not about our preferences. It's about his presence.
Why Should Praise Occur?
Two reasons. We praise God for what he does. And we praise God for who he is — no matter what he does.
Psalm 150:2 says, "Praise him for his mighty works. Praise his unequaled greatness." In Latin, the word praise means price. And 1 Corinthians 7:23 says, "God paid a high price for you, so don't be enslaved by the world." We praise him because we can never repay what he paid for us.
How Is Praise Expressed?
With the instruments that man has made and with the breath God has given us. Psalm 150 devotes three verses to instruments — God is not against instruments. He loves the creative forms we use to praise him. Electric guitars, drums, bass, strings, cymbals — if you're praising him with it, he loves it.
But here's the other thing about worship: worship is your warfare. When you praise God and give everything to him, you're telling the enemy: I don't care how bad my week was. Here I come. There's nothing you can do to stop me. The enemy cannot stay in the presence of God.
Life Application: Stop Stopping Short
Psalm 150:6 — the key verse of this entire chapter — says it plainly: "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord."
Everything. That includes you.
Stop Waiting for Sunday
If we're not living in praise and worship during the week, how can we come in on Sunday and really be authentic? As Tozer said, "If your life does not worship God, your lips do not worship God either." Praise has to be a daily posture, not just a Sunday performance.
Draw Close, Even If You Feel Far
James 4:8 says, "Come close to God and God will come close to you." Maybe you feel distant. Maybe you think you've gone too far. Here's the truth: he already knows everything in your heart, and he's still saying, "Come close to me." The blood covers a long way.
Don't Let Preferences Stop Your Praise
We get so caught up in our personal preferences — the style of music, the songs — that we stop short of what God has for us. John 4:23 says, "True worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth." It's not about what we like. It's about who he is.
Remember What He's Done
He has delivered you. He has redeemed you. He has called you by name. He won't lose you in the crowd. With all your faults, he still says you're worthy. With all your mistakes, he still says, "I love you."
So don't stop short. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Hallelujah.