“Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord.”

God gave breath to every creature that breathes. God gave man his breath. That breath is part of the life-force in man that makes him a living creature. Breathing, he lives and moves in the creation. When his breath goes from him, he returns to the dust from which he was taken.

“Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord.”

Praising Jehovah is what the inanimate creation does. The heavens declare the glory of God. The firmament shows forth his handiwork. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their words have gone out to the ends of the earth.

Shall we come behind the inanimate creature? Shall we come behind the mighty and roaring deep, the mountains and soaring peaks, the fire and hail, snow and vapor, and the stormy winds that fulfill God’s command? All praise Jehovah.

With their breath all the animals praise him. The lions that roar to him for their food, the little creeping and chirping creatures, the flying and singing fowls of the heavens, the beasts and all cattle speak nothing but the praise of Jehovah.

The whole earth is full of his glory.

“Praise ye the Lord.” That is his command. It comes to all. Kings of the earth and all people; princes and all the judges of the earth; men great and small, rich and poor, bond and free. Let all who have breath praise Jehovah.

Praising Jehovah is the perfect work of the angels, his ministering spirits whom he made flames of fire. From the beginning they praised. They sang for joy when God created the world. They fill the heavens with their cries to the thrice-holy God. They sang glory to God in the highest one night in Bethlehem.

It was the undoing of the devil that he would not praise God but sought the praise of God for himself. Cast out of heaven with all his demons, they are reserved in chains of darkness until the time of judgment. In their condemnation they will serve for God’s glory.

“Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord.” How much more should not man praise him? 

Miserable man, the king who became a slave, his mouth was shut to the praise of Jehovah. His heart is black and hard against the glory of God. Seeing the glory of God in all creation, he holds the truth in unrighteousness and makes for himself an image to praise. Worshiping his idols, he makes himself the worthy object of the wrath of God revealed from heaven against that ungodliness of men.

“Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord,” O ye his saints who know his grace. In his sanctuary, among his people, praise ye Jehovah. The saints are partakers of a more glorious breath than the natural, the breath of the Spirit of Christ. That Breath of God, renewing their hearts, enlightening their minds, giving them every blessing of salvation and the promise of eternal inheritance in heaven, also opens their mouths to praise Jehovah for his goodness.

“Praise ye the Lord.”