The Book of Psalms begins (1:1) with “Blessed is the man” and ends with five hymns of praise focused on God, equivalent to “Blessed be the LORD.”
There is a step-by-step progression in this praise:
- It begins with the individual (146),
- involves the community (147),
- extends to heaven and earth, all creation (148),
- encompasses a King with his kingdom, subjects, and mission (149)
- and ends calling for everything that has breath to praise the Lord. (150)
(This progression is presented by Motyer, in “The Psalms” in the New Bible Commentary, pp. 581-593)
In The Message of the Psalms, Walter Brueggemann points to Psalm 150 as a good match for Psalm 1. Psalm 1 asserts that life under Torah is the precondition of all the psalms. The purpose of The Psalms is to guide, teach, and encourage those who seek to follow YHWH’s teachings. The Psalms help us to live YHWH’s way of life. Brueggemann comments:
Psalm 150 states the outcome of such a way of life under torah. Torah-keeping does arrive at obedience, yet obedience is not the goal of torah-keeping. Finally, such a life arrives at unencumbered praise…it becomes free for praise which is its vocation, destiny and purpose. In this light the expectation of the Old Testament is not finally obedience, but adoration.
Bruggemann, p. 167
Psalm 145, the last Davidic psalm in the Psalter, is also a good match for Psalm 1. Psalm 145 might almost be a study text for the Old Testament doctrine of God. It summarizes what the Old Testament teaches about God’s character and his actions. Compare Psalm 1:2 and Psalm 145:5.
“But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.” Ps. 1:2 “On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.” Ps. 145:5
Notice also how Psalm 2 is a good match with Psalm 149, as both tell of the ultimate victory of a Davidic king and his kingdom.
So “blessed be the God and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ…Blessed be His Kingdom Forever,” and may we each join in that blessing more and more fully as we learn to pray and to praise with the amazing poetry of The Book of Psalms.