Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord Every living creature in heaven and earth, Revelation 5:13, according to their several capacities, some objectively, as manifesting his glorious perfections in their formation, qualities, and endowments, and giving men and angels just occasion to praise him; and others actively, with hearts and voices, words and actions, showing forth his praise. Mankind, especially, are under peculiar and indispensable obligations to comply with the psalmist's exhortation. For,
And
“Creation's great superior, man! is thine, Thine is redemption.”
“Should not this Raise man o'er man, and kindle seraphs here?” YOUNG.
Above all, the children of God should comply with it; who, added to redemption, have obtained salvation, the salvation of grace, and are in the way to the salvation of glory. Surely, with respect to them, not only the breath of natural life, which God hath breathed into their nostrils as men, but the breath of that new and eternal life which he hath given them as Christians, through Christ Jesus, should be returned in hallelujahs. “And then the church, composed of many and different members, all actuated, like the pipes of a well-tuned organ, by the same spirit, and conspiring together in perfect harmony, would become one great instrument, sounding forth the praises of God most high.”
LET EVERY THING THAT HATH BREATH PRAISE THE LORD. “With this wish,” says the learned divine last quoted, “the sweet psalmist of Israel closes the songs of Sion.” And with the same wish, the author of this work, adopting his words, wishes to close his meditations and observations upon them; “giving thanks to the Father of mercies, and the God of all comforts, by whose most gracious favour and aid they have been begun, continued, and ended; and humbly praying that no errors or improprieties, from which, through human infirmity, the most diligent and careful are not exempt, may prevent his labours from contributing, in some small degree, to promote the improvement and consolation of the redeemed, and the honour and glory of the Redeemer, who is THE ROOT AND OFFSPRING OF DAVID, AND THE BRIGHT AND MORNING STAR. AMEN.”