Psalm 148
1Praise Yah! Praise Yahweh from the heavens! Praise him in the heights! 2Praise him, all his angels! Praise him, all his army! 3Praise him, sun and moon! Praise him, all you shining stars! 4Praise him, you heavens of heavens, you waters that are above the heavens. 5Let them praise Yahweh’s name, for he commanded, and they were created. 6He has also established them forever and ever. He has made a decree which will not pass away. 7Praise Yahweh from the earth, you great sea creatures, and all depths, 8lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy wind, fulfilling his word, 9mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars, 10wild animals and all livestock, small creatures and flying birds, 11kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all judges of the earth, 12both young men and maidens, old men and children. 13Let them praise Yahweh’s name, for his name alone is exalted. His glory is above the earth and the heavens. 14He has lifted up the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints, even of the children of Israel, a people near to him. Praise Yah!
Introduction
Psalms 148
This psalm is a most solemn and earnest call to all the creatures, according to their capacity, to praise their Creator, and to show forth his eternal power and Godhead, the invisible things of which are manifested in the things that are seen. Thereby the psalmist designs to express his great affection to the duty of praise; he is highly satisfied that God is praised, is very desirous that he may be more praised, and therefore does all he can to engage all about him in this pleasant work, yea, and all who shall come after him, whose hearts must be very dead and cold if they be not raised and enlarged, in praising God, by the lofty flights of divine poetry which we find in this psalm. I. He calls upon the higher house, the creatures that are placed in the upper world, to praise the Lord, both those that are intellectual beings, and are capable of doing it actively (Psa 148:1, Psa 148:2), and those that are not, and are therefore capable of doing it only objectively (Psa 148:3-6). II. He calls upon the lower house, the creatures of this lower world, both those that can only minister matter of praise (Psa 148:7-10) and those that, being endued with reason, are capable of offering up this sacrifice (Psa 148:11-13), especially his own people, who have more cause to do it, and are more concerned to do it, than any other (Psa 148:14).
Cross-references: Ps 148:1 · Ps 148:2 · Ps 148:3 · Ps 148:7 · Ps 148:11 · Ps 148:14