Psalms 148:1-8

1 1Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD 2from the heavens; praise him 3in the heights!
2 Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his 4hosts!
3 Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars!
4 Praise him, you 5highest heavens, and you 6waters above the heavens!
5 7Let them praise the name of the LORD! For 8he commanded and they were created.
6 And he 9established them forever and ever; he gave 10a decree, and it shall not 11pass away.[a]
7 Praise the LORD 12from the earth, you 13great sea creatures and all deeps,
8 14fire and hail, 15snow and mist, 16stormy wind 17fulfilling his word!

Psalms 148:1-8 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 148

This psalm seems to have been written about the same time, and by the same person, as the preceding; even by the psalmist David, when he was in profound peace, and at rest from all his enemies; and the kingdom of Israel was in a well settled and prosperous condition, both with respect to things civil and ecclesiastical, as appears from Ps 148:14. And as it may respect future time, the times of the Messiah, of whom David was a type, it will have its accomplishment in the latter day, when there will be just occasion for all creatures, in heaven and earth, to praise the Lord; and which the Evangelist John, in vision, saw and heard them doing, Re 5:11-13. Aben Ezra says, this psalm is exceeding glorious and excellent, and has deep secrets in it; in which the psalmist speaks of two worlds, the upper and the lower. As for the title of this psalm, the Septuagint, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions, and Apollinarius, entitle it as the two preceding.

Cross References 17

  • 1. [See Psalms 147:20 above]
  • 2. [ver. 7]; See Psalms 69:34
  • 3. Matthew 21:9
  • 4. See Psalms 103:20, 21
  • 5. Psalms 68:33; Deuteronomy 10:14; Nehemiah 9:6; See 1 Kings 8:27
  • 6. Genesis 1:7
  • 7. ver. 13
  • 8. See Psalms 33:6, 9
  • 9. Psalms 119:90, 91
  • 10. [Job 28:26; Jeremiah 31:35, 36; Jeremiah 33:25]
  • 11. [Psalms 104:9; Esther 1:19; Job 14:5]
  • 12. [ver. 1]
  • 13. [Genesis 1:21]; See Psalms 74:13
  • 14. Psalms 18:12; Psalms 105:32
  • 15. Psalms 147:16
  • 16. Psalms 107:25
  • 17. Psalms 103:20; See Psalms 147:15-18

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Or it shall not be transgressed
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.