Psalms 148:8-14

8 1fire and hail, 2snow and mist, 3stormy wind 4fulfilling his word!
9 5Mountains and all hills, 6fruit trees and all 7cedars!
10 8Beasts and all livestock, creeping things and 9flying birds!
11 Kings of the earth and 10all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth!
12 Young men and maidens together, old men and children!
13 11Let them praise the name of the LORD, for 12his name alone is exalted; 13his majesty is above earth and heaven.
14 He has 14raised up a horn for his people, 15praise for all his saints, for the people of Israel who are 16near to him. 17Praise the LORD!

Psalms 148:8-14 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. Psalms 18:12; Psalms 105:32
  • 2. Psalms 147:16
  • 3. Psalms 107:25
  • 4. Psalms 103:20; See Psalms 147:15-18
  • 5. Isaiah 44:23; Isaiah 49:13; Isaiah 55:12
  • 6. Genesis 1:11
  • 7. Psalms 104:16
  • 8. Genesis 1:24
  • 9. Genesis 1:20, 21
  • 10. [Revelation 7:9]
  • 11. ver. 5
  • 12. Psalms 8:1
  • 13. See Psalms 113:4
  • 14. See 1 Samuel 2:1
  • 15. [Deuteronomy 10:21; Jeremiah 17:14]
  • 16. Deuteronomy 4:7; Ephesians 2:17
  • 17. See Psalms 135:1
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.