Psalms 148

Let All Creation Praise Yahweh

1 Praise Yah. Praise Yahweh from the heavens; praise him in the heights.
2 Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his hosts.
3 Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all stars of light.
4 Praise him, {highest heavens}, and waters above the heavens.
5 Let them praise the name of Yahweh, because he commanded and they were created.
6 And he put them in place forever and ever, [by] a decree he gave that will not pass away.
7 Praise Yahweh from the earth-- great sea creatures and all deeps,
8 fire and hail, snow and cloud, stormy wind doing his bidding,
9 the mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars,
10 beasts and all cattle, creeping things and {flying birds},
11 kings of [the] earth and all peoples, princes and all judges of [the] earth,
12 young men and young women as well, [the] old [together] with [the] young--
13 let them praise the name of Yahweh, because his name alone [is] is exalted. His splendor [is] above earth and heavens.
14 And he has raised high a horn for his people, praise for all his faithful-- for the children of Israel, a people close to him. Praise Yah.

Psalms 148 Commentary

Chapter 148

The creatures placed in the upper world called on to praise the Lord. (1-6) Also the creatures of this lower world, especially his own people. (7-14)

Verses 1-6 We, in this dark and sinful world, know little of the heavenly world of light. But we know that there is above us a world of blessed angels. They are always praising God, therefore the psalmist shows his desire that God may be praised in the best manner; also we show that we have communion with spirits above, who are still praising him. The heavens, with all contained in them, declare the glory of God. They call on us, that both by word and deed, we glorify with them the Creator and Redeemer of the universe.

Verses 7-14 Even in this world, dark and bad as it is, God is praised. The powers of nature, be they ever so strong, so stormy, do what God appoints them, and no more. Those that rebel against God's word, show themselves to be more violent than even the stormy winds, yet they fulfil it. View the surface of the earth, mountains and all hills; from the barren tops of some, and the fruitful tops of others, we may fetch matter for praise. And assuredly creatures which have the powers of reason, ought to employ themselves in praising God. Let all manner of persons praise God. Those of every rank, high and low. Let us show that we are his saints by praising his name continually. He is not only our Creator, but our Redeemer; who made us a people near unto him. We may by "the Horn of his people" understand Christ, whom God has exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour, who is indeed the defence and the praise of all his saints, and will be so for ever. In redemption, that unspeakable glory is displayed, which forms the source of all our hopes and joys. May the Lord pardon us, and teach our hearts to love him more and praise him better.

Footnotes 8

  • [a]. Hebrew hallelujah
  • [b]. According to the reading tradition (Qere)
  • [c]. Literally "heaven[s] of the heavens"
  • [d]. The meaning of "cloud" is uncertain
  • [e]. Hebrew "his word"
  • [f]. That is, wild and domesticated
  • [g]. Literally "bird of wing"
  • [h]. Hebew hallelujah

Chapter Summary

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.

Psalms 148 Commentaries

Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.