Psalms 148:9-14

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

Psalms 148:9-14 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 13

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