Psalms 148

The Whole Creation Invoked to Praise the LORD.

1 Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD 1from the heavens; Praise Him 2in the heights!
2 Praise Him, 3all His angels; Praise Him, 4all His hosts!
3 Praise Him, sun and moon; Praise Him, all stars of light!
4 Praise Him, 5highest heavens, And the 6waters that are above * the heavens!
5 Let them praise the name of the LORD, For 7He commanded and they were created.
6 He has also 8established them forever and ever; He has made a 9decree which will not pass away.
7 Praise the LORD from the earth, 10Sea monsters and all 11deeps;
8 12Fire and hail, 13snow and 14clouds; 15Stormy wind, 16fulfilling His word;
9 17Mountains and all hills; Fruit 18trees and all cedars;
10 19Beasts and all cattle; 20Creeping things and winged fowl;
11 21Kings of the earth and all peoples; Princes and all judges of the earth;
12 Both young men and virgins; Old men and children.
13 Let them praise the name of the LORD, For His 22name alone is exalted; His 23glory is above earth and heaven.
14 And He has 24lifted up a horn for His people, 25Praise for all His godly ones; Even for the sons of Israel, a people 26near to Him. Praise the LORD!

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.

Cross References 26

  • 1. Psalms 69:34
  • 2. Job 16:19; Psalms 102:19; Matthew 21:9
  • 3. Psalms 103:20
  • 4. Psalms 103:21
  • 5. Deuteronomy 10:14; 1 Kings 8:27; Nehemiah 9:6; Psalms 68:33
  • 6. Genesis 1:7
  • 7. Genesis 1:1; Psalms 33:6, 9
  • 8. Psalms 89:37; Jeremiah 31:35, 36; Jeremiah 33:20, 25
  • 9. Job 38:33
  • 10. Genesis 1:21; Psalms 74:13
  • 11. Genesis 1:2; Deuteronomy 33:13; Habakkuk 3:10
  • 12. Psalms 18:12
  • 13. Psalms 147:16
  • 14. Psalms 135:7
  • 15. Psalms 107:25
  • 16. Job 37:12; Psalms 103:20
  • 17. Isaiah 44:23; Isaiah 49:13
  • 18. Isaiah 55:12
  • 19. Isaiah 43:20
  • 20. Hosea 2:18
  • 21. Psalms 102:15
  • 22. Isaiah 12:4
  • 23. Psalms 8:1; Psalms 113:4
  • 24. 1 Samuel 2:1; Psalms 75:10
  • 25. Deuteronomy 10:21; Psalms 109:1; Jeremiah 17:14
  • 26. Leviticus 10:3; Ephesians 2:17

Footnotes 5

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

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