Psalms 148:3

3 Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars!

Psalms 148:3 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 148:3

Praise ye him, sun and moon
The sun praises the Lord, the Creator of it, by doing the work constantly it is appointed to do; to rule by day, and give light and heat to the earth, and the inhabitants of it; and so is the cause of man's praising the Lord for the benefits they receive from it; for its enlightening, warming, and refreshing rays; and for the precious fruits brought forth by it and so the moon likewise doing its office, ruling by night, and reflecting the light of the sun upon the earth, and producing precious fruits, also praises its Maker, and is the occasion, of others praising him; see ( Psalms 136:1 Psalms 136:7-9 ) ( Deuteronomy 33:14 ) ;

praise him, all ye stars of light;
which are very beneficial in the night season, especially to mariners and travellers, and shed their benign influences upon the earth and things in it; which are a means of praising the Lord, and in their way they do it, ( Psalms 136:1 Psalms 136:9 ) ( Acts 27:20 ) ( Job 38:31 ) . The Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions, read it, "stars and light", wrongly; the stars are luminous bodies, and shine in their own light F3, though the moon with a borrowed light from the sun.


FOOTNOTES:

F3 Macrob. in Somn. Scipion. l. 1. c. 19, 20.

Psalms 148:3 In-Context

1 Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights!
2 Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his host!
3 Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars!
4 Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens!
5 Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded and they were created.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.