Bible Commentaries
Psalms 148

Verses 1-14

A song of praise, even more extensive in its scope than the preceding, all heavenly creatures being called upon to join with the beings on earth to give all honor and glory to Jehovah, especially for exalting His people.

v. 1. Praise ye the Lord, the hallelujah being addressed at once to the highest sphere of creation. Praise ye the Lord from the heavens, all the inhabitants of the heavens being called upon to send forth their voices in joyful praise of Jehovah; praise Him in the heights, from the heights of heaven.

v. 2. Praise ye Him, all His angels, the messengers of the supreme Ruler of the universe; praise ye Him, all His hosts, the armies of the God of Sabaoth.

v. 3. Praise ye Him, sun and moon, the largest and most important light-bearers; praise Him, all ye stars of light, created to give light upon the earth.

v. 4. Praise Him, ye heavens of heavens, the very highest heaven, or the fullness of the heavens, as the abode of Almighty God, and ye waters that be above the heavens, beyond the firmament, Genesis 1:7.

v. 5. Let them praise the name of the Lord, setting forth in grateful songs His wonderful essence and attributes; for He commanded, and they were created, Genesis 1:1-6; Psalms 33:6-9.

v. 6. He hath also stablished them forever and ever, firmly set them in their place, subject only to the power of His changing hand; He hath made a decree which shall not pass; for the laws of nature, as fixed by God, are not subject to change at the whim of the creatures, but the stars must pursue their course, the sun must rise at his appointed time, and all other creatures are guided altogether by the will of the Lord, as manifested in the decrees governing all nature. The psalmist now turns to the creatures of the earth.

v. 7. Praise the Lord from the earth, ye dragons, the mighty monsters of the sea, and all deeps, the great oceans;

v. 8. fire and hail; snow and vapors, especially the smoke of volcanoes, all of these being phenomena which impressed the people of Canaan all the more since they occur but rarely in that country; stormy wind fulfilling His word, for even the destructive agencies of nature are subject to His command or go forth only by His permission;

v. 9. mountains and all hills; fruitful trees, those of the orchards, and all cedars, representing the forest trees;

v. 10. beasts, the wild animals, and all cattle, the domestic animals; creeping things, all reptiles and amphibians, and flying fowl;

v. 11. kings of the earth, the individual kings of the various nations, and all people, human beings as divided into nations; princes and all judges of the earth, those in charge of the administration of justice;

v. 12. both young men and maidens; old men and children, men of every age and of both sexes:

v. 13. let them praise the name of the Lord, proclaiming Him as He has revealed Himself in the works of creation; for His name alone is excellent, so exalted that no other name may approach His in excellence, incomparable in majesty; His glory is above the earth and heaven, His glorious testimony of Himself extends beyond the boundaries of the visible world into infinite space, which He fills.

v. 14. He also exalteth the horn of His people, establishing the power of His Church, the praise of all His saints, for His gift of strength tends to the renown of His people, even of the children of Israel, the spiritual Israel, His Church, a people near unto Him, united with Him by the bonds of a wonderful fellowship through faith in His love and mercy. Praise ye the Lord, in preparation of the more perfect praise which will arise when we shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God, Romans 8:21.