USB ~ Psalms 148

All Creation Summoned to Praise

1 Hallelujah! Praise the LORD from the heavens; praise him in the heights.

2 Praise him, all you his angels; give praise, all you his hosts. a

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

4 Praise him, highest heavens,† you waters above the heavens.

5 Let them all praise the LORD’s name; for he commanded and they were created, b

6 Assigned them their station forever, set an order that will never change.

7 Praise the LORD from the earth, you sea monsters and all the deeps of the sea; c

8 Lightning and hail, snow and thick clouds, storm wind that fulfills his command;

9 Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars; d

10 Animals wild and tame, creatures that crawl and birds that fly; e

11 Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all who govern on earth;

12 Young men and women too, old and young alike.

13 Let them all praise the LORD’s name, for his name alone is exalted, His majesty above earth and heaven. f

14 † He has lifted high the horn of his people; to the praise of all his faithful, the Israelites, the people near to him. Hallelujah! * Psalm 148 A hymn inviting the beings of heaven (Ps 148:1-6) and of earth (Ps 148:7-14) to praise God. The hymn does not distinguish between inanimate and animate (and rational) nature.

Footnotes

†. 148:4 Highest heavens: lit., “the heavens of the heavens,” i.e., the space above the firmament, where the “upper waters” are stored, cf. Gn 1:6-7; Dt 10:14; 1 Kgs 8:27; Ps 104:3, 13 .

†. 148:14 Has lifted high the horn of his people: the horn symbolizes strength, the concrete noun for the abstract. Of all peoples, God has chosen Israel to return praise and thanks in a special way.

148:2 Ps 103:20f; Dn 3:58-63.
148:5 Ps 33:9; Gn 1:3f; Jdt 16:14.
148:7 Ps 135:6; Gn 1:21.
148:9 Is 44:23.
148:10 Ps 30:5; Gn 1:21, 24f; Dt 4:7.
148:13 Ps 30:5; Dt 4:7.