Psalms 148:1-14·~1 min

Praise the LORD from the Heavens

Hallelujah rises first from the heavens, where angels, hosts, sun, moon, stars, highest heavens, and upper waters are called to praise the LORD. Their praise is grounded in creation itself, because he commanded and they came to be, and he established them in a fixed order that does not fail.

H¹allelujah! ²Praise Him, all His angels; ³Praise Him, O sun and moon; ⁴Praise Him, O highest heavens, ⁵Let them praise the name of the LORD, ⁶He established them forever and ever;

The summons then descends to earth: sea creatures and ocean depths, lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy wind, mountains and hills, fruit trees and cedars, wild animals and livestock, creeping things and flying birds all join the chorus. Every realm of terrestrial life and power is gathered into obedience and praise.

⁷Praise the LORD from the earth, ⁸lightning and hail, snow and clouds, ⁹mountains and all hills, ¹⁰wild animals and all cattle,

Kings, peoples, rulers, young men, maidens, old men, and children are all summoned to praise the name of the LORD, because his name alone is exalted and his majesty stands above earth and heaven. The psalm ends by tying this universal praise to God's raising up a horn for his people, making Israel, the people near to him, the community in whose midst the hallelujah resounds.

¹¹kings of the earth and all peoples, ¹²young men and maidens, ¹³Let them praise the name of the LORD, ¹⁴He has raised up a horn for His people,

Section summaryThe psalm begins by calling for praise to the LORD from the heavens, summoning angels, heavenly hosts, sun, moon, shining stars, highest heavens, and the waters above because the LORD commanded and they were created and fixed in enduring order. It then turns to the earth, calling sea creatures, weather, mountains, trees, animals, kings, peoples, rulers, and every human age and station to praise the LORD whose name alone is exalted and who has raised up a horn for his people, the praise of all his faithful ones, the people of Israel who are near to him.

Role in the chapterThis section functions as a universal summons to worship. Its work is to order the whole cosmos around the Creator's name while giving the psalm a covenant center: the God praised by all things is the God who has drawn near to and strengthened his people.