Psalms

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PSALM 148^*

All Creation Summoned to Praise

1Hallelujah!

I

Praise the LORD from the heavens;

praise him in the heights.

2Praise him, all you his angels;

give praise, all you his hosts.^a

3Praise him, sun and moon;

praise him, all shining stars.

4Praise him, highest heavens,^*

you waters above the heavens.

5Let them all praise the LORD’s name;

for he commanded and they were created,^b

6Assigned them their station forever,

set an order that will never change.

II

7Praise the LORD from the earth,

you sea monsters and all the deeps of the sea;^c

8Lightning and hail, snow and thick clouds,

storm wind that fulfills his command;

9Mountains and all hills,

fruit trees and all cedars;^d

10Animals wild and tame,

creatures that crawl and birds that fly;^e

11Kings of the earth and all peoples,

princes and all who govern on earth;

12Young men and women too,

old and young alike.

13Let 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.

* [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.

a. [148:2] Ps 103:20f; Dn 3:58–63.

b. [148:5] Ps 33:9; Gn 1:3f; Jdt 16:14.

c. [148:7] Ps 135:6; Gn 1:21.

d. [148:9] Is 44:23.

e. [148:10] Ps 30:5; Gn 1:21, 24f; Dt 4:7.

f. [148:13] Ps 30:5; Dt 4:7.