Psalms

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 148:16) and of earth (Ps 148:714) 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 1:67; 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 3:5863.

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.

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