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PSA

Psalms 148

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Read Psalms Chapter 148

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1Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights.

2Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts.

3Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light.

4Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens.

5Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created.

6He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass.

7Praise the LORD from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps:

8Fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word:

9Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars:

10Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl:

11Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth:

12Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children:

13Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven.

14He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the LORD.

You are readingKing James Version

Explanation

Psalms 148

In short

This psalm calls everything in creation, from the heavens to the earth, to praise God. The reason given is that God created all things and holds them in place, and his name and glory deserve all praise.

What the text says

Verses 1-4 open with a repeated call to praise God, first from heaven. This includes his angels and hosts, then the sun, moon, and stars, then "the heavens of heavens" and "the waters that be above the heavens."

Verses 5-6 explain why: God commanded these things into being and made them to last forever by a decree that will not change.

Verses 7-12 shift to calling creation on earth to praise him. These verses list dragons, things in the deep, weather phenomena like fire and hail and wind, mountains and hills, trees, animals of all kinds, and finally all human beings from kings down to children.

Verses 13-14 return to the reason for praise: "his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven." The final verses add that God lifts up his people Israel and receives praise from them.

Takeaways

  • The psalm treats all of creation, not just people, as called to praise God.
  • God's power to create and sustain everything is the foundation for praise.
  • Human rulers and ordinary people stand alongside creatures and natural forces as those who should praise.

Explanation written with the help of AI. The Bible text above is not changed. Context and interpretation are flagged as such; always come back to the text itself.

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