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Psalm 148

Praise for God’s Universal Glory

1

Praise the L ord!

Praise the L ord from the heavens;

praise him in the heights!

2

Praise him, all his angels;

praise him, all his host!

 

3

Praise him, sun and moon;

praise him, all you shining stars!

4

Praise him, you highest heavens,

and you waters above the heavens!

 

5

Let them praise the name of the L ord,

for he commanded and they were created.

6

He established them forever and ever;

he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed.

 

7

Praise the L ord from the earth,

you sea monsters and all deeps,

8

fire and hail, snow and frost,

stormy wind fulfilling his command!

 

9

Mountains and all hills,

fruit trees and all cedars!

10

Wild animals and all cattle,

creeping things and flying birds!

 

11

Kings of the earth and all peoples,

princes and all rulers of the earth!

12

Young men and women alike,

old and young together!

 

13

Let them praise the name of the L ord,

for his name alone is exalted;

his glory is above earth and heaven.

14

He has raised up a horn for his people,

praise for all his faithful,

for the people of Israel who are close to him.

Praise the L ord!


5. Let them praise the name, etc. As he speaks of things wanting intelligence, he passes to the third person, from which we infer that his reason for having spoken in the second person hitherto, was to make a deeper impression upon men. And he asks no other praise than that which may teach us that the stars did not make themselves, nor the rains spring from chance; for notwithstanding the signal proofs we constantly have before our eyes of the divine power, we with shameful carelessness overlook the great author. He says emphatically — for He Himself created, intimating that the world is not eternal, as wicked men conjecture, nor made by a concourse of atoms, but that this fair order of things which we see, suddenly sprang forth upon the commandment of God. And, speaking of the creation, he adds what is even more worthy of observation, that he gave that law to them which remains inviolable. For many, while they grant that the world was made by God, lapse from this into the senseless notion that now the order of nature stands of itself, and that God sits idle in the heavens. The Psalmist very properly insists, therefore, that the works of God above us in the heavens were not only made by him, but even now move forward at his disposal; and that not only was a secret power communicated to them at first, but while they go through their assigned parts, their operation and ministry to their various ends is dependent upon God.


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