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Psalm 148[a]

All Creation Summoned to Praise

Hallelujah!

I

Praise the Lord from the heavens;
    praise him in the heights.
Praise him, all you his angels;
    give praise, all you his hosts.(A)
Praise him, sun and moon;
    praise him, all shining stars.
Praise him, highest heavens,[b]
    you waters above the heavens.
Let them all praise the Lord’s name;
    for he commanded and they were created,(B)
Assigned them their station forever,
    set an order that will never change.

II

Praise the Lord from the earth,
    you sea monsters and all the deeps of the sea;(C)
Lightning and hail, snow and thick clouds,
    storm wind that fulfills his command;
Mountains and all hills,
    fruit trees and all cedars;(D)
10 Animals wild and tame,
    creatures that crawl and birds that fly;(E)
11 Kings of the earth and all peoples,
    princes and all who govern on earth;
12 Young men and women too,
    old and young alike.
13 Let them all praise the Lord’s name,
    for his name alone is exalted,
    His majesty above earth and heaven.(F)
14 [c]He has lifted high the horn of his people;
    to the praise of all his faithful,
    the Israelites, the people near to him.
Hallelujah!

Footnotes

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.