Praise to the King! (Psalm 148)
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
praise him in the heights!
2 Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his hosts!
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 Lord!
For he commanded and they were created.
6 And he established them forever and ever;
he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away.
7 Praise the Lord from the earth,
you great sea creatures and all deeps,
8 fire and hail, snow and mist,
stormy wind fulfilling his word!
9 Mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars!
10 Beasts and all livestock,
creeping things and flying birds!
11 Kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all rulers of the earth!
12 Young men and maidens together,
old men and children!
13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is exalted;
his majesty is above earth and heaven.
14 He has raised up a horn for his people,
praise for all his saints,
for the people of Israel who are near to him.
Praise the Lord!—Psalm 148 ESV
The more I dig into the psalms, the more beautiful they become. The structure, the artistry, the detail…it leaves me in awe.
This psalm is no different. Let’s dig in!
Studying Psalm 148
Read the psalm (included in its entirety above) several times. As you do, take note of several things:
Observations
What kind of psalm is this?
What is the command in this psalm? Who is it for? What merisms (extremes) do you note?
Note any repeated words.
How is God referred to in this psalm? What name(s) or characteristics are highlighted? What has God done?
How does God’s acts relate to this command? How does who He is and what He has done impact what we do?
Interpretation
Understanding the text
Consider all the merisms in this psalm. Merisms mention two extremes but also include everything in between. Can you think of anything that has been left out? How does that help you understand the command of this psalm?
Understanding its place in Scripture
If you can, I encourage you to scan through the other psalms in Book 5 or look at the posts on Psalm 121 (a song of ascent) or Psalm 139 (a psalm of David). Then step back even further and consider the trajectory in the book of Psalms.
This psalm is in Book 5. As mentioned in previous posts, the entire psalter follows the downward path of lament in the earlier books (Books 1-3), but slowly recognizes God as the only King who is worthy of praise (Book 4).
By the time we reach book 5, He has risen to His rightful place. They have ascended to His temple with the psalms of ascent (Ps. 120-139). All they can do is worship Him.
There are three sets of praise psalms in this book—Ps. 111-117; Pss. 135-136; and the final Hallel in Pss. 146-150. Interwoven are historical psalms and psalms of David.
Right in the center, in a prominent position within this book, are a psalm of the king (Ps. 118) and a psalm on the Word (Ps. 119). These psalms provide a beautiful “bookend” to Psalms 1 and 2, to wrap up the entire psalter.
As we come to the end of this series, zoom out even a little more. How is the entire Bible a story of lament moving to joyful praise and hope? How might this psalm help us as we journey through life here on earth as exiles and pilgrims?
A little commentary
“you” in this psalm is in the plural
“hosts” (v. 2b): can refer to angel armies (v. 2a) as well as the starry host (v. 3)
“highest heavens” (v. 4a): there is conjecture that there might be “layers” of heaven. Paul refers to a “third heaven” (2 Cor. 12:2)—perhaps this is where God himself dwells?
“deeps” (v. 7): in contrast to the supernatural forces of good in the heavens (angels), ancient mythology believed supernatural forces of evil resided in the deeps. Storms were believed to be hostile kings creating trouble.
“horn” (v. 14): a symbol of power, strength, and dignity
Application
There is only one application in this psalm—and it is for all of us. Take time to praise Him today!
Reflection: Pure Praise
As we come to the end of this series, no matter what season it is—literally or figuratively—I hope that you will come to the same conclusion as the psalmist does: Let us all praise the Lord!
In this psalm of praise there is not even a hint of sadness. After all the lamenting and longing, all has finally come to its climactic end.
No doubt you have probably noticed the repetition of the word “praise.” It is an action verb and it is used as a command. This is not just a statement but one that we must obey.
The other word that is repeated is the word “all.” This, along with the plural “you” is for not only every living creature but every created thing. Together, these highlight the call of this psalm: a command for all of God’s creation to praise Him.
The beauty of this psalm can be seen in its structure. It not only describes the totality of creation, it does so in two distinct choirs:
The Heavenly Choir (vv. 1-6)
The first half of the psalm starts with the angels (v. 2a). These are the rational creatures who must also choose to praise the Lord. The fallen angels do not.
It then descends to the hosts, which can refer to the armies of God or it can also link to the starry hosts of the sky (v. 3). Whichever one, neither of them are to be worshipped—only God alone is worthy of praise.
As we continue the descent, we begin to hit the “seam” between heaven and earth—the clouds or “waters above the heavens” (v. 4b). In these six verses, we cover the totality of all that is in the heavens. All that is within them must praise the Lord.
The Earthly Choir (vv. 7-13)
After these verses, we transition to the other end: the earth. This time, instead of descending by levels, we see an increase by order of creation.
We start in the deepest sea. Just as the angels are in the highest heavens around the throne of God, there are demonic forces in the deepest depths (v.7). Yet even these must bow the knee to God.
Moving up to the surface of the earth, the natural elements of fire, hail, snow, mist and wind are then called to praise Him (v. 8). While these can create a lot of damage, there is much comfort to know that all of these are still under His sovereign hand. They, too, must praise Him.
Verse 9 traverses the great mountains and little hills to all variety of trees. Here, we move from the non-living to the living. Verse 10 then moves from the inanimate to the animate.
Verses 11-12 move from the animate to the rational. These merisms demonstrate that whether great or small, young or old, men or women, all are to praise the Lord. No matter where we are on the spectrum, this is a comprehensive call for all of us.
Praise Him With All We Are
So how do we praise God? Does this mean we are singing songs all day? Perhaps, but not entirely.
If all creation is meant to point to God (Psalm 19), then each part of creation reflects him in some way. Each has been designed for a purpose. As this psalm points out, even the natural elements of this world—fire, hail, snow, mist, and wind—are in His hand and fulfill His word.
All the rest of creation likewise reflects Him:
The sun and moon reflect His light and His faithfulness.
The clouds in the sky rain down water and refreshment
The mountains reflect His strength and immovability.
Tall cedars reflect His majesty and fruit trees remind us that He feeds us.
Creation worships God by doing what they are made to do. By standing strong, pointing up, releasing rain, rising and setting—all of creation praises the Lord by doing what they are created to do. From ant to lion, minnow to blue whale, earthworm to soaring eagle—they too all demonstrate something about His nature.
If that is so, then how much more that we, as rational human beings, are made to reflect Him! We, who are made in His image and likeness, are crowned a little lower than the angels (Ps. 8:5)—will we choose to take our place among the chorus?
This is how we can praise Him. He has planned our existence before we were even created (Ps. 139). Let us seek how we can worship Him by living out our days wisely to honor Him (Ps. 90).
Praise Him For Who He Is
But not only do we praise Him with who we are, we praise Him for who He is.
This psalm is a call to all peoples to praise Him but the name “LORD” reminds us this must be so for His special creation. Those who are in covenant relationship are bound to praise Him.
When the Israelites use this name, they are reminded that He is their redeemer. He has brought them out of slavery and entered into covenant relationship with Him. He originates, orders, and sets the rules in place, not impersonal Science. Yes, He is their Creator, but He also deeply loves His creation and is committed to their care.
Not only that, He is “a horn for his people.” (v. 14) This intersting image refers not to the horn as an instrument, but the horn of a wild ox. Imagine such a creature lifting his head, his horns raised in victory (Ps. 92:10). That’s the picture.
Verse 14 tells us God has raised a horn for His people. He is raising His head in victory as well. That implies that He was fighting something—what is it?
Battle imagery is suggested throughout the psalm. We get pictures of heavenly hosts (v. 2) as well as evil in the deeps (v. 7). And this is the ultimate battle.
In this psalm, though He is not mentioned, we see that God has raised a victor. He is Christ our Savior. He who has come once to battle sin will come again to finish the job. He will one day put all his enemies under his feet.
The Lord has raised up a horn for His people—and that includes us. He has ultimately rescued us from all evil, even if evil appears to have the upper hand. What a fitting end to a book full of lament and sadness. Victory is coming, so let us praise Him!
John Piper writes, "God's aim in raising a horn of salvation is not merely to liberate an oppressed people, but to create a holy and righteous people who live in no fear because they trust him." There is redemption from both the enemy and from unrighteousness--not just Israel but for all who serve Him. He concludes, "...therefore, to view Jesus as a horn of salvation is to see him not only as a national liberator but, much more importantly for us now, as a spiritual conqueror."
What else can we do but praise our LORD?
Counseling the Word
Though this psalm may be a hymn, it can still be used in our conversations.
First, as believers, let us practice this hymn together. Let us praise Him enthusiastically and joyously in worship, calling out to one another and reminding each other that we are His.
Second, to unbelievers, this may be a call to look at the Lord of all creation—of which they are a part—with eyes of worship. This psalm is a command. How will they respond to Him?
Third, for those who are suffering, this can be a psalm of victory and hope. It reminds us that though evil may seem to rule here on earth today, we serve a God who holds victory in His hands. Even in the midst of pain—so we can praise Him.
Praying the Word
Praise: Praise God for all the ways His creation reflects His character. Recall how each part of creation is but a small picture of who He is. While the heavenly host is great, He is the Lord of Hosts, a title that Isaiah and Jeremiah use extensively. The sun is pretty awesome, but He is the Sun of Righteousness (Mal. 4:2). Though the stars are amazing, He is "the bright morning star" (Rev. 22:16). He demonstrates power to still the waves (Matt. 8:23-27) and wither fig trees (Matt. 21:18-22). He is far superior to angels (Heb. 1:4), "far above all rule and authority and power and dominion" (Eph. 1:21). In everything he is preeminent (Col. 1:18). His name alone is truly exalted, and his majesty is above all on earth and in heaven. Whatever we think is pretty awesome--He is even greater still. Take some time to meditate on this thought--then spend time praising Him for His greatness above all.
Thanksgiving: Thank God for His victory over sin and death through Christ.
Confession: Admit those places of your life and heart where He does not rule and where you do not seek to praise Him. Confess where you worship other things besides Him.
Petitions: Pray that you, as one of His created beings, may join in the chorus of all creation in praising Him by reflecting His image. Pray that you will live your life and days as a living sacrifice of service to Him as an act of worship:
Where are you at today in your life season? Whether young adult, parent, retiree—how can you rise up in the season you are in to praise Him? How can you worship Him in the ordinary times of your life?
Where are you in relation to the body of Christ? Are you one who is gifted to pray? sing? teach? administrate? How can you praise the Lord with the gifts you have and glorify Him by carrying them out?
Even in a season of great trial and difficulty, how can you praise Him in this season? Pray and ask the Lord to help you glorify Him even in this painful time.
Intercession: Pray for those you know who have yet to bow the knee to worship Him. Think through all those listed in verses 11-12. Whether we rule the world or an infant born yesterday, this psalm is for all. If this is what we are created for, pray that the Lord might restore them into relationship with Him, that they will worship the Lord. Though it is not our responsibility to convert them, we are called to share the message.
