148:1–14 This corporate praise psalm (meant for group settings) fuses Yahweh’s role as Israel’s God with His power over all of the created order. The psalmist opens by exhorting heaven, all of the angels and spiritual beings, and all the celestial bodies to praise Yahweh (vv. 1–4), emphasizing that they only exist because Yahweh has created them (vv. 5–6). The psalmist then focuses on the world beneath heaven, and he exhorts the earth and all of the animals and people to praise Yahweh (vv. 7–12). He concludes by emphasizing the central place of Israel within Yahweh’s concern, noting that Yahweh has placed Himself as the central source of Israel’s help (v. 14). This psalm is marked by the repetition of the Hebrew phrases hallu eth-yhwh (“praise Yahweh”) and halluhu (“praise him”). The twin commands to praise Yahweh from hashamayim (“the heavens”; v. 1) and from ha'arets (“the earth”; v. 7) divide the focus of the psalm between heaven and earth. The subsequent repetition of calling for praise of Yahweh’s name (vv. 5, 13) reinforces the psalmist’s transition between heaven and earth. Compare note on 146:1–10.

148:1–4 The psalmist commands heavenly beings and celestial bodies to praise Yahweh, emphasizing their subordinate status. This series of commands anticipates the explicit focus on Yahweh as Creator in vv. 5–6. This emphasizes that all the powers that were worshiped in the ancient Near East are actually subordinate to the God of Israel, Yahweh, and owe Him their allegiance.

148:1 Praise Yah The exhortation hallu-yah opens and closes Psa 148. See 135:1 and note.

from the heavens The first location of the beings that praise God is in heaven. The second location will be the earth (v. 7).

148:2 all his angels The heavenly beings that serve God in the heavenly realm.

his hosts The Hebrew word used here, tsava', can refer to troops or an army and here seems to reference all spiritual beings. The hosts of Yahweh can sometimes include the people of Israel.

148:3 sun and moon The references to sun, moon, and stars suggest a connection to the events of creation (see Gen 1:14–18).

148:4 highest heavens Ancient Near Eastern cosmology sometimes included a concept of levels of ascent in heavens, with the highest level being the residence of Yahweh.

waters above the heavens In the ancient Hebrew conception of the universe, there were waters above a dome-like firmament. Genesis 1:6–7 depicts the cosmos as having waters both above the heavens and below the earth.

148:5–6 The exhortation to praise the name (shem in Hebrew) of Yahweh occurs twice in Psa 148 and marks the places where the psalmist closes one topic and shifts to another (vv. 5, 13). This section emphasizes the subordinate status of the heavenly creatures to Yahweh. Following this section, the psalmist will focus on the created order beneath heaven (below the spiritual realm).

148:5 the name of Yahweh This line is repeated in v. 13. The name of God is a way to refer to His reputation. See 135:1 and note.

148:6 forever and ever The seeming permanence of the celestial bodies is based on Yahweh’s permanence.

148:7–12 The list of earthly creatures that the psalmist exhorts to praise Yahweh eventually culminates with people (vv. 11–12). This emphasizes that everything Yahweh created should praise Him as powerful and superior to all, because He is.

148:7 from the earth The first location of the beings that praise God was in heaven (v. 1). The second location is the earth.

great sea creatures and all deeps The oceans (or seas) were symbolic of chaos in the ancient Near East, and the great sea monsters were their most terrifying and uncontrollable inhabitants. To summon the sea monsters to praise God is to proclaim Yahweh’s power over absolutely everything. Unlike the gods of the ancient Near East, Yahweh is not in a battle with these creatures but instead they are simply commanded to praise Him. Yahweh is already in power; there is no real struggle.

148:8 doing his bidding God simply speaks and the elements do His word (davar).

148:10 creeping things and flying birds Even the many small swarms of creatures praise God as their Creator (Gen 1:20).

148:11 kings of the earth and all peoples The psalmist calls all foreign people—both the powerful and the humble—to praise God.

148:12 the old together with the young The psalmist includes everyone in his call to praise God—both the vigorous and the weak.

148:13–14 The psalmist repeats the call to praise the name of Yahweh, combining his focus on heaven and earth and emphasizing the subordinate status of all of Yahweh’s creatures (Ps 148:13). He concludes by placing Yahweh Himself at the center of Israel’s attention and hope (v. 14).

148:13 let them praise the name of Yahweh Repeats v. 5.

is above earth and heavens Neither heaven nor earth contain God’s reputation and honor; He is above both, and both depend on Him for any beauty that they have.

148:14 a horn A symbol of power and strength. Here, it refers to God Himself.

close to him Defines chasidim (“saints” or “faithful ones”) as people who draw near to God by revering Him and following His directions.

Praise Yah Echoes v. 1. See 135:1 and note.