*****PSALMS 148

Psalms III: Chapters 107–150 (King James Version) (Psalm 148: When Your Heart Is Overflowing with Praise for the Lord, 148:1–14)

(148:1–14) Introduction: when we truly grasp the greatness and glory of the LORD—as much as our limited minds are capable of—our hearts will overflow with praise for Him. No trial or tragedy will be able to extinguish the fire of praise blazing within us. In every circumstance, we will be able to give thanks (Ep. 5:20; 1 Th. 5:18). Like Job of old, we will be able to say, “Blessed be the name of the LORD,” even in indescribable loss (Jb. 1:21).

Once we catch a glimpse of the LORD’s greatness and glory, we will genuinely long to see Him receive all the praise He is due. This compelling desire seems to have taken hold of the unnamed author of Psalm 148. Beginning with the angels and ending with God’s people, he moves from heaven to earth, calling on every created element and being along the way to praise the LORD. The great preacher Charles Spurgeon commented, “As a flash of lightning flames through space, and enwraps both heaven and earth in one vestment of glory, so doth the adoration of the Lord in the psalm light up all the universe, and cause it to glow with a radiance of praise.”1

Whereas other psalms teach us why we should praise the LORD, Psalm 148 teaches us who and what should praise the LORD. Everything God created should exalt His holy name. Yet one group should exalt Him most heartily and gratefully: the people whom He has redeemed (v. 14).

In a sense, Psalm 148 is prophetic, because it points to that day when every knee will bow before God and every tongue will confess His greatness and glory (Is. 45:23; Ro. 14:11; Ph. 2:10–11). For the most part, though, it is practical, challenging us to “offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually” (He. 13:15). In order to fully grasp its significance and spirit, we need to have “a heart on fire with reverent love [for] the Lord [of] all, who is to be blessed forever.”2 This is, When Your Is Overflowing with Praise for the LORD, 148:1–14.

1. Summon all the heavens above to praise God (vv. 1–6).

2. Summon all the earth to praise God (vv. 7–14).

1 (148:1–6) Summon all the heavens above to praise God.

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Ge. 1:1). The psalmist seems to follow the Genesis account in calling for all of creation to praise the LORD. He begins by summoning all of the heavens above to praise God. Heavens is a Hebrew plural, which indicates three or more. This corresponds to the biblical references to three heavens:

⮚ The atmosphere of the earth—what we can look up and see during the day.

⮚ What we commonly refer to as outer space—what we can look up and see at night.

⮚ God’s dwelling place, the highest heaven, referred to here as “the heights” (v. 1)—what we cannot see at all (Ps. 68:18; 2 Co. 12:2).

a. The entities named (vv. 2–4).

The psalmist started at the third heaven, the dwelling place of God, by summoning His angels—the angels that serve around God’s throne (Is. 6:1–3)—as well as all other heavenly beings to praise the LORD (v. 2). Hosts (tsabah) means armies. It refers here to the angel armies who battle in the heavenly places against Satan’s evil forces (Ep. 6:12).

Moving from the highest heaven, the psalmist headed toward earth, calling on the bodies of outer space—the sun, moon, and stars—to praise God (v. 3; Ge. 1:14–18). From there, he looked up and challenged the heavens of heavens—the highest heavens themselves, where God’s throne is—to exalt Him (v. 4a). He then descended to the first heaven, the earth’s atmosphere, and directed the water vapors above the clouds to sing forth God’s praises (v. 4b; Ge. 1:7).

b. Their motivation for praising God (vv. 5–6).

The psalmist specified two reasons why the heavens and everything in them should praise God. First, their own creation and existence reveal God’s amazing glory and power (vv. 5; 19:1; 97:6). God merely spoke, and at His powerful word, they came into being (Ge. 1:6, 9, 14; Ps. 33:6).

Second, they are a permanent witness to God’s existence and power (v. 6). He put them in place permanently, and He established the laws that assure their existence forever. The heavens and everything in them are ordered and regulated by God. Everything from the movement of the heavenly bodies to the formation of clouds and delivery of rain operates according to the laws of nature that God instituted.

Thought 1. Along with the heavens, we should praise God because He created us and because He reigns over the universe. When we look up into the skies, we see God’s magnificent glory. Their beauty, wonder, and unfailing order thunder the praises of an infinitely great God throughout the entire earth (Ps. 19:1–4). Gazing into the heavens also reminds us that, far above everything we can see, the LORD sits on His holy throne. He made us to glorify Him just as He did the heavens. As our Creator and King, He deserves our highest praise.

“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying” (Lu. 2:13).

“And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come” (Re. 4:8).

“And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen” (Re. 7:11–12).

“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handywork” (Ps. 19:1).

“And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O LORD: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints” (Ps. 89:5).

2 (148:7–14) Summon all the earth to praise God.

The psalmist redirected his attention from the heavens to the earth (v. 7a). He seemed to wander across the face of the earth, calling on the forces of nature, the landscape, and the living creatures to praise the LORD.

a. The entities named (vv. 7–12).

The psalmist began at the sea. He commanded all marine life as well as the mysterious ocean depths themselves to praise the LORD (v. 7b; Ge. 1:20–22). Dragons (tanniyn) are the giant sea creatures, such as whales (Ge. 1:21; Jb. 7:12; Lam. 4:3; Ezk. 32:2). They are specifically mentioned here because they are the greatest of all sea life. By referring to them, the psalmist included all the sea creatures under them as well. Similarly, all deeps refers not only to the ocean depths but also to everything in them.

The psalmist then called upon the natural elements of weather to praise the LORD (v. 8). These forces emerge in obedience to God’s Word—the laws of nature He has created that determine their behavior. He establishes the laws, commands them, and they do His bidding. Specifically, the fire or lightning, hail, snow, clouds, and raging winds or storms are mentioned.

After the weather elements, the lands, represented by the mountains and hills, as well as all vegetation are instructed to praise God (v. 9). The fruit trees obviously speak of the trees that produce food, while cedars represent the trees whose wood is used for building.

Next, praise is ordered from the land animals (v. 10; Ge. 1:20–25). The psalmist intended to cover the entire animal kingdom, specifying …

• the beasts or wild animals

• the cattle, representing all large, domesticated animals

• the creeping things—crawling insects, reptiles, and small animals

• the birds, representing all creatures that fly

The psalmist concluded by calling the crown of God’s creation, human beings, to sing His praises (Ge. 1:26–27). All people are to exalt the LORD, including the powerful kings, princes, and judges (v. 11). People of all ages are called to praise Him, young men and women, old men, and children alike (v. 12).

b. Their motivation for praising God (vv. 13–14).

As with the heavens, the psalmist offered two reasons why the earth should praise God. First, He is the only living and true God. His name alone is exalted. His glory is above the earth and the heavens (v. 13). That is, it is higher than all universes and dimensions; and it is greater than the earth and heavens themselves.

Second, God deserves our praise because He has raised up a horn for His people (v. 14). This horn speaks of the strength and glory that God has bestowed on Israel. However, it points beyond that glory to the reason for it: the salvation that God would send to the world through Israel—His Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ:

“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David” (Lu. 1:68–69).

God loves Israel and chose her to bear His Son. The Jews are God’s saints—His favored and beloved ones.3 Moreover, the Jewish people are close to God’s heart. Although they rejected Christ as their Messiah, God still loves them and has a glorious plan for them, even as He does us despite our sin. This Horn, Jesus Christ, “will appear at the end of the battle of Armageddon, with mighty power to rescue [the Jews] from all their foes.”4 At that time, they will embrace Him as their Messiah, Savior, and King. Praise the LORD—Hallelujah!

Thought 1. We who have received God’s salvation should trumpet His praises above the rest of His creation. We can praise God for a reason every other created thing or being cannot: we have been redeemed. The Apostle Peter revealed that the angels, God’s most powerful created beings, long to understand salvation through Christ (1 Pe. 1:12). Nevertheless, they cannot experience it. The song of the redeemed can only be sung by humans. The rest of creation praises God for His power and glory, but we alone can praise God for His redeeming love, a love so great that He gave His Son for us (Jn. 3:16; Ro. 5:8).

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Ro. 5:8).

“Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Ep. 1:5–7).

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light” (1 Pe. 2:9).

“And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation” (Re. 5:9).

“This people have I formed for myself; they shall show forth my praise” (Is. 43:21).