Psalm-148
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Throughout this site I may use any of the following three
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of Jeremiah, Ecclesiastes, and Esther, prophecy of Daniel, and
history of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Chronicles I & II.
Please Note: Some alterations or
(additions) have been made relating to ‘Names’ and ‘Attributes’ of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, having been corrected
like it once was pre the “Masoretic Text”.
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Remember the following truth
from our beloved Torah!
“Ye shall NOT ADD TO THE WORD which I command you, NEITHER SHALL YE DIMINISH FROM IT, that ye may keep the commandments of יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloleichem, which I command you”. Davarim - Deuteronomy 4:2. (JPS-1917).
However, sadly both the later priests, as well as our rabbis of long ago have completely disobeyed אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s command of אֱלֹהִים יְהוָה - the LORD Elohim, בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם קָדוֹשׁוֹ – ‘Baruch Shem Kadosho’ - ‘Blessed be His Holy Name!’ Amen.
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With
Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
Introduction: The Psalm’s Cosmic Choir:
Psalm 148 is a masterpiece of poetic organization. It does not just ask people to praise אֱלֹהִים - Elohim (God); it commands the entire universe, from the highest heavens to the deepest oceans, to recognize their Creator!
Psalm 148 is perfectly divided into two halves:
Verses 1-6: Praise from the ‘Heavens’ (The Celestial Choir).
Verses 7-14: Praise from the ‘Earth’ (The Terrestrial Choir).
The overarching theme is that אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s glory is ‘above earth and heaven’,
and because He has ‘raised up a horn’ for His people,
His faithful followers have a special reason to lead the song!
Let us now read this magnificent Tehillim - Psalm 148: (JPG-1917 version of the Tanakh).
1. “הַלְלוּ-יָהּ - HalleluYah.
Praise ye יְהוָה - the LORD from the
heavens; praise Him in the heights.
2. Praise ye Him all His angels; praise ye Him, all His hosts.
3. Praise ye Him, ‘sun’ and ‘moon; praise Him, all ye ‘stars of light’.
4. Praise Him, ye ‘heavens of heavens’, and ye ‘waters that are above the heavens’.
5. Let them praise the Name of יְהוָה - the LORD; for He commanded, and they were created.
6. He hath also established them for ever and ever; He hath made a decree which shall not be transgressed.
7. Praise יְהוָה - the LORD from the earth, ye sea-monsters, and all deeps;
8. Fire and hail, snow and vapour, stormy wind, fulfilling His word;
9. Mountains and all hills, fruitful trees and all cedars;
10. Beasts and all cattle, creeping things and winged fowl;
11. Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all judges of the earth;
12. Both young men and maidens, old men and children;
13. Let them praise the name of יְהוָה - the LORD, for His name alone is exalted; His glory is above the earth and heaven.
14. And He
hath lifted up a horn for His people, a praise for all
His saints, even for the children of Israel, a people near unto Him.
הַלְלוּ-יָהּ - HalleluYah”.
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Let us now turn to the interesting ‘verse by verse’ Breakdown:
Part I: The Heavens (Verses 1-6):
Verse 1: The call begins at the highest point. ‘From the heavens’ it sets the stage for a top-down approach to praise.
Verse 2: The Angels and Heavenly Hosts. Even the sinless, spiritual beings are called to worship.
Verse 3: The Sun, Moon, and Stars. These were often worshiped as gods in ancient cultures; here, the Psalmist puts them in their place as mere servants of the True אֱלֹהִים - Elohim.
Verse 4: ‘Highest heavens’ and ‘waters above the skies’; this refers to the vast, mysterious reaches of the universe.
Verses 5-6: The Reason for Praise. They must praise Him because He spoke them into existence and gave them a ‘decree that shall not pass away’ (the laws of physics and celestial order).
Part II: The Earth (Verses 7-12):
Verse 7: The focus shifts. We start at the lowest point: the ‘great sea creatures’ and the ‘deeps’.
Verse 8: Weather Patterns. ‘Fire’ (lightning), ‘hail’, ‘snow’, and ‘clouds’. Even the ‘stormy wind’ is described as ‘fulfilling His word’.
Verse 9: Geography. ‘Mountains’, ‘hills’, ‘fruit trees’, and ‘cedars’. From the smallest plant to the grandest peak.
Verse 10: The Animal Kingdom. ‘Wild animals’, ‘livestock’, ‘creeping things’ (insects and reptiles) and ‘flying birds’.
Verses 11-12: Humanity. This is a beautiful ‘all-inclusive’ list: ‘Kings and subjects’, ‘princes and judges’, ‘young men and maidens’, ‘old men and children’. No one is too powerful or too small to be exempt.
Part III: The Resolution (Verses 13-14):
Verse 13: The summary. All these things should praise Him because His Name alone is ‘exalted’.
Verse 14: The ‘Horn of His People’. In the Tanakh, a ‘horn’ symbolizes ‘strength’.
To deepen our study of Psalm 148, it’s helpful to look at other parts of the Tanakh that echo this ‘Cosmic Choir’ theme. These cross-references help bridge the gap.
1. The Song of the Three Young Men (Daniel 3:57-88,
While not in all Bibles, this is the most famous historical parallel to Psalm 148. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are said to have sung a "Benedicite" (a song of praise) while in the fiery furnace.
The Link: Like Psalm 148, it systematically calls upon "Sun and Moon," "Stars of Heaven," "Showers and Dew," and "All things that grow on the earth" to bless the Lord.
Key Thought: It shows that even in the "fire" of life, the call to join the cosmic praise remains.
2. Job 38:4–7 (The Morning Stars)
When God finally speaks to Job, He describes the creation of the world in a way that mirrors the first half of Psalm 148.
The Link: God asks Job where he was when the foundations of the earth were laid, "while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy."
Key Thought: This reinforces the idea that the "Celestial Choir" has been singing since the very beginning.
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Let us now look at some cross-references for Psalm 148, which connect deeply with the JPS-1917 Tanakh version as well as the Hebraic understanding of creation’s duty to its Creator:
1. Nehemiah 9:6 (The Host of Heaven):
The verse: “Thou art יְהוָה - the LORD, even Thou alone; Thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host ... and the host of heaven worshippeth Thee”.
This verse mirrors the opening of Psalm 148, emphasizing that the heavens are not just physical space, but a congregation.
Application: It reinforces that the ‘angels’ and ‘hosts’ mentioned in Psalm 148:2 are part of a singular, intentional act of creation by the One and only אֱלֹהִים - Elohim.
2. Isaiah 40:26 (The Numbering of the Stars):
The verse: “Lift up your eyes on high, and see: who hath created these? He that bringeth out their host by number, He calleth them all by name”.
Psalm 148:3-6 speaks of the ‘sun’, ‘moon’, and ‘stars’ established by a decree. Isaiah provides a ‘behind-the-scenes’ view of that authority.
Application: While the Psalmist calls the ‘stars to praise’, Isaiah reminds your students why they must, because not one of them is ‘missing’ from the Almightiest roll call.
3. Psalm 19:2-5 (The Silent Sermon):
The verse: “The heavens declare the glory of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim ... Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night revealeth knowledge”.
Since we are discussing how all of creation praises אֱלֹהִים, Psalm 19 is the perfect companion.
Application: It explains how the ‘sun’ and ‘moon’ (from Psalm 148:3) praise אֱלֹהִים without a human voice; their very existence and the regularity of their orbits is their ‘speech’.
4. Psalm 145:10 (The Saints' Role):
The verse: “All Thy works shall give thanks unto Thee, O יְהוָה - LORD; and Thy saints shall bless Thee”.
The end of Psalm 148 speaks of the ‘horn of His people’ and the ‘praise of all His saints’.
Application: This connects the two halves of the Psalm. The ‘works’ (nature) give thanks by being what they are, but the ‘saints’ (the faithful of Israel) bless Him with with a sound conscious.
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Just for interest:
In Verse 8, the JPS-1917 mentions “stormy wind, fulfilling His word”. A powerful point for our understanding, for it might be that even the elements we find ‘chaotic’ or ‘destructive’ (like fire and storm) are, in reality, servants of the Divine Will!
My thoughts:
We should also consider focusing on the word “הַלְלוּ-יָהּ - HalleluYah” (Praise ye יְהוָה - the LORD) which bookends this Psalm. It is in the Hebrew, it is a plural imperative, a command to the community. I pray that this study has touched you and have found a place and become a part of that eternal line of praise - “הַלְלוּ-יָהּ - HalleluYah”.
In Conclusion:
The Psalm concludes by reminding us that while the stars and the wind obey אֱלֹהִים by nature, we are invited to praise Him by choice.
While the sun praises אֱלֹהִים by shining, and the trees praise Him by growing, we praise Him by recognizing His ‘splendor and the relationship He has built with us. We are not just part of the scenery; we are the ‘closest people near to Him’. Psalm 148 teaches us that when we worship, we are not singing ‘a solo’ we are joining a chorus that has been singing since the beginning of time!
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This site was originally created, for those who desired to return to our blessed and wonderful faith. Thus be wise and work on your faith and pray at least two or three times a day (if possible) and always seek our beloved אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s guidance, for His love is always with us, especially when we seek Him, blessed be He! However this site has become very much a teaching site with hundreds of studies!
Remember what אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, blessed be He, said
the following via several of our prophets...
“Return unto Me, and I will return unto you, saith צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה- the LORD of hosts”. Mal’a’chi - Malachi 3:7. (JPS).
And Remember ...
Enjoy your Sabbath Rest, Shabbat Shalom!
אֲנִי יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, בְּחֻקּוֹתַי
לֵכוּ; וְאֶת-מִשְׁפָּטַי
שִׁמְרוּ, וַעֲשׂוּ
אוֹתָם
וְאֶת-שַׁבְּתוֹתַי, קַדֵּשׁוּ; וְהָיוּ
לְאוֹת, בֵּינִי
וּבֵינֵיכֶם-לָדַעַת, כִּי
אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם
“I am אֱלֹהֵיכֶם יְהוָה
- the LORD your Eloheichem;
walk in My statutes, and keep Mine ordinances,
and do them; and hallow My Sabbaths, and they shall be a sign between Me and
you, that ye may know that I am אֱלֹהֵיכֶם יְהוָה - the LORD your Eloheichem”. Yechezkel - Ezekiel 20:19-20. (JPS).
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follows;
“The More Torah, the More Life”
For אֱלֹהִים יְהוָה - the LORD Elohim, Blessed be His Sanctified Name.,
He
is the one who gave us our Life!”
May the שָׁלוֹם - Shalom = Peace of צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה= the LORD of hosts. be with
you, and please always uphold our blessed שַׁבָּת - Shabbat, as well as
the מוֹעֲדִים - Mo’a’dim -
Feasts, and continue saying your daily תְּפִלָּה - Tefeelah’s (Prayers)
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(blessings) before food and drinks, etc!
שָׁלוֹם
עֲלֵיכֶם - Shalom
Aleichem - Peace be with you!
Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
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