Psalm 148

¹Praise the Lord !

Praise the Lord from the sky!

Praise him in the heavens!

²Praise him, all his angels![#tn Or “heavenly messengers.”]

Praise him, all his heavenly assembly!

³Praise him, O sun and moon!

Praise him, all you shiny stars!

⁴Praise him, O highest heaven,

and you waters above the sky!

⁵Let them praise the name of the Lord ,

for he gave the command and they came into existence.

⁶He established them so they would endure;[#tn Or “forever and ever.”]

he issued a decree that will not be revoked.

⁷Praise the Lord from the earth,

you sea creatures and all you ocean depths,

⁸O fire and hail, snow and clouds,[#tn In Ps 119:83 the noun refers to “smoke,” but here, where the elements of nature are addressed, the clouds, which resemble smoke, are probably in view.]

O stormy wind that carries out his orders,

⁹you mountains and all you hills,

you fruit trees and all you cedars,

¹⁰you animals and all you cattle,

you creeping things and birds,

¹¹you kings of the earth and all you nations,

you princes and all you leaders on the earth,

¹²you young men and young women,

you elderly, along with you children!

¹³Let them praise the name of the Lord ,

for his name alone is exalted;

his majesty extends over the earth and sky.

¹⁴He has made his people victorious,[#tn Heb “and he lifted up a horn for his people.” The horn of an ox underlies the metaphor (see Deut 33:17; 1 Kgs 22:11; Ps 92:10). The horn of the wild ox is frequently a metaphor for military strength; the idiom “exalt/lift up the horn” signifies military victory (see 1 Sam 2:10; Pss 75:10; 89:17, 24; 92:10; Lam 2:17). Another option is to take the “horn” as a symbol for the Davidic king, through whom the Lord gives his people military victory.]

and given all his loyal followers reason to praise –

the Israelites, the people who are close to him.

Praise the Lord !