Psa 148:4 | KingComments | STEP | Christ has now taken His rightful place and is seated on His own throne ( ). Just as creation has been subjected to futility and corruption through the fall of man in sin ( ), so creation will be set free from these consequences of sin through Christ. The longing of creation is now fulfilled ( ). All creation, heaven and earth and all their inhabitants, share in the revealed glory. In this psalm, two mighty choirs are formed. First, the heavens and all that is in them are called to participate in the great “hallelujah” to praise the LORD. He created the heavens and all that is in them and keeps everything in its place ( ). Then He calls the earth and all that is upon it to join in that praise. It is about praising Him whose Name alone is highly exalted and whose majesty is over heaven and earth ( ). Finally, God’s special relationship with Israel is sung. They are “His people”, “His godly ones”, “a people near to Him” ( ). The people of Israel are here the place where heaven and earth meet to praise the LORD. The psalm, like the previous two psalms, begins with “hallelujah!”, “praise the LORD!” ( ), with “praise the LORD” again immediately in the next line. It is not a mere repetition, however. We hear the tone swell. The praise becomes more and more extensive. It begins “from the heavens”. There, “in the height” in creation (cf. ), the LORD is to be praised. There, in His throne room, are “all His angels” and “all His hosts” ( ). They were created first; they were present at the creation of heaven and earth and rejoiced ( ). They are also present at the re-creation, to which all of God’s ways with the earth culminate, and then they rejoice again. This begins as early as the coming of Christ to earth, when there was “a multitude of the heavenly host praising God” ( ). In this psalm the elect angels, the non-fallen angels, are addressed ( ). The fallen angels also have access to the throne room ( ; ) – this is the case until Revelation 12, for then satan is cast out of heaven ( ) – and cannot do anything but what God commands them to do. They will be forced to confess that Jesus is Lord ( ). Then the psalmist turns to what is in the sky: the “sun and moon” and “all the stars of light” ( ). To them, too, the call to “praise Him” is heard. Sun and moon were placed in the heavens by God as “the two great lights” to control the day and the night ( ). They are of great significance to man’s life on earth. The same is true of the stars, especially “the stars of light” that provide orientation for people at night. All these impressive heavenly bodies are there to sing the praise of God. They were created first of all as signs of fixed times ( ), that is, the times appointed by the LORD for His people to celebrate a feast with Him ( ). The LORD’s appointed times are determined by the sun and the moon. Second, they tell something of God’s glory, they show something of His eternal power and divine nature ( ). They proclaim without words a silent message of majesty, of impressive power, perfection and beauty ( ). Even the “highest heavens, and the waters that are above the heavens” are called to “praise Him” ( ). The “highest heavens” or the ‘heaven of heavens’ is the highest division of the created heavens from which the LORD rules ( ; ). The water that is above the heavens is the water of the clouds of the sky. This whole high region, from the highest heaven of the angels to the lowest sky, where the water is, and where man cannot come and look into, proclaims the praises of God. Everything in the universe above the earth is told to “praise the name of the LORD” ( ). The reason for this, represented by the word “for”, is that He is their Creator. Only by commanding did He create them ( ). The re-creation will be the result of what He has spoken in His Word ( ). He has also established everything, He gave it a fixed place in His creation ( ). Nothing stands where it stands by chance. That place is established “forever and ever”. No one can change that. Everything also stands in its proper relationship to everything else. He has made a decree which will not pass away, He has given everything an order, which none of them shall transgress. No change takes place in the order He has given. This will find its perfect fulfillment in the realm of peace. The first reason to praise the Name of the LORD is because He is the Creator ( ), the second reason to praise the LORD is that He upholds and sustains creation by the word of His power ( ; ). That He upholds creation is evidenced by the laws of nature and the order of creation that He has established. In them also we recognize the majesty of God, they proclaim without words His glory to the praise of His Name.

‏ Psalms 148:4

Introduction

Christ has now taken His rightful place and is seated on His own throne (Rev 3:21). Just as creation has been subjected to futility and corruption through the fall of man in sin (Rom 8:20-21), so creation will be set free from these consequences of sin through Christ. The longing of creation is now fulfilled (Rom 8:21). All creation, heaven and earth and all their inhabitants, share in the revealed glory.

In this psalm, two mighty choirs are formed. First, the heavens and all that is in them are called to participate in the great “hallelujah” to praise the LORD. He created the heavens and all that is in them and keeps everything in its place (Psa 148:1-6).

Then He calls the earth and all that is upon it to join in that praise. It is about praising Him whose Name alone is highly exalted and whose majesty is over heaven and earth (Psa 148:7-13).

Finally, God’s special relationship with Israel is sung. They are “His people”, “His godly ones”, “a people near to Him” (Psa 148:14). The people of Israel are here the place where heaven and earth meet to praise the LORD.

Praise the LORD From the Heavens

The psalm, like the previous two psalms, begins with “hallelujah!”, “praise the LORD!” (Psa 148:1), with “praise the LORD” again immediately in the next line. It is not a mere repetition, however. We hear the tone swell. The praise becomes more and more extensive. It begins “from the heavens”. There, “in the height” in creation (cf. Job 16:19), the LORD is to be praised.

There, in His throne room, are “all His angels” and “all His hosts” (Psa 148:2). They were created first; they were present at the creation of heaven and earth and rejoiced (Job 38:4-7). They are also present at the re-creation, to which all of God’s ways with the earth culminate, and then they rejoice again. This begins as early as the coming of Christ to earth, when there was “a multitude of the heavenly host praising God” (Lk 2:13).

In this psalm the elect angels, the non-fallen angels, are addressed (1Tim 5:21). The fallen angels also have access to the throne room (1Kgs 22:19-23; Job 1:6-7 ; Job 2:1) – this is the case until Revelation 12, for then satan is cast out of heaven (Rev 12:8) – and cannot do anything but what God commands them to do. They will be forced to confess that Jesus is Lord (Phil 2:10-11).

Then the psalmist turns to what is in the sky: the “sun and moon” and “all the stars of light” (Psa 148:3). To them, too, the call to “praise Him” is heard. Sun and moon were placed in the heavens by God as “the two great lights” to control the day and the night (Gen 1:16-18). They are of great significance to man’s life on earth. The same is true of the stars, especially “the stars of light” that provide orientation for people at night. All these impressive heavenly bodies are there to sing the praise of God.

They were created first of all as signs of fixed times (Gen 1:14), that is, the times appointed by the LORD for His people to celebrate a feast with Him (Lev 23:2). The LORD’s appointed times are determined by the sun and the moon. Second, they tell something of God’s glory, they show something of His eternal power and divine nature (Rom 1:20). They proclaim without words a silent message of majesty, of impressive power, perfection and beauty (Psa 19:1-7).

Even the “highest heavens, and the waters that are above the heavens” are called to “praise Him” (Psa 148:4). The “highest heavens” or the ‘heaven of heavens’ is the highest division of the created heavens from which the LORD rules (Psa 68:33; 1Kgs 8:27). The water that is above the heavens is the water of the clouds of the sky. This whole high region, from the highest heaven of the angels to the lowest sky, where the water is, and where man cannot come and look into, proclaims the praises of God.

Everything in the universe above the earth is told to “praise the name of the LORD” (Psa 148:5). The reason for this, represented by the word “for”, is that He is their Creator. Only by commanding did He create them (Psa 33:6 ; 9). The re-creation will be the result of what He has spoken in His Word (Isa 65:17-25).

He has also established everything, He gave it a fixed place in His creation (Psa 148:6). Nothing stands where it stands by chance. That place is established “forever and ever”. No one can change that. Everything also stands in its proper relationship to everything else. He has made a decree which will not pass away, He has given everything an order, which none of them shall transgress. No change takes place in the order He has given. This will find its perfect fulfillment in the realm of peace.

The first reason to praise the Name of the LORD is because He is the Creator (Psa 148:5), the second reason to praise the LORD is that He upholds and sustains creation by the word of His power (Psa 148:6; Heb 1:2-3). That He upholds creation is evidenced by the laws of nature and the order of creation that He has established. In them also we recognize the majesty of God, they proclaim without words His glory to the praise of His Name.