PSALMS 148

READING CYCLE THREE(see “Guide
to Good Bible Reading“)

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR’S INTENT AT
PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary which means that you are
responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in
the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in
interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3). Compare your subject divisions with the five translations
above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original
author’s intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one
and only one subject.

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS

A. Remember the Bible is an earth-oriented book.
This planet was the focus of God preparing a special place to fellowship with
His highest creation (i.e., made in His image and likeness, cf. Gen. 1:26-27).

B. All of the different levels of creation

1. celestial (i.e., “from the heavens,” Ps.
148:1b)

2. earthly (i.e., “from the earth,” Ps. 148:7a)

3. covenant people

are called on to praise YHWH, the Creator and Sustainer of all life on this
planet and related to this planet (i.e., angels).

C. This is the choir of heaven and earth, animate
and inanimate!

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 148:1-6
 ¹Praise the Lord!
 Praise the
Lord from the heavens;
 Praise Him in the heights!
 ²Praise Him, all His
angels;
 Praise Him, all His hosts!
 ³Praise Him, sun and
moon;
 Praise Him, all stars of
light!
 ⁴Praise Him, highest
heavens,
 And the waters that are above
the heavens!
 ⁵Let them praise the
name of the Lord,
 For He commanded and they were
created.
 ⁶He has also
established them forever and ever;
 He has made a decree which
will not pass away.

148:1-6 The
verb
“praise” (BDB 237, KB 248) dominates this Psalm. Each of the three strophes
begins with it. Psalm 148:1-4 contains all Piel
imperatives, as does Ps. 148:7,14.

This first strophe focuses on “above the earth” things (cf. Ps.
103:19-22).

1. “from the heavens” (BDB 1029) – this refers to
the atmosphere above the earth; see SPECIAL TOPIC: HEAVEN, also note Ps. 69:34;
96:11; Isa. 44:23; 49:13

2. “in the heights” (BDB 928) – this is parallel
to “heavens”

3. “all His angels” (BDB 521) – this refers to the
conscious servants of God (cf. Ps. 103:20); they are not said to be created in
any specific OT text, but their inclusion here strongly suggests that, Col. 1:16
also strongly assumes this truth

There are three Special Topics related to angels:

a. SPECIAL TOPIC: THE ANGEL OF THE LORD

b. Special Topic: Angels and Demons

c. Special Topic: Angelic Levels in Paul’s
Writings

4. “all His hosts (BDB 838) – this term is used in
two senses

a. in military contexts it refers to a heavenly
army of angels

b. in an astral worship context it refers to the
lights in the sky (i.e., sun, moon, stars, comets) which were thought to be gods
who affected human life; notice “a” could relate to Ps. 148:2a or “b” could
relate to Ps. 148:3 (cf. Ps. 103:21)

5. “sun and moon” – these are the greater lights
of Gen. 1:14-16; both were worshiped in the ANE; see SPECIAL TOPIC: MOON WORSHIP

6. “all stars of light” – see note at Ps. 147:4

7. “highest heaven” – see
Special Topic: The
Heavens and the Third Heaven

8. “the waters that are above the heavens” – this
alludes to Gen. 1:6-8; God controls the ancient waters; see
Special Topic:
Waters

148:5a “Let them praise” This is a
Piel imperfect used in a
jussive sense. It would denote a call to prayer/praise to the Creator
(cf. Ps. 148:5b-6).

The “name” stands for YHWH Himself. See
Special Topic: “The
Name” of YHWH.

148:5b This alludes to creation by the
spoken word of Genesis 1 (cf. Ps. 33:6,9; Heb. 11:3).

148:6 This is a hyperbolic statement
of the permanency of this planet and its seasons (cf. Jer. 31:35-36; 33:20,25).
We know from 2 Pet. 3:7,10-12 that the polluted, fallen creation shall be
cleansed. From science, moderns know that we live in a violent, unstable
universe. This solar system is not eternal. These are faith statements of God’s
eternality (cf. Ps. 93:1; 96:10d) and His promises that those who know Him will
be with Him!

▣ “forever and ever” See
Special
Topic: Forever (‘olam).

NASB, NKJV“a decree which will not pass away”
NRSV“he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed”
NJB“by an unchanging decree”

This phrase can refer to

1. God’s decree/plans (cf. Ps. 33:11)

2. God’s fixed boundaries of the land/sea/rivers
(cf. Job 38:8-11; Ps. 104:9; Jer. 5:22)

The verb “pass
over,” “pass through,” “pass on,” “pass away” (BDB 716, KB 778, Qal imperfect) obviously has a wide semantic field
which can support #1 or #2.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 148:7-12
 ⁷Praise the Lord from the earth,
 Sea monsters and all deeps;
 ⁸Fire and hail,
snow and clouds;
 Stormy wind, fulfilling His
word;
 ⁹Mountains and all
hills;
 Fruit trees and all cedars;
 ¹⁰Beasts and all
cattle;
 Creeping things and winged
fowl;
 ¹¹Kings of the earth
and all peoples;
 Princes and all judges of the
earth;
 ¹²Both young men and
virgins;
 Old men and children.

148:7-12 This strophe focuses on the
praise (one verb covers Ps. 148:7-12, each line assumes
“praise”) of living things on this planet.

1. “sea monsters” (BDB 1072) – this is used in
several senses

a. snake – Exod. 7:9,10,12; Deut. 32:33; Ps. 91:13

b. dragon – Jer. 51:34 (also note name of the gate
in Neh. 2:13)

c. sea monsters – see online notes at Gen. 1:21;
Isa. 27:1

2. “all deeps” (BDB 1062) – this is used in
several senses

a. subterranean waters (salt), cf. Gen. 7:11; 8:2;
Job 28:4; 38:16; Ps. 33:7; 107:23-26; 135:6; Isa. 51:10; Amos 7:4

b. fresh water – usually in reference to crossing
of the Red Sea, cf. Exod. 15:5,8; Ps. 77:17; 78:15; 106:9; Isa. 63:13

c. primeval waters – Gen. 1:2; Ps. 104:6-7; Pr.
8:27, see
Special Topic: Waters (water is never said to be spoken into existence
in Genesis 1)

d. Sheol – Ps. 71:20 (see
Special Topic:
Sheol)

3. Psalm 148:7-8 lists weather and topological
features of the earth

4. Psalm 148:10 covers all created animal life

5. Psalm 148:11-12 lists human beings of all
social levels and ages

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 148:13-14
 ¹³Let them praise
the name of the Lord,
 For His name alone is exalted;
 His glory is above earth and
heaven.
 ¹⁴And He has lifted
up a horn for His people,
 Praise for all His godly ones;
 Even for the sons of
Israel, a people near to Him.
 Praise the Lord!

148:13-14 The strophe starts like Ps.
148:5, with a Piel imperfect of “praise” used in a jussive sense. It focuses on the praise due
YHWH from His covenant people.

148:13 “His name alone is exalted”
This is

1. a literary expression of monotheism (see
SPECIAL TOPIC: MONOTHEISM)

2. a way to contrast YHWH with mankind (cf. Isa.
2:11,17)

▣ “glory” See
SPECIAL TOPIC: GLORY (kabod,
OT).

148:14 “horn” The Hebrews viewed
animal horns (esp. “ox,” cf. Deut. 33:17; Ps. 92:10) as an expression of power
(cf. Ps. 18:2).

1. the altars in the temple had horns

2. a person’s life was characterized as a “horn”
to be

a. lifted up (cf. 1 Sam. 2:1; Ps. 89:17,24; 92:10;
112:9)

b. put in dust (cf. Job 16:15)

c. cut off (cf. Ps. 75:10)

148:14 “all His godly ones” See notes
at Ps. 16:10 and 145:10 online.

Here the phrase is parallel to “His people.” They are further
characterized as

1. sons of Israel

2. a people near to Him – this at first referred
to priests/Levites who served in the temple but later came to be used of all
covenant people who worship YHWH

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide
commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of
the Bible. Each of us must walk n the light we have. You, the Bible, and the
Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a
commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think
through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be
thought provoking, not definitive.

1. How is Ps. 148:1-6 related to Ps. 148:7-12?

2. Define “hosts” of Ps. 148:2b. Does it relate to
Ps. 148:2a or 149:3?

3. How does one reconcile Ps. 148:6 with 2 Pet.
3:7,10-12?

4. Define “sea monsters” of Ps. 148:7b.

5. Does Ps. 148:14 refer to “praise” to Israel or
to YHWH?

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Lessons International