Psalm 148
1 Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the heavens;
praise him in the heights!
2 Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his hosts!
3 Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining
stars!
4 Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above
the heavens!
5 Let them praise the name of the LORD! For he commanded
and they were created.
6 And he established them forever and ever; he gave a
decree, and it shall not pass away.1
7 Praise the LORD from the earth, you great sea creatures
and all deeps,
8 fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling his
word!
9 Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars!
10 Beasts and all livestock, creeping things and flying
birds!
11 Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all
rulers of the earth!
12 Young men and maidens together, old men and children!
13 Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone
is exalted; his majesty is above earth and heaven.
14 He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all
his saints, for the people of Israel who are near to him. Praise the LORD!
Devotion
In the name of + Jesus.
When you read the words, “Praise the LORD,” the Hebrew text
has one word: “Hallelujah!” Indeed,
Psalm 148 is a fitting Psalm for the season of Easter, when we’ve been given
that concluding sign of victory in the empty tomb of our savior, Jesus Christ.
Because He is risen, He is worthy of all praise. And not that the praise of the LORD is on the
lips of the entire created order: kings, judges, old, young, even the sun,
moon, stars, and more!
First there is angelic praise (verses 1-2). Then, there is the heavenly praise (verses
3-4). In verses 5-6, the LORD is praised
for His unique creative power, by which he spoke the heavens and the earth into
being. Verses 7-8 offer praise for the wonderful
creation of sea and sky. Earth and life
are the sources of praise in verses 9-10, and because of them, Kings and commoners
alike give praise to the LORD (verses 11-12).
But the greatest cause for Praise is the horn which he has
raised up for his people (verses 13-14).
Even the broken creation is enough to bring forth praise to the LORD,
but because of the horn which the LORD has raised up, this broken creation will
give way to a new creation, and God’s people—Israel—will there be near to him
forever.
The horn He has raised up is Christ. And through Christ, God has gathered His
people near to him. For all the reasons
we have to praise the LORD, the risen Christ is number one. Hallelujah, praise the LORD.
Christ is risen! He
is risen indeed. Hallelujah!
Prayer
Praise the almighty,
my soul, adore Him!
Yes, I will laud Him until
death;
With songs and anthems
I come before Him
As long as HE allows be breath.
From Him my life and
all things came;
Bless, O my soul, His holy name.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Trust not in rulers;
they are but mortal;
Earthborn they are and soon
decay.
Vain are their
counsels at life’s last portal,
When the dark grave engulfs its
prey.
Since mortals can no
help afford,
Place all your trust in Christ,
our Lord.
Alleluia, alleluia! (LSB 797:1, 2)
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