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 stars of light!
4 Praise Him, you heavens of heavens,
And you waters above the heavens!
5 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
For He commanded and they were created.
6 He also established them forever and ever;
He made a decree which shall not pass away.
7 Praise the Lord from the earth,
You great sea creatures and all the depths;
8 Fire and hail, snow and clouds;
Stormy wind, fulfilling His word;
9 Mountains and all hills;
Fruitful trees and all cedars;
10 Beasts and all cattle;
Creeping things and flying 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 the Lord,
For His name alone is exalted;
His glory is above the earth and heaven.
14 And He has exalted the horn of His people,
The praise of all His saints—
Of the children of Israel,
A people near to Him.
Praise the Lord!
The psalmist underscores the praise due to God for—and hence from—the object of His work and solicitude throughout creation, organized here into three distinct venues: in the heavens (vs.1-6), on earth (vs.7-13), and among His people, Israel (v.14). Concerning God’s work in the heavens the psalmist moves from “highest” to “lowest,” starting with the heights (v.1)—i.e., the unseen, spiritual, or “holy” realm in which God “dwells” (cf. Job 16:19; 25:2; Psalm 102:19; this is the “third heaven” of which Paul speaks in 2 Corinthians 12:2) and which is also inhabited by His angels (= “His hosts” v.2), then the heavens comprising the region beyond the earth’s atmosphere (i.e., “the highest heavens” of v.4), containing the sun and moon and all the stars (v.3); then the heavens comprising the atmosphere, with its “waters … above” (i.e., clouds); all that fills these three “heavens” are obligated to praise God because He created and established them.
Concerning God’s work on earth (v.7) the psalmist starts with the waters around the edges of the land (inhabited by the sea creatures and all the deeps (including the depths not just of the ocean, but also of lakes and rivers (cf. Exodus 15:5); then the inanimate things that both affect the land (v.8) and cover it (v.9); then animal life (v.10); then human life and the authorities (i.e., kings, princes, judges) by which it is governed, all of whom are established by God irrespective of faith (cf. Romans 13:1; Proverbs 21:1) and, in the end, will praise His name alone (v.13; cf. Zechariah 14:9, 16).
And, finally, concerning God’s work among His people, Israel, the psalmist epitomizes God’s solicitude (since it is reviewed in detail in the previous two and following two psalms), and Israel’s consequent obligation of praise by (1) affirming that God has lifted up a horn for them (i.e., granted them strength [in every area]), (2) referring to them as His godly ones (lit., “recipients of [lovingkindness]), and (3) describing them as a people near to him (an allusion to Deuteronomy 4:7, signifying special access to God on the basis of relationship). — Wechsler, pages 352-353.
exalted the horn (v.14) — A metaphor, derived from animals tossing their heads, to denote overweening, defiant self-consciousness of strength.
Williams’ take:
This is the third of the last five Hallelujah Psalms. it corresponds to the third Book of the Pentateuch. Worship is the subject of that Book. This Psalm pictures a place of worship and describes the worshipers. …
This song pictures the happy estate of man and all living creatures under Messiah’s coming reign. — Williams, page 414-415.
