Psalms 148:1
in Psalms 148Hallelujah! Praise the LORD from the heavens; praise Him in the highest places.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Praise ye Jehovah. Praise ye Jehovah from the heavens: Praise him in the heights.
KJV
Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord from the heavens: praise him in the heights.
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This verse in Psalms 148
Commentary
13 notes on this verseThis psalm has two alleluias in its title; and many think this is because they belong to the title of the psalm itself. But we ought to know that one alleluia belongs to the end of the preceding psalm, while the other alleluia is the beginning of the following psalm. And we ought to take up this rule and understand that all the psalms which have alleluia at their beginning have it also at their end. Many, however, suppose that it is the beginning of another psalm.
This site's exposition
Praise the LORD from the heavens
on Psalms 148:1-6
Seven things are called from the heavens: angels, heavenly hosts, sun, moon, shining stars, the highest heavens, and the waters above the skies. God gave the command and they were created. Matthew Henry notes that idolaters made the sun, moon and stars their gods, while this psalm makes them fellow worshippers under a decree that will never pass away.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
"Praise ye the Lord from heaven" [Psalm 148:1]. As though he had found things in heaven holding their peace in the praise of the Lord, he exhorts them to arise and praise. Never have things in heaven held their peace in the praises of their Creator, never have things on earth ceased to praise God. But it is manifest that there are certain things which have breath to praise God in that disposition wherein God pleases them. For no one praises anything, save what pleases him. And there are other things which have not breath of life and understanding to praise God, but yet, because they also are good, and duly arranged in their proper order, and form part of the beauty of the universe, which God created, though they themselves with voice and heart praise not God, yet when they are considered by those who have understanding, God is praised in them; and, as God is praised in them, they themselves too in a manner praise God.. ..
Sing his praises heights of heaven, all you angels sing his praise, Let the mighty hosts of heaven sing in joyous praise of God; Let no tongue of humanity be silent, let all voices join the hymn.
But what God really is, not only have not the prophets seen, but not even angels nor archangels. If you ask them, you shall not hear them answering anything concerning His Essence, but sending up, "Glory to God in the Highest, on earth peace, good will towards men." If you desire to learn something from Cherubim or Seraphim, you shall hear the mystic song of His Holiness, and that "heaven and earth are full of His glory." If you enquire of the higher powers, you shall but find that their one work is the praise of God. "Praise ye Him," saith David, "all His hosts."
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
BonaventureCollations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 18 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
In the fourth place, that is, from afar, there is born in us the praise of God in all things. For all creatures declare God. What shall I do? I shall sing with them all. The thick cord in the zither does not give forth …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
20 ), we mean that we desire God may be praised by the ablest hands and in the best manner,--that we are pleased to think he is so,--that we have a spiritual communion with those that dwell in his house above and are still praising him,--and that we have come by faith, and hope, and holy love, to the innumerable company of angels, Heb. xii.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-citation-number+unbalanced-parens
6 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Praise ye the Lord,....
The Nineteenth Century5 voices
Praise ye the Lord. Whoever ye may be that hear this word, ye are invited, entreated, commanded, to magnify Jehovah. Assuredly he has made you, and, if for nothing else, ye are bound, upon the ground of creatureship, to adore your Maker. This exhortation can never be out of place, speak it where we may; and never out of time, speak it when we may. Praise ye the Lord from the heavens. Since ye are nearest to the High and Lofty One, be ye sure to lead the song.
Praise ye the Lord. Whoever ye may be that hear this word, ye are invited, entreated, commanded, to magnify Jehovah. Assuredly he has made you, and, if for nothing else, ye are bound, upon the ground of creatureship, to adore your Maker. This exhortation can never be out of place, speak it where we may; and never out of time, speak it when we may. Praise ye the Lord from the heavens. Since ye are nearest to the High and Lofty One, be ye sure to lead the song. Ye angels, ye cherubim and seraphim, and all others who dwell in the precincts of his courts, praise ye Jehovah. Do this as from a starting point from which the praise is to pass on to other realms. Keep not your worship to yourselves, but let it fall like a golden shower from the heavens on men beneath. Praise him in the heights. This is no vain repetition; but after the manner of attractive poesy the truth is emphasized by reiteration in other words. Moreover, God is not only to be praised from the heights, but in them: the adoration is to be perfected in the heavens from which it takes its rise. No place is too high for the praises of the most High. On the summit of creation the glory of the Lord is to be revealed, even as the tops of the highest Alps are tipped with the golden light of the same sun which glads the valleys. Heavens and heights become the higher and the more heavenly as they are made to resound with the praises of Jehovah. See how the Psalmist trumpets out the word "praise." It sounds forth some nine times in the first five verses of this song. Like minute-guns, exultant exhortations are sounded forth in tremendous force— Praise! Praise! Praise! The drum of the great King beats round the world with this one note— Praise! Praise! Praise! "Again they said, Hallelujah." All this praise is distinctly and personally for Jehovah. Praise not his servants nor his works; but praise Him.
Praise ye the Lord from the heavens - The Chaldee translates, “Praise the Lord, ye holy creatures from the heavens. Praise him, ye armies of supreme angels. Praise him, all ye angels who minister before him.” מן השמים min hashshamayim signifies whatever belongs to the heavens, all their inhabitants; as מן הארץ min haarets, Psa 148:7, signifies all that belongs to the earth, all its inhabitants and productions.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Praise ye the Lord - See the notes at Psa 146:1. Praise ye the Lord from the heavens - On the part of the heavens. Let those who dwell in heaven begin the song. Praise him in the heights - All that are in the heights; to wit, in the highest parts of the universe, or the heavens.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869) (1832)
proposed
Praise ye the Lord - See the notes at Psa 146:1. Praise ye the Lord from the heavens - On the part of the heavens. Let those who dwell in heaven begin the song. Praise him in the heights - All that are in the heights; to wit, in the highest parts of the universe, or the heavens.
The words behind it
9 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הַ֥לְלוּ | halu | praise | H1984 → | 165 times |
| יָ֨הּ׀ | yah | Yahweh | H3050 → | 50 times |
| הַֽלְל֣וּ | halu | praise | H1984 → | 165 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| יְ֭הוָה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| מִן־ | min- | from | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| הַשָּׁמַ֑יִם | hashamayim | the heavens | H8064 → | 421 times |
| הַֽ֝לְל֗וּהוּ | haluhu | praise him | H1984 → | 165 times |
| בַּמְּרוֹמִֽים׃ | bameromim | in the heights | H4791 → | 54 times |
הַ֥לְלוּpraise
haluH1984 →165 times
יָ֨הּ׀Yahweh
yahH3050 →50 times
הַֽלְל֣וּpraise
haluH1984 →165 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
יְ֭הוָהYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
מִן־from
min-H4480 →1188 times
הַשָּׁמַ֑יִםthe heavens
hashamayimH8064 →421 times
הַֽ֝לְל֗וּהוּpraise him
haluhuH1984 →165 times
בַּמְּרוֹמִֽים׃in the heights
bameromimH4791 →54 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 21:9The crowds that went ahead of Him and those that followed were shouting: “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest!”
it leads to
- Psalms 118:24–26
This is the day that the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
- Luke 2:14
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests!”
- John 12:13–15
They took palm branches and went out to meet Him, shouting: “Hosanna!” “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the King of Israel!”
- Matthew 23:39
For I tell you that you will not see Me again until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’”
- Psalms 118:24–26
Through
Psalms 69:34Let heaven and earth praise Him, the seas and everything that moves in them.
it leads to
- Isaiah 49:13
Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; break forth in song, O mountains! For the LORD has comforted His people, and He will have compassion on His afflicted ones.
- Psalms 150:6
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Hallelujah!
- Psalms 96:11
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice; let the sea resound, and all that fills it.
- Isaiah 55:12
You will indeed go out with joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
- Isaiah 49:13
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Psalms
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 148; Bonaventure, Collations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 18; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 7; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms; Jerome, Homily 58, on Psalm 148; John Chrysostom, HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 15; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Prudentius, HYMNS FOR EVERY DAY 22-24.