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Hear the Bible COME ALIVE IN SONG!
Hear the Bible COME ALIVE IN SONG!
Psalm 148King James Version
1 Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights.
10 Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl: 11 Kings of the earth, and all people; 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 excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven. 14 He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the LORD.1 Bible Commentary 1 Since the heavens 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.2 2 Living intelligences, perfect in character and in bliss, lift up your loudest music to your Lord, each one, of you. Not only angelic armies but all the heavenly bodies are exhorted to render praise. Though the hosts may be inanimate, the stars, the clouds, the lightnings, have their ways of praising Jehovah.2 3 The Psalmist enters into detail as to the heavenly hosts. The sun and moon, as joint rulers of day and night, are paired in praise. The sun has his peculiar mode of glorifying the Great Father of lights, and the moon has her own special method of reflecting his brightness. Nor are the greater luminaries allowed to drown with their floods of light the glory of the lesser brilliants, for all the stars are bidden to the banquet of praise.2 4 The highest heavenly of abodes where the most choice of spirits dwell are to praise the Lord. Let the clouds roll up volumes of adoration. Let the sea above roar, and the fulness thereof, at the presence of Jehovah, the God of Israel.2
6 The Lord ought to be praised because he is Preserver as well as Creator, Ruler as well as Maker. The heavenly bodies owe their stability and permanence to the omnipotent will of God, their sustainer. God has marked out the orbits in which the heavenly bodies move. They perform their revolutions with unerring accuracy within the bounds that He has prescribed.2,3 7 The song then descends to our abode. Jehovah is to be praised not only in the earth but from the earth. The "earth" here meant is our entire globe of land and water: it is to be made vocal everywhere with praise. Even dragons, terrible beasts and sea monsters, and the places where they abide are bidden to the feast of praise. Although they pay no service to man; let them the more heartily confess their allegiance to the Lord.2 8 Lightning and hailstones go together. In the plagues of Egypt they cooperated in making Jehovah known in all the terrors of his power. Fire and ice morsels are a contrast in nature, but they are combined in magnifying the Lord. Though rushing with incalculable fury, the storm wind is still under law, and moves to carry out the designs of God.2 9 The greater and the lesser mounts are one in their adoration. Fruit trees and forest trees, trees deciduous or evergreen, are equally full of benevolent design, and alike subserve some purpose of love; therefore for all and by all let the great Designer be praised.2 10 Animals fierce or tame; wild beasts and domestic cattle; let all these show forth the praises of Jehovah. The multitudes that throng the earth and the air; insects of every form and birds of every wing are called upon to join the universal worship. The minute insect marvellously proclaims the Lord's handiwork: when placed under the microscope it tells a wondrous tale. So, too, the bird which soars aloft displays in its adaptation for an aerial life an amount of skill which our balloonists have in vain attempted to emulate.2 11 The psalmist places mankind last, perhaps as representing the crowning work of creation as far as this earth is concerned. Very justly he would have rulers and subjects, chieftains and magistrates, unite in worshipping the sovereign Lord of all. Monarchs must not disdain to sing, nor must their people refrain from uniting with them. Those who lead in battle and those who decide in courts must neither of them allow their vocations to keep them from reverently adoring the Chief and Judge of all.2,3 12 A sub classification of the human family emphasizing the comprehensiveness of the summons to praise. Everyone of whatever age or station, whether high or low, young or old, should praise the Lord.3 13 There is none like unto the Lord, none that for a moment can be compared unto him. His unique name should have a monopoly of praise. His glory is above the earth and heaven: it is therefore alone because it surpasses all others. His royal splendour exceeds all that earth and heaven can express. He is himself the crown of all things, the Excellency of the creation. There is more glory in him personally than in all his works united.2 14 The Lord's goodness to all his creatures does not prevent his having a special favour to his chosen nation: he is good to all, but he is God to his people. He lifts up the down trodden, but he in a peculiar manner lifts up his people. He is their glory: to him they render praise; and he by his mercy to them evermore gives them further reasons for praise, and higher motives for adoration.2 References and notes 1. King James Authorized Version 2. Charles H. Spurgeon, "The Treasury of David" - http:// bible. crosswalk .com/ Comment aries 3. Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary Vol. 3 pgs. 934-935 4. Adam Clarke's Commentaries - Psalm 145 - www. godrules .net/ library/ clarke/ clarke .htm 5. Charles H. Spurgeon, "The Treasury of David" quoting John Pulsford - http:// bible. crosswalk .com/ Comment aries 6. Psalms: The worship of an honest heart by Ray C. Stedman - http:/ /www.pbc .org/dp /stedman /adventure /0219 .html 7. Catholic Encylopedia: Psalms - www.newad vent.org /cathen/ 12533a .htm 8. Simply Christians Australia Bible Study Resource - The Book of Psalms - http:// members. datafast .net.au/ sggram/ f015.htm |
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