Master's Prayer Network

A — All Verses of Psalm 148 in Composite Paraphrase

1 Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD from the heavens: praise him from above. 2 Praise Him, all His angels; praise Him, all His hosts. 3 Praise Him, sun and moon; praise Him, all stars of light. 4 Praise Him, heavens of heavens, and waters that are 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 that they not pass away. 7 Praise the LORD from the earth, you sea-monsters, and all deeps; 8 Fire and hail, snow and vapor, 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 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 Jehovah; For his name alone is exalted; His glory is above the earth and the heavens. 14 And He has lifted up the horn of His people, a praise for all His saints, even for the children of Israel, a people near unto Him. Hallelujah.

In the first six verses of this psalm, the things which the LORD, the invisible God, created above the earth bring praise to him through their existence. The next six verses list things he created in the earth, which are also made to praise him. Verse thirteen concludes that all creation should praise the LORD as deserving the highest of exaltation. The last verse speaks of the Lord of Glory, provided through Israel, but a blessing for all peoples of the earth who become saints.

B — Praise from the Heavens: Angels, Celestial Bodies, Waters Above

The praise of our Creator God begins far beyond the realm of mankind, in the heights of heaven. At the beginning of the public ministry of Jesus, there was a visible manifestation of the Holy Spirit, and an audible voice from the Father. Luke 3:22 “Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.” Another voice from heaven gave witness before certain disciples. Luke 9:35 “This is my beloved Son: hear him.” Near the close of the Lord’s work here on earth, John 12:28 records the Father saying “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.” Those mighty created angels of God praised the Christ with announcements before and after his birth, after his resurrection, and at his ascension. Luke 2:13–14 “Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” The New Testament reveals that Jesus is the creator God, and therefore all creation brings praise to Christ Jesus. John 1:3 “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” Colossians 1:16 “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth… all things were created by him, and for him.”

C — Praise from the Earth: Sea, Weather, Mountains, Animals

God’s display of his majesty could be very large, as large as a huge sea creature or the ocean itself, but Jesus could also choose small things to demonstrate his attributes, such as having a reserved coin-bearing fish ready to be hooked at first cast (Matthew 17:27). Fire can be very productive, but in the destructive sense it provides a strong warning against rejection of the one who commands all fire. Luke 3:16 “He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire.” Jesus could simply speak a word to command a mighty storm to obey. Luke 8:24–25 “He arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. And he said unto them, Where is your faith?” A colt was reserved for the Lord’s triumphal entry to fulfill prophecy (Matthew 21:1–5). Jesus taught that God’s care provides for even the birds of the air, and tells us this is why we should cast our care upon him. Luke 12:24 “Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap… and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?”

D — All People: Kings, Young and Old, Men and Women

The call of God is for all tongues, tribes, nations, all stations of life, all age groups; but not all will forsake their confidence in the flesh and confess Jesus as Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:27–29 “God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise… That no flesh should glory in his presence.” Matthew 10:32 “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.” Romans 10:9 “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

E — His Name Alone Is Exalted; He Has Lifted Up the Horn of His People

The LORD our God is one LORD, and he alone is worthy of praise. John 8:58 “Before Abraham was, I am.” Luke 19:40 “If these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.” Philippians 2:9–11 “God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow… And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Zacharias prophesied: Luke 1:68–69 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David.” Paul declares in Romans 15:8–13 that Jesus was for the Gentile as well as the Jew — “The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”