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Selected Verse: Psalms 148:1 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Ps 148:1	Strong Concordance	Praise [01984] ye the LORD [03050]. Praise [01984] ye the LORD [03068] from the heavens [08064]: praise [01984] him in the heights [04791].
	King James	Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
The scope of this Psalm is the same as that of the preceding. (Psa 148:1-14) heavens [and] heights--are synonymous.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

The scope of this Psalm is the same as that of the preceding. (Psa 148:1-14)

heavens [and] heights--are synonymous.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
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.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
The call does not rise step by step from below upwards, but begins forthwith from above in the highest and outermost spheres of creation. The place whence, before all others, the praise is to resound is the heavens; it is to resound in the heights, viz., the heights of heaven (Job 16:19; Job 25:2; Job 31:2). The מן might, it is true, also denote the birth or origin: ye of the heavens, i.e., ye celestial beings (cf. Psa 68:27), but the parallel בּמּרומים renders the immediate construction with הללוּ more natural. Psa 148:2-4 tell who are to praise Jahve there: first of all, all His angels, the messengers of the Ruler of the world - all His host, i.e., angels and stars, for צבאו (Chethמb) or צבאיו (Kerמ as in Psa 103:21) is the name of the heavenly host armed with light which God Tsebaoth commands (vid., on Gen 2:1), - a name including both stars (e.g., in Deu 4:19) and angels (e.g., in Jos 5:14., Kg1 22:19); angels and stars are also united in the Scriptures in other instances (e.g., Job 38:7). When the psalmist calls upon these beings of light to praise Jahve, he does not merely express his delight in that which they do under any circumstances (Hengstenberg), but comprehends the heavenly world with the earthly, the church above with the church here below (vid., on Psa 29:1-11; Ps 103), and gives a special turn to the praise of the former, making it into an echo of the praise of the latter, and blending both harmoniously together. The heavens of heavens are, as in Deu 10:14; Kg1 8:27, Sir. 16:18, and frequently, those which lie beyond the heavens of the earth which were created on the fourth day, therefore they are the outermost and highest spheres. The waters which are above the heavens are, according to Hupfeld, "a product of the fancy, like the upper heavens and the whole of the inhabitants of heaven." But if in general the other world is not a notion to which there is no corresponding entity, this notion may also have things for its substance which lie beyond our knowledge of nature. The Scriptures, from the first page to the last, acknowledge the existence of celestial waters, to which the rain-waters stand in the relation as it were of a finger-post pointing upwards (see Gen 1:7). All these beings belonging to the superterrestrial world are to praise the Name of Jahve, for He, the God of Israel, it is by whose fiat (צוּה, like אמר in Psa 33:9) (Note: The interpolated parallel member, αὐτὸς εἶπε καὶ ἐγενήθησαν, here in the lxx is taken over from that passage.)) the heavens and all their host are created (Psa 33:6). He has set them, which did not previously exist, up (העמיד as e.g., in Neh 6:7, the causative to עמד in Psa 33:9, cf. Psa 119:91), and that for ever and ever (Psa 111:8), i.e., in order for ever to maintain the position in the whole of creation which He has assigned to them. He hath given a law (חק) by which its distinctive characteristic is stamped upon each of these heavenly beings, and a fixed bound is set to the nature and activity of each in its mutual relation to all, and not one transgresses (the individualizing singular) this law given to it. Thus ולא יעבר is to be understood, according to Job 14:5, cf. Jer 5:22; Job 38:10; Psa 104:9. Hitzig makes the Creator Himself the subject; but then the poet would have at least been obliged to say חק־נתן למו, and moreover it may be clearly seen from Jer 31:36; Jer 33:20, how the thought that God inviolably keeps the orders of nature in check is expressed θεοπρεπῶς. Jer 5:22, by way of example, shows that the law itself is not, with Ewald, Maurer, and others, following the lxx, Syriac, Italic, Jerome, and Kimchi, to be made the subject: a law hath He given, and it passes not away (an imperishable one). In combination with חק, עבר always signifies "to pass over, transgress."

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

The call does not rise step by step from below upwards, but begins forthwith from above in the highest and outermost spheres of creation. The place whence, before all others, the praise is to resound is the heavens; it is to resound in the heights, viz., the heights of heaven (Job 16:19; Job 25:2; Job 31:2). The מן might, it is true, also denote the birth or origin: ye of the heavens, i.e., ye celestial beings (cf. Psa 68:27), but the parallel בּמּרומים renders the immediate construction with הללוּ more natural. Psa 148:2-4 tell who are to praise Jahve there: first of all, all His angels, the messengers of the Ruler of the world - all His host, i.e., angels and stars, for צבאו (Chethמb) or צבאיו (Kerמ as in Psa 103:21) is the name of the heavenly host armed with light which God Tsebaoth commands (vid., on Gen 2:1), - a name including both stars (e.g., in Deu 4:19) and angels (e.g., in Jos 5:14., Kg1 22:19); angels and stars are also united in the Scriptures in other instances (e.g., Job 38:7). When the psalmist calls upon these beings of light to praise Jahve, he does not merely express his delight in that which they do under any circumstances (Hengstenberg), but comprehends the heavenly world with the earthly, the church above with the church here below (vid., on Psa 29:1-11; Ps 103), and gives a special turn to the praise of the former, making it into an echo of the praise of the latter, and blending both harmoniously together. The heavens of heavens are, as in Deu 10:14; Kg1 8:27, Sir. 16:18, and frequently, those which lie beyond the heavens of the earth which were created on the fourth day, therefore they are the outermost and highest spheres. The waters which are above the heavens are, according to Hupfeld, "a product of the fancy, like the upper heavens and the whole of the inhabitants of heaven." But if in general the other world is not a notion to which there is no corresponding entity, this notion may also have things for its substance which lie beyond our knowledge of nature. The Scriptures, from the first page to the last, acknowledge the existence of celestial waters, to which the rain-waters stand in the relation as it were of a finger-post pointing upwards (see Gen 1:7). All these beings belonging to the superterrestrial world are to praise the Name of Jahve, for He, the God of Israel, it is by whose fiat (צוּה, like אמר in Psa 33:9)

(Note: The interpolated parallel member, αὐτὸς εἶπε καὶ ἐγενήθησαν, here in the lxx is taken over from that passage.))

the heavens and all their host are created (Psa 33:6). He has set them, which did not previously exist, up (העמיד as e.g., in Neh 6:7, the causative to עמד in Psa 33:9, cf. Psa 119:91), and that for ever and ever (Psa 111:8), i.e., in order for ever to maintain the position in the whole of creation which He has assigned to them. He hath given a law (חק) by which its distinctive characteristic is stamped upon each of these heavenly beings, and a fixed bound is set to the nature and activity of each in its mutual relation to all, and not one transgresses (the individualizing singular) this law given to it. Thus ולא יעבר is to be understood, according to Job 14:5, cf. Jer 5:22; Job 38:10; Psa 104:9. Hitzig makes the Creator Himself the subject; but then the poet would have at least been obliged to say חק־נתן למו, and moreover it may be clearly seen from Jer 31:36; Jer 33:20, how the thought that God inviolably keeps the orders of nature in check is expressed θεοπρεπῶς. Jer 5:22, by way of example, shows that the law itself is not, with Ewald, Maurer, and others, following the lxx, Syriac, Italic, Jerome, and Kimchi, to be made the subject: a law hath He given, and it passes not away (an imperishable one). In combination with חק, עבר always signifies "to pass over, transgress."

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
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.

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¹ Praise [01984] ye the LORD [03050]. Praise [01984] ye the LORD [03068] from the heavens [08064]: praise [01984] him in the heights [04791].
² Praise [01984] ye him, all his angels [04397]: praise [01984] ye him, all his hosts [06635].
³ Praise [01984] ye him, sun [08121] and moon [03394]: praise [01984] him, all ye stars [03556] of light [0216].
⁴ Praise [01984] him, ye heavens [08064] of heavens [08064], and ye waters [04325] that be above the heavens [08064].
⁵ Let them praise [01984] the name [08034] of the LORD [03068]: for he commanded [06680], and they were created [01254].
⁶ He hath also stablished [05975] them for ever [05703] and ever [05769]: he hath made [05414] a decree [02706] which shall not pass [05674].
⁷ Praise [01984] the LORD [03068] from the earth [0776], ye dragons [08577], and all deeps [08415]:
⁸ Fire [0784], and hail [01259]; snow [07950], and vapour [07008]; stormy [05591] wind [07307] fulfilling [06213] his word [01697]:
⁹ Mountains [02022], and all hills [01389]; fruitful [06529] trees [06086], and all cedars [0730]:
¹⁰ Beasts [02416], and all cattle [0929]; creeping things [07431], and flying [03671] fowl [06833]:
¹¹ Kings [04428] of the earth [0776], and all people [03816]; princes [08269], and all judges [08199] of the earth [0776]:
¹² Both young men [0970], and maidens [01330]; old men [02205], and children [05288]:
¹³ Let them praise [01984] the name [08034] of the LORD [03068]: for his name [08034] alone is excellent [07682]; his glory [01935] is above the earth [0776] and heaven [08064].
¹⁴ He also exalteth [07311] the horn [07161] of his people [05971], the praise [08416] of all his saints [02623]; even of the children [01121] of Israel [03478], a people [05971] near [07138] unto him. Praise [01984] ye the LORD [03050].

¹ Praise [01984] ye the LORD [03050]. Praise [01984] the LORD [03068], O my soul [05315].

²² Fear [03372] ye not me? saith [05002] the LORD [03068]: will ye not tremble [02342] at my presence [06440], which have placed [07760] the sand [02344] for the bound [01366] of the sea [03220] by a perpetual [05769] decree [02706], that it cannot pass [05674] it: and though the waves [01530] thereof toss [01607] themselves, yet can they not prevail [03201]; though they roar [01993], yet can they not pass over [05674] it?

²⁰ Thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068]; If ye can break [06565] my covenant [01285] of the day [03117], and my covenant [01285] of the night [03915], and that there should not be day [03119] and night [03915] in their season [06256];

³⁶ If those ordinances [02706] depart [04185] from before [06440] me, saith [05002] the LORD [03068], then the seed [02233] of Israel [03478] also shall cease [07673] from being a nation [01471] before [06440] me for ever [03117].

⁹ Thou hast set [07760] a bound [01366] that they may not pass over [05674]; that they turn not again [07725] to cover [03680] the earth [0776].

¹⁰ And brake up [07665] for it my decreed [02706] place, and set [07760] bars [01280] and doors [01817],

⁵ Seeing [0518] his days [03117] are determined [02782], the number [04557] of his months [02320] are with thee, thou hast appointed [06213] his bounds [02706] that he cannot pass [05674];

⁸ They stand fast [05564] for ever [05703] and ever [05769], and are done [06213] in truth [0571] and uprightness [03477].

⁹¹ They continue [05975] this day [03117] according to thine ordinances [04941]: for all are thy servants [05650].

⁹ For he spake [0559], and it was done; he commanded [06680], and it stood fast [05975].

⁷ And thou hast also appointed [05975] prophets [05030] to preach [07121] of thee at Jerusalem [03389], saying [0559], There is a king [04428] in Judah [03063]: and now shall it be reported [08085] to the king [04428] according to these words [01697]. Come [03212] now therefore, and let us take counsel [03289] together [03162].

⁶ By the word [01697] of the LORD [03068] were the heavens [08064] made [06213]; and all the host [06635] of them by the breath [07307] of his mouth [06310].

⁹ For he spake [0559], and it was done; he commanded [06680], and it stood fast [05975].

⁷ And God [0430] made [06213] the firmament [07549], and divided [0914] the waters [04325] which [0834] were under [08478] the firmament [07549] from the waters [04325] which [0834] were above [05921] the firmament [07549]: and it was so [03651].

²⁷ But will God [0430] indeed [0552] dwell [03427] on the earth [0776]? behold, the heaven [08064] and heaven [08064] of heavens [08064] cannot contain [03557] thee; how much less [0637] this house [01004] that I have builded [01129]?

¹⁴ Behold, the heaven [08064] and the heaven [08064] of heavens [08064] is the LORD'S [03068] thy God [0430], the earth [0776] also, with all that therein is.

¹ A Psalm [04210] of David [01732]. Give [03051] unto the LORD [03068], O ye mighty [01121] [0410], give [03051] unto the LORD [03068] glory [03519] and strength [05797].
² Give [03051] unto the LORD [03068] the glory [03519] due unto his name [08034]; worship [07812] the LORD [03068] in the beauty [01927] of holiness [06944].
³ The voice [06963] of the LORD [03068] is upon the waters [04325]: the God [0410] of glory [03519] thundereth [07481]: the LORD [03068] is upon many [07227] waters [04325].
⁴ The voice [06963] of the LORD [03068] is powerful [03581]; the voice [06963] of the LORD [03068] is full of majesty [01926].
⁵ The voice [06963] of the LORD [03068] breaketh [07665] the cedars [0730]; yea, the LORD [03068] breaketh [07665] the cedars [0730] of Lebanon [03844].
⁶ He maketh them also to skip [07540] like a calf [05695]; Lebanon [03844] and Sirion [08303] like a young [01121] unicorn [07214].
⁷ The voice [06963] of the LORD [03068] divideth [02672] the flames [03852] of fire [0784].
⁸ The voice [06963] of the LORD [03068] shaketh [02342] the wilderness [04057]; the LORD [03068] shaketh [02342] the wilderness [04057] of Kadesh [06946].
⁹ The voice [06963] of the LORD [03068] maketh the hinds [0355] to calve [02342], and discovereth [02834] the forests [03295]: and in his temple [01964] doth every one speak [0559] of his glory [03519].
¹⁰ The LORD [03068] sitteth [03427] upon the flood [03999]; yea, the LORD [03068] sitteth [03427] King [04428] for ever [05769].
¹¹ The LORD [03068] will give [05414] strength [05797] unto his people [05971]; the LORD [03068] will bless [01288] his people [05971] with peace [07965].

⁷ When the morning [01242] stars [03556] sang [07442] together [03162], and all the sons [01121] of God [0430] shouted [07321] for joy?

¹⁹ And he said [0559], Hear [08085] thou therefore the word [01697] of the LORD [03068]: I saw [07200] the LORD [03068] sitting [03427] on his throne [03678], and all the host [06635] of heaven [08064] standing [05975] by him on his right hand [03225] and on his left [08040].

¹⁴ And he said [0559], Nay; but as captain [08269] of the host [06635] of the LORD [03068] am I now come [0935]. And Joshua [03091] fell [05307] on his face [06440] to the earth [0776], and did worship [07812], and said [0559] unto him, What saith [01696] my lord [0113] unto his servant [05650]?

¹⁹ And lest thou lift up [05375] thine eyes [05869] unto heaven [08064], and when thou seest [07200] the sun [08121], and the moon [03394], and the stars [03556], even all the host [06635] of heaven [08064], shouldest be driven [05080] to worship [07812] them, and serve [05647] them, which the LORD [03068] thy God [0430] hath divided [02505] unto all nations [05971] under the whole heaven [08064].

¹ Thus the heavens [08064] and the earth [0776] were finished [03615], and all the host of them [06635].

²¹ Bless [01288] ye the LORD [03068], all ye his hosts [06635]; ye ministers [08334] of his, that do [06213] his pleasure [07522].

² Praise [01984] ye him, all his angels [04397]: praise [01984] ye him, all his hosts [06635].
³ Praise [01984] ye him, sun [08121] and moon [03394]: praise [01984] him, all ye stars [03556] of light [0216].
⁴ Praise [01984] him, ye heavens [08064] of heavens [08064], and ye waters [04325] that be above the heavens [08064].

²⁷ There is little [06810] Benjamin [01144] with their ruler [07287], the princes [08269] of Judah [03063] and their council [07277], the princes [08269] of Zebulun [02074], and the princes [08269] of Naphtali [05321].

² For what portion [02506] of God [0433] is there from above [04605]? and what inheritance [05159] of the Almighty [07706] from on high [04791]?

² Dominion [04910] and fear [06343] are with him, he maketh [06213] peace [07965] in his high places [04791].

¹⁹ Also now, behold, my witness [05707] is in heaven [08064], and my record [07717] is on high [04791].

⁷ Praise [01984] the LORD [03068] from the earth [0776], ye dragons [08577], and all deeps [08415]: