Psalm 148


This Psalm gives 3 reasons for which we ought to praise God. The first being that God is the Creator of all, vs 5; having established His Creation with a decree which shall not pass away, vs 6.

The second reason that is given, is that His name alone is excellent and the His glory is above the earth and heaven, vs 13. And the third reason given is that He has raised up a source of strength for His people and has made them victorious, vs 14! Now among all of His creation that is expected to praise Him from the heavens and in the heights vs 1, are included angels, heavenly hosts, vs 2; sun, moon and stars, vs 3; heavens of heavens and the waters above the heavens, vs 4.

Those from the earth that are expected to praise Him include the dragons and the deep, vs 7, together with the fire, hail; snow, vapour; and stormy winds that fulfill His Word, vs 8; and the mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars, the beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and the flying fowl, vs 9,10, and the Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth, vs 11. Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children are also included in that list, vs 12.

One would wonder how so many inanimate and lifeless objects could end up praising God! But, a deeper look into the same gives us another dimension of what praise really is! What we can learn from these objects, is that, obeying God by just doing what they have been called to do with satisfaction and joy, brings both beauty and harmony in Creation and is counted as praise that pleases God. Without such worship, all outward forms of praise will prove ritualistic, redundant and meaningless.

So, keeping this in mind let us, like the Psalmist, exhort everything that has breath to praise our God, (whose Name is above every other name and who is indeed worthy of our praise) by their obedience and by knowing and doing exactly as He has commanded them to, and let us ensure that we do the same ourselves too by His grace. Amen.

Rowena Thomas
Mumbai, India.