146:1–150:6
The Psalter ends with five hallelujah psalms, so named because each begins and ends with Praise the LORD! (Hebrew haleluyah).
Study notes
Psalms 148
146:1–150:6 Section
The book of Psalms ends with five poems of praise. These psalms praise God for being the King who rules for ever over everything and everyone. They praise him for being the Maker of everything that exists. They praise him for taking care of every part of creation.
This includes caring for the stars, the weather, the land, plants and animals. It includes making sure that justice is done for needy people. God takes care of outsiders, prisoners, widows and children whose parents have died. He takes care of those who are blind, hungry, helpless or treated badly. He cares deeply for each human being.
Every single creature and thing made by God is able to praise him. Psalm 149 and Psalm 150 talk about ways that human beings praise God. They praise him with their hands. This means that they obey God’s commands. God uses them to bring judgement against those who refuse to respect and obey him.
Humans also praise God with their mouths. This means that their words bring honour and glory to God. They sing songs of praise about God’s work in their lives. These songs were called new songs. They were new because they were based on receiving God’s mercy in new ways. Singing, dancing and playing instruments are some ways that humans praise God. These are ways to show their joy. God’s people can be full of joy because God delights in them and blesses them.
148:1
When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the crowds welcomed him like a king and shouted blessings, including a phrase from this verse (Matthew 21:9; Mark 11:10; Luke 19:38).
148:1–14
This psalm calls for the whole created order to praise the Lord because he has honored his faithful people.
148:6
The created order is stable because of the Lord's word (see Psalm 33:9).
148:8
In the ancient Near East, people believed that different gods controlled different parts of nature. But the Lord rules over all of nature. Every part of creation serves him and brings him praise by obeying him (Psalms 77:17–18; 104:4; 135:7; 147:8, 15–18; Numbers 11:31).
148:11–12
The psalmist calls all humans to offer praise to God, regardless of status, age, or gender.
148:13–14
Praise of the Lord by all people is right because he is glorious and has blessed his people (see Psalm 147:13; Isaiah 46:13; Ephesians 3:10).
His saint are God's trusting and devoted servants (Psalm 86:2).
Verse notes: Adapted by Mission Mutual (Aquifer Open Study Notes) from Tyndale Open Study Notes © 2023 Tyndale House Publishers. CC BY-SA 4.0. Section notes: Biblica Study Notes © 2023 Biblica, Inc. CC BY-SA 4.0, via BibleAquifer. About the sources