PSALM 148 - Praise for God’s Universal Glory

PSALM 148 - Praise for God’s Universal Glory
First Sunday after Christmas
27^th December 2020

This is one of those psalms that are full of joy and bliss. Somehow the people gather to sing praises to the Lord. There are no crises hanging over the people. God has been merciful. The psalm joins all creation in a song of praise. The glorification of the Creator and Preserver of the world fulfils the ultimate depth of meaning which unites the inanimate created things and the living creatures in a mutual relationship; to praise the sole majesty of God is the final goal which unites the whole universe in a communion of God’s service.

1          Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
praise him in the heights!

2          Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his host!

3          Praise him, sun and moon;
praise him, all you shining stars!

4          Praise him, you highest heavens,
and you waters above the heavens!

5          Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for he commanded and they were created.

6          He established them forever and ever;
he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed.

The song of praise sung by the heavens opens in the heights the grand symphony which the world created by God sings to the praise of its Maker. This has echoes of the song attributed to St Francis of Assisi, ‘Brother Sun, Sister Moon’.

7          Praise the Lord from the earth,
you sea monsters and all deeps,

8          fire and hail, snow and frost,
stormy wind fulfilling his command!

9          Mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars!

10        Wild animals and all cattle,
creeping things and flying birds!

This part talk of the worship offered by both heavens and the earth (and even sea monsters or dragons that were part of ancient creation myths) form part of this choir of praise to the creator. Verse 8 mentions ‘fire and hail.....stormy winds’ all part of a visit from God in person. Remember Elijah in the mountain, who had a vision of God with all these attributes around him.

11        Kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all rulers of the earth!

12        Young men and women alike,
old and young together!

13        Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted;
his glory is above earth and heaven.

In this third section where the call to sing the praise of God form the conclusion, the poet turns to humankind, in particular to the rulers of the world of nations and to the whole cult community, comprising all age groups

14        He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all his faithful,
for the people of Israel who are close to him.
Praise the Lord!

Belief in salvation is the whole culmination of the poem and that is of crucial importance to the whole world. For it points at the same time beyond itself to the consummation of salvation which the angel host proclaimed from heaven to all the world at the first Christmas as the Good News of the birth of a Saviour.

Thank you Fr Graham Alston for your weekly commentary on the psalms.