Psalms 148:1-14: a reflection

1Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the heavens! Praise him in the heights! 2Praise him, all his angels! Praise him, all his army! 3Praise him, sun and moon! Praise him, all you shining stars! 4Praise him, you heavens of heavens, you waters that are above the heavens. 5Let them praise the LORD’s name, for he commanded, and they were created. 6He has also established them forever and ever. He has made a decree which will not pass away. 7Praise the LORD from the earth, you great sea creatures, and all depths, 8lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy wind, fulfilling his word, 9mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars, 10wild animals and all livestock, small creatures and flying birds, 11kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all judges of the earth, 12both young men and maidens, old men and children. 13Let them praise the LORD’s name, for his name alone is exalted. His glory is above the earth and the heavens. 14He has lifted up the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints, even of the children of Israel, a people near to him. Praise the LORD!

This psalm summons the whole of creation to praise the LORD: angels and heavenly hosts, sun and moon and stars, sea creatures and weather, mountains and trees, animals, and people of every kind. Praise the LORD from the heavens, the psalm begins; praise him, all his angels, sun and moon and shining stars. And from the earth: great sea creatures, weather, mountains and trees, wild animals, kings and peoples, young and old, all are summoned to praise. From the highest heavens to the depths of the sea, from the greatest to the smallest, the whole creation is called to praise the LORD, whose name alone is exalted and whose glory is above earth and heaven. This shows the whole creation summoned to praise the LORD, and our place in that chorus. Join the whole creation in praising the LORD. All things, from the heavens to the earth, are called to praise God. God's name alone is exalted; his glory is above earth and heaven. Take your place in creation's chorus of praise.

Notice the sweep of this summons to praise. It reaches to the highest heavens: the angels, the heavenly hosts, sun and moon and stars. It reaches to the earth in all its variety: sea creatures and depths, lightning and hail, snow and clouds and wind, mountains and hills, fruit trees and cedars, wild animals and livestock, birds. And it reaches to people of every kind: kings and peoples, princes and judges, young men and maidens, old men and children. From the highest to the lowest, the greatest to the smallest, the whole creation is summoned to praise the LORD, for his name alone is exalted and his glory is above earth and heaven. This sets our own praise in a grand context. We are not alone in praising God; we join a chorus that includes all creation, from the angels in heaven to the creatures of the sea, from the stars to the smallest bird, all praising the LORD who made them. And we have our own place in this chorus: as people, young and old, great and small, we too are summoned to praise the God whose glory fills heaven and earth. To praise God is to join the whole creation in its proper response to its Maker. We do well to take our place in creation's chorus of praise, joining all things in praising the LORD, whose name alone is exalted. Join the whole creation in praising the LORD who made all things. From the heavens to the earth, all things are summoned to praise God. Take your own place in creation's chorus of praise. Praise the God whose glory fills heaven and earth.

That is worth taking to heart, for the whole creation is summoned to praise the LORD, and we have our own place in that chorus, as this psalm calls all things to praise. We can think of praise as a small or solitary thing; but this psalm summons all creation, from the angels to the sea creatures, from the stars to the smallest bird, to praise the LORD. Join the chorus. Take your place among all created things in praising the LORD who made them, whose name alone is exalted and whose glory fills heaven and earth. Take your place in the whole creation's chorus of praise, joining all things from the heavens to the earth in praising the LORD whose name alone is exalted, as this psalm summons the whole of creation to praise God, the angels and heavenly hosts, the sun and moon and stars, the sea creatures and weather, the mountains and trees, the animals, and people of every kind, calling praise from the highest heavens to the depths of the sea and from the greatest to the smallest; for from the angels and heavenly hosts to the great sea creatures, from the sun and stars to the smallest bird, and from kings and peoples to young and old, the whole creation is called to praise the LORD whose name alone is exalted and whose glory is above earth and heaven, which sets our own praise in a grand context, since we are not alone in praising God but join a chorus that includes all creation, and we have our own place in it, for as people young and old, great and small, we too are summoned to praise the God whose glory fills heaven and earth, so that to praise God is to join the whole creation in its proper response to its Maker, and we do well to take our place in creation's chorus of praise.

Lord, this psalm summons the whole of creation to praise you: angels and heavenly hosts, sun and moon and stars, sea creatures and weather, mountains and trees, animals, and people of every kind. Praise the LORD from the heavens, the psalm begins; praise him, all his angels, sun and moon and shining stars. And from the earth: great sea creatures, weather, mountains and trees, wild animals, kings and peoples, young and old, all are summoned to praise. From the highest heavens to the depths of the sea, from the greatest to the smallest, the whole creation is called to praise you, whose name alone is exalted and whose glory is above earth and heaven. Show me the sweep of this summons to praise. It reaches to the highest heavens: the angels, the heavenly hosts, sun and moon and stars. It reaches to the earth in all its variety: sea creatures and depths, weather, mountains and hills, trees, wild animals, birds. And it reaches to people of every kind: kings and peoples, young and old. From the highest to the lowest, the greatest to the smallest, the whole creation is summoned to praise you, for your name alone is exalted and your glory is above earth and heaven. This sets my own praise in a grand context. I am not alone in praising you; I join a chorus that includes all creation, from the angels in heaven to the creatures of the sea, from the stars to the smallest bird, all praising you who made them. And I have my own place in this chorus: as one of your people, I too am summoned to praise the God whose glory fills heaven and earth. To praise you is to join the whole creation in its proper response to its Maker. Take that to my heart. Help me take my place in creation's chorus of praise, Lord, joining all things from the heavens to the earth in praising you who made them, whose name alone is exalted and whose glory fills heaven and earth.