Henry Ainsworth on Psalms 148

PSAL. CXLVIII.

Halelu-jah.

PRaise yee Iehovah from the heavens, praise yee him in the high places. Praise ye him all his Angels, praise yee him all his hosts. Praise yee him Sunne and Moone, praise ye him all starres of light. Praise yee him heavens of heavens, and the waters that be above the heavens. Let them praise the name of Iehovah, for he commanded, and they were created. And hee stablished them for aye for ever; a statute hee gave, and it shall not passe. Praise ye Iehovah from the earth, Dragons, and all deepes.

Fire and haile, snow and vapour, stormie wind, doing his word. Mountaines and all hils, fruitfull tree and all cedars. The wilde beast and all cattell, creeping thing and fethered fowle. Kings of the earth and all peoples, Princes and all Iudges of the earth.

Young men and also maidens, old men with children. Let them praise the name of Iehovah, for high advanced is his Name, even his alone; his glorious Majestie is above earth and heavens. And hee hath exalted the horne of his people, the praise of all his gracious Saints, the sonnes of Israel, a people neare him; Halelu-jah.

Annotations. FRom the heavens] ye heavenly creatures; as the Chaldee, yee holy creatures of heaven: so after, from the earth, vers. 7. is earthly creatures. Compare Rev. 5. 13. in the high places] which the Chaldee expoundeth, high Angels. Vers. 3. starres of light] bright shining starres, which praised God together, Iob 38. 7. Vers. 4. above the heavens] in the clouds of the aire, Gen. 1. 7. Job 26. 8. and 37. 11. Vers. 6. stablished] or, made them stand, Psalm. 119. 91. a statute] that is, statutes or decrees, rules, ordinances, whereby every creature is bounded to his set time and place, as Job 14. 5, 13. and 26. 10. whereupon mention is made of the statutes or ordinances of heaven, of the Moone and starres, &c. Iob 38. 33. Ier. 31. 35. and 33. 25. it shall not passe] that is, not any of the things fore-mentioned shall passe the statute (or bound) set of God; or it, the statute shall not passe away, or faile, or, not be altered; as Esth. 1. 10. and 9. 27. 28. Vers. 7. dragons] or whale-fishes. Vers. 8. vapour] or smoake, exhalation, dampe. As these and all other creatures are here stirred up to praise the Lord; so for our sakes are these things written, that we should learne by them to praise the Creator. And it is a rule in the Hebrew Canons, that for winds when they blow tempestuously, and for lightning & thunder, &c. for lights in the aire which seeme to be starres that fall, or runne from place to place, or blazing stars, comets, &c. when a man seeth any of these, hee is to blesse God who hath filled the world with his power and might. Also, he that seeth the beautifull creatures, as going out into the fields or gardens in the spring time, seeth the trees sprouting and blossoming, he is to blesse God, who hath not let his world lacke any thing, but hath created in it goodly creatures and saire trees. &c. for the use of the sons of Adam. So, for mountaines and hills, seas and desarts, rivers, &c. if he see any of them from three daies to three daies, he is to blesse the Creater of the world. Maimony in Misneh, in Beracoth, chap. 10. sect. 14. 13. 15. Vers. 10. fethered fowle] or winged bird: Hebr. bird of wing. Vers. 13. high advanced] or set on high: so Esay 12. 4. It is a strong tower, into which the righteous runneth, and is also set on high in safety, Prov. 18. 10. Vers. 14. the horne] the power and glory, as the Chaldee saith, the glory of the kingdome of his people: see Psal. 75. 10. This is accomplished in Christ, the horne of salvation, Luk. 1. 69. the praise] understand, which is the praise of his Saints, that is, their glory, or an argument of praise to them. neare him] Gods people are said to be neare unto him, in respect of his covenāt with them in Christ, Ephes. 2. 13. their service of him, Levit. 10. 3. and spirituall alliance in Christ, Ioh. 20. 17. 1 Joh. 3. 1. For this word, nigh, is used for kindred, Lev. 21 3. Christ draweth neare unto God for them, Jer. 30. 21. and they by him, Heb. 10. 19. 22.