Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Psalms · Psalm 148
PSALM CXLVIII.
Verſ. 1. PRaiſe ye the Lord from the heavens, &c.] In ſtirring up all the creatures to praiſe God, (the drift whereof is only to ſhew, that Gods tranſcendent excellencies are clearly diſcovered in them all) firſt he begins with thoſe in the heavens, (which in the following verſes are particularly mentioned) and that becauſe being exalted in place above others; it was fit that they ſhould, as it were, begin to others; & then afterwards he ſtirs up all the ſublunary creatures verſ. 7. Praiſe the Lord from the earth, &c. So that Praiſe ye the Lord from the heavens is all one as if he had ſaid, Praiſe ye the Lord all ye creatures in the heavens; or, Praiſe the Lord ſo that your praiſe may be heard from thence.
Verſ. 2. Praiſe ye him all his angels, &c.] See the Notes Pſal. 103.20, 21.
Verſ. 4. Praiſe him ye heavens of heavens, &c.] That is, ſay ſome Expoſitours, the higheſt heaven, for which ſee the Note Deut. 10.14: but according to our tranſlation, where it is not as in Deut. 10.14. & 1 Kings 8.27. the heaven of heavens, but, ye heavens of heavens, I conceive that hereby is meant all the ſeverall orbs of the heavens: and ye waters that be above the heavens; ſee the Note Gen. 1.6.
Verſ. 6. He hath alſo ſtablished them for ever and ever, &c.] That is, He hath created the heavens, & the angels therein, yea & all the heavenly bodies before-mentioned, to continue unto the end of the world, yea unto all eternity; to wit, in that he hath created them of an incorruptible ſubſtance, or in that he hath decreed that they ſhall continue for ever, & doth accordingly uphold and preſerve them by the ſame word of his power, whereby they were created (whereas otherwiſe they would vaniſh to nothing, as well as other creatures;) whence it is that they continue unchangeably the ſame as they were in the firſt creation, and do herein differ from many of the ſublunary creatures, that decay and die, and then others ſpring up in their room. But now how this may be reconciled with other places, where it is ſaid that the heavens ſhall periſh & be no more, ſee in the Notes Job 14.12. and Pſal. 102.26. He hath made a decree; to wit, that they ſhall continue incorruptible, or rather concerning their ſeverall ſituations, motions, operations and influences: which shall not paſſe; that is, which ſhall never be abrogated, nor ſhall ever ceaſe, but ſhall be obſerved by an unchangeable order; ſee Matth. 24.35.
Verſ. 7. Praiſe the Lord from the earth, &c.] See the Note above verſ. 1: ye dragons; whereby may be meant all thoſe huge formidable creatures which live in caves of the earth, but eſpecially ſuch as live in the ſea, as whales, &c. ſee the Note Pſal. 74.13: & therefore is that which follows added, & all deeps, to wit, with all things contained therein. But ſee the Note Pſal. 135.6.
Verſ. 8. Fire and hail, &c.] By fire here is, at leaſt eſpecially, meant lightnings, which are frequently ſeen in ſtorms of hail, & all other fiery meteors in the air: ſnow & vapour, ſtormy wind fulfilling his word; to wit, all exhalations, cold & hot; which are all here numbred with the earth, becauſe they riſe originally from the earth, and their force is chiefly felt here.
Verſ. 11. Kings of the earth, and all people, &c.] Man is here mentioned laſt, becauſe he was laſt created: but amongſt the ſons of men kings are firſt named, (as before the angels were firſt named amongſt all the creatures in heaven, & the ſun amongſt all the heavenly lights) becauſe they, in regard of their dignity, were moſt engaged to doe this, & yet were hardlieſt wonne thereto; whence it is alſo that ſuch great ones are again and again urged to it in the following words, princes and all judges of the earth.
Verſ. 13. His glory is above the earth and heaven.] See the Note Pſal. 8.1.
Verſ. 14. He alſo exalteth the horn of his people, &c.] See the Note 1 Sam. 2.1, 10▪ 2 Sam. 22.3. and Pſal. 89.24: the praiſe of all his ſaints; that is, and this that God doeth for them is indeed the glory of his people, and yields them continuall matter of praiſing God: even of the children of Iſrael, a people near unto him; to wit, in regard of their near relation to him, as being by covenant his peculiar people, yea their ſpirituall alliance in Chriſt, Joh. 20.17; as alſo in regard of Gods familiar revealing himſelf to them, and their drawing nigh to God in all the duties of his worſhip and ſervice: ſee Eph. 2.13. and Heb. 10.19, 22.