The Whole Creation Invoked to Praise the Lord.

148 [a]Praise [b]the Lord!
Praise the Lord (A)from the heavens;
Praise Him (B)in the heights!
Praise Him, (C)all His angels;
Praise Him, (D)all His heavenly armies!
Praise Him, sun and moon;
Praise Him, all stars of light!
Praise Him, [c](E)highest heavens,
And the (F)waters that are above the heavens!
They are to praise the name of the Lord,
For (G)He commanded and they were created.
He has also (H)established them forever and ever;
He has made a (I)decree, and it will not pass away.

Praise the Lord from the earth,
(J)Sea monsters, and all the ocean (K)depths;
(L)Fire and hail, (M)snow and (N)clouds;
(O)Stormy wind, (P)fulfilling His word;
(Q)Mountains and all hills;
Fruit (R)trees and all cedars;
10 (S)Animals and all cattle;
(T)Crawling things and winged fowl;
11 (U)Kings of the earth and all peoples;
Rulers and all judges of the earth;
12 Both young men and virgins;
Old men and children.

13 They are to praise the name of the Lord,
For His (V)name alone is exalted;
His (W)majesty is above earth and heaven.
14 And He has (X)lifted up a horn for His people,
(Y)Praise for all His godly ones,
For the sons of Israel, a people (Z)near to Him.
[d]Praise [e]the Lord!

Israel Invoked to Praise the Lord.

149 [f]Praise [g]the Lord!
Sing a (AA)new song to the Lord,
And His praise (AB)in the congregation of the godly ones.
Israel shall be joyful in (AC)his Maker;
The sons of Zion shall rejoice in their (AD)King.
They shall praise His name with (AE)dancing;
They shall sing praises to Him with (AF)tambourine and lyre.
For the Lord (AG)takes pleasure in His people;
He will (AH)glorify the lowly with salvation.

The (AI)godly ones shall be jubilant in glory;
They shall (AJ)sing for joy on their beds.
The (AK)high praises of God shall be in their [h]mouths,
And a (AL)two-edged (AM)sword in their hands,
To (AN)execute vengeance on the nations,
And punishment on the peoples,
To bind their kings (AO)with chains,
And their (AP)dignitaries with shackles of iron,
To (AQ)execute against them the judgment written.
This is an (AR)honor for all His godly ones.
[i]Praise [j]the Lord!

A Psalm of Praise.

150 [k]Praise [l]the Lord!
Praise God in His (AS)sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty [m](AT)expanse.
Praise Him for His (AU)mighty deeds;
Praise Him according to His excellent (AV)greatness.

Praise Him with (AW)trumpet sound;
Praise Him with (AX)harp and lyre.
Praise Him with (AY)tambourine and dancing;
Praise Him with (AZ)stringed instruments and (BA)flute.
Praise Him with loud (BB)cymbals;
Praise Him with resounding cymbals.
(BC)Everything that has breath shall praise [n]the Lord.
[o]Praise [p]the Lord!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 148:1 Or Hallelujah!
  2. Psalm 148:1 Heb Yah
  3. Psalm 148:4 Lit heavens of heavens
  4. Psalm 148:14 Or Hallelujah!
  5. Psalm 148:14 Heb Yah
  6. Psalm 149:1 Or Hallelujah!
  7. Psalm 149:1 Heb Yah
  8. Psalm 149:6 Lit throat
  9. Psalm 149:9 Or Hallelujah!
  10. Psalm 149:9 Heb Yah
  11. Psalm 150:1 Or Hallelujah!
  12. Psalm 150:1 Heb Yah
  13. Psalm 150:1 Or firmament; i.e., atmosphere and space
  14. Psalm 150:6 Heb Yah
  15. Psalm 150:6 Or Hallelujah!
  16. Psalm 150:6 Heb Yah

Psalm 148

Praise the Lord.[a](A)

Praise the Lord from the heavens;(B)
    praise him in the heights above.
Praise him, all his angels;(C)
    praise him, all his heavenly hosts.(D)
Praise him, sun(E) and moon;
    praise him, all you shining stars.
Praise him, you highest heavens(F)
    and you waters above the skies.(G)

Let them praise the name(H) of the Lord,
    for at his command(I) they were created,
and he established them for ever and ever—
    he issued a decree(J) that will never pass away.

Praise the Lord(K) from the earth,
    you great sea creatures(L) and all ocean depths,(M)
lightning and hail,(N) snow and clouds,
    stormy winds that do his bidding,(O)
you mountains and all hills,(P)
    fruit trees and all cedars,
10 wild animals(Q) and all cattle,
    small creatures and flying birds,
11 kings(R) of the earth and all nations,
    you princes and all rulers on earth,
12 young men and women,
    old men and children.

13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,(S)
    for his name alone is exalted;
    his splendor(T) is above the earth and the heavens.(U)
14 And he has raised up for his people a horn,[b](V)
    the praise(W) of all his faithful servants,(X)
    of Israel, the people close to his heart.(Y)

Praise the Lord.

Psalm 149

Praise the Lord.[c](Z)

Sing to the Lord a new song,(AA)
    his praise in the assembly(AB) of his faithful people.

Let Israel rejoice(AC) in their Maker;(AD)
    let the people of Zion be glad in their King.(AE)
Let them praise his name with dancing(AF)
    and make music to him with timbrel and harp.(AG)
For the Lord takes delight(AH) in his people;
    he crowns the humble with victory.(AI)
Let his faithful people rejoice(AJ) in this honor
    and sing for joy on their beds.(AK)

May the praise of God be in their mouths(AL)
    and a double-edged(AM) sword in their hands,(AN)
to inflict vengeance(AO) on the nations
    and punishment(AP) on the peoples,
to bind their kings with fetters,(AQ)
    their nobles with shackles of iron,(AR)
to carry out the sentence written against them—(AS)
    this is the glory of all his faithful people.(AT)

Praise the Lord.

Psalm 150

Praise the Lord.[d](AU)

Praise God in his sanctuary;(AV)
    praise him in his mighty heavens.(AW)
Praise him for his acts of power;(AX)
    praise him for his surpassing greatness.(AY)
Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,(AZ)
    praise him with the harp and lyre,(BA)
praise him with timbrel and dancing,(BB)
    praise him with the strings(BC) and pipe,(BD)
praise him with the clash of cymbals,(BE)
    praise him with resounding cymbals.

Let everything(BF) that has breath praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 148:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah; also in verse 14
  2. Psalm 148:14 Horn here symbolizes strength.
  3. Psalm 149:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah; also in verse 9
  4. Psalm 150:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah; also in verse 6