Psalm 148 (NRSV)
Read Psalm 148 on biblegateway.com
Verse 1Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights!
Verse 2Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his host!
Verse 3Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars!
Verse 4Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens!
Verse 5Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded and they were created.
Verse 6He established them forever and ever; he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed.
Verse 7Praise the Lord from the earth, you sea monsters and all deeps,
Verse 8fire and hail, snow and frost, stormy wind fulfilling his command!
Verse 9Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars!
Verse 10Wild animals and all cattle, creeping things and flying birds!
Verse 11Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth!
Verse 12Young men and women alike, old and young together!
Verse 13Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his glory is above earth and heaven.
Verse 14He 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!
Devotion
“Dad, why did God make mosquitoes?” my then seven-year-old asked, genuinely confused. “Ummm…” as I thumb through my Bible. “Ahhh, yes, so says Psalm 148, so they can praise the Lord?” While Psalm 148 may not directly answer this pesky question, it makes clear that the God of Israel (v.14) is creator of all that is, creation continues to fulfill God’s commands (v.7-8), and the Lord must be praised by all creation. The “why” for this praise is easy to miss: because the Lord’s “name alone is exalted.” (v.13) While also easy to miss, the psalmist reminds us that the Lord and Creator of celestial bodies and annoying mosquitos and mighty cedars and, yes, us mere humans isn’t far away and unknowable. We, like the people of Israel, “are close” to the Lord.” (v.14) Praise, then, turns us from ourselves, returns us to the LORD who longs to be close to us, and compels us to proclaim this good news.
Prayer
God our Creator, as we join with the angels and stars and buzzing insects and monsters of the deep in praising your name, humble us with your expansive yet knowable love that seeks to draw us and all that is into one with you. Amen.
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