Psalms 148:1–6
The whole cosmos, from angels to sun and moon, is invited to praise
Study it word by word1Praise Yah. Praise YHWH from the heavens; praise him in the heights.
2Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his armies.
3Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all stars of light.
4Praise him, heavens of the heavens, and the waters that are above the heavens.
5Let them praise the name of YHWH, for he commanded, and they were created.
6And he established them forever and ever; he gave a statute, and it will not pass away.
In its context
…
7Praise YHWH from the earth, sea monsters and all deeps,
8fire and hail, snow and smoke, stormy wind doing his word,
Its words in the original
- הַלְלוּhallu· praise; boast
Praise, extol. "Hallelujah" comes from this verb. In other forms, boast; also act like a madman.
- יָהּyah· Yah
Yah: the short form of the name YHWH. It is the form found in "Hallelujah" ("praise Yah").
- יְהוָהyehva· YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
- שָּׁמַיִםshamayim· heavens, sky
The heavens: what is above, where the clouds, the sun and the stars are seen; also the dwelling of God. In Hebrew it is always plural. With birds, "the sky".
- מְּרוֹמִיםmeromim· height
Height, a high place. Also used for "on high," the heights of heaven.
- מַלְאָכָיmalachay· messenger, angel
Messenger: someone sent with a task. It can be a human being or one sent by God, that is, an angel. "The angel of YHWH" is a messenger who speaks in God's name, and in several passages the text treats him as God himself (Genesis 16:13; Exodus 3:2-6).
- צְבָאָיtsevaay· host, army
A great ordered company, like an army. "All their host" is everything that fills the heavens and the earth: the stars and the created beings. From this word comes the title "YHWH of hosts" (YHWH Tsevaot).
- שֶׁמֶשׁshemesh· sun
Sun.
- יָרֵחַyareach· moon
Moon.
- כּוֹכְבֵיkochve· star
Star.
- אוֹרor· light
Light: daylight, the light of a lamp or of the heavenly bodies. Figuratively, life, joy or well-being.
- מַּיִםmayim· water
Water. In Hebrew it is always plural ("waters").
- שֵׁםshem· name
Name. In the Bible a name says who someone is; so it also means fame, renown or reputation.
- צִוָּהtsiva· command
Command, give an order; give charge to someone.
- נִבְרָאוּnivrau· create
Create: make something new exist. In its basic form this verb is used in the Hebrew Bible only when God is the one acting. In other forms it means "clear, cut down" (a forest) or "fatten".
- יַּעֲמִידֵyaamide· stand
Stand; stay, remain, endure. "Stand before" someone is to serve him or be in his presence. In another form of the verb, set up, place, appoint.
- עַדad· forever
Forever, without end.
- עוֹלָםolam· forever, eternal
A very long time whose end cannot be seen: looking forward, "forever"; looking back, "of old", "ancient".
- חָקchak· statute, allotted portion
What is fixed: an allotted portion, a rule, a statute; a limit.
- נָתַןnatan· give, put, set
Give, in a very wide sense: hand over, put, place, grant, allow, make something be.
- יַעֲבוֹרyaavor· pass, cross over
Pass by, pass through, cross over; also go beyond, transgress (a command). In the causative form, make pass, bring across, take away.