What does Psalm 148:4 mean?
ESV: Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens!
NIV: Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies.
NASB: Praise Him, highest heavens, And the waters that are above the heavens!
CSB: Praise him, highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens.
NLT: Praise him, skies above! Praise him, vapors high above the clouds!
KJV: Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens.
NKJV: Praise Him, you heavens of heavens, And you waters above the heavens!
Verse Commentary:
Please see our chapter commentary on Psalm 148; verse-level content coming soon!
Verse Context:
Psalm 148:1–6 calls on all created beings and everything in the sky and above it to praise the Lord. They have good reason to praise God because He created and established them by divine decree.
Chapter Summary:
The psalmist calls on all of creation to worship and honor the Lord God. From heaven, angels should give Him praise. The stars, moon, sun, and planets should do the same. Every climate and terrain of earth, as well as every type of creature, should worship Him. People of all nations—including rulers, young, and old—are called to praise. Besides all this, the Lord is worthy of praise from His chosen people.
Chapter Context:
The final five psalms in this book (Psalms 146—150) all begin and end with the Hebrew phrase halelu-yāh. This literally means "praise the Lord!" and is typically written in English as "hallelujah!" The song echoes other psalms' references to God as the Creator (Psalm 19:1; 90:2; 95:4–5) and Savior (Psalm 3:8; 25:5; 119:123). Other Scriptures use the idea of unliving objects praising the Lord to make various points (Habakkuk 2:11; Luke 19:37–40).
Book Summary:
The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.
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