Psalm 148
The word praise is used thirteen times in these fourteen verses. The psalm begins in the highest heavens and ends with the little nation of Israel. If any psalm reveals the glory and grandeur of the worship of the Lord, it is this one, for it is cosmic in its dimensions and yet very personal in its intentions. How anyone could trivialize the privilege and responsibility of worship after pondering this psalm is difficult to understand.
The People of Israel Praise the Lord (v. 14) In Scripture, a "horn" is a symbol of power and dignity, a king or a kingdom. To "take away the horn" means to deprive a nation or person of authority and prestige (79:10; see also 89:17, 24; 132:17; Ezek. 29:21). When the Lord brought His people back from exile in Babylon, He "raised up a horn" for them. This cannot refer to a king, for David's dynasty had ended with the capture of Zedekiah, and the returned remnant had no king. But they did have a nation, a temple, and a priesthood, and they had preserved the sacred Word that the Lord had given them through their prophets (147:19–20). But Luke 1:69 gives us the right to apply this image to Jesus Christ, the Son of David, for He is the only person qualified to sit on David's throne (Luke 1:30–33). "Salvation is of the Jews" (John 4:22), and
The Heavens Praise the Lord (vv. 1–6) We do not praise a god who was manufactured on earth; we praise the one true and living God who reigns from the highest heavens, the God who created all things. Solomon was right when he said, "Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You" (1 Kings 8:27 nkjv; see Deut. 10:14; Neh. 9:6; 2 Cor. 12:2). The "hosts [armies] of heaven" include the angels (103:20–21) and the stars and planets (Deut. 4:19), all of which praise the Lord. He is "Lord Sabaoth—the Lord of Hosts" (Rom. 9:29; Isa. 1:9; James 5:4). Scripture gives us a few descriptions of worship in heaven (Isa. 6; Dan. 7:9–10; Rev. 5:11–14), and we are cautioned not to worship the angels (Col. 2:18; Rev. 22:8–9). The sun, moon, and stars also
Psalm 148—149
The church today can join with Israel in saying, "God is our Maker and our King" (95:6; 100:3; 10:16; 24:7–10; Eph. 2:10; Rev. 15:3; 19:16). How He has made us is His gift to us, and what we do with it is our gift to Him. We must remind ourselves that we came from the dust, but because of God's grace, we are destined for glory! "Soon and very soon / We're going to see the King."
the Jews are a people who are still dear to the Lord (Ex. 19:6; Num. 16:5; Deut. 4:1–8). If you read this psalm again with Jesus in mind, you can see how much greater He is than anything or anyone mentioned, for He is the Creator of all things (John 1:1–3; Col. 1:16–17). He is Captain of the hosts of the Lord (Josh. 5:14), the Sun of Righteousness (Mal. 4:2; Luke 1:78), and the Morning Star (Rev. 22:16). When ministering here on earth, He demonstrated power over storms (Matt. 8:23–27; 14:23–33), trees (Matt. 21:18–22), and wild and domestic animals (Mark 1:13; 11:1–3). He is far above the angels (Heb. 1; Eph. 1:18–23; 3:10–11). He revealed the Father's name (John 17:6) and glorified that name in all He was, said, or did (John 1:14; 2:11; 11:4, 40; 12:28; 14:13; 17:4). In all things, Jesus Christ has the preeminence (Col. 1:18).
Worship the Lord Fervently (vv. 3–4) A very expressive people, the Jews used musical instruments, songs, and dances in their worship of the Lord. The dances, of course, were not modern ballroom or club dances but rather interpretive dances that pointed to the Lord and not some person's talent (see Ex. 15:20; Judg. 11:34; 1 Sam. 18:6; Jer. 31:4). We find no evidence that the New Testament church patterned its worship after the Jewish temple. Their pattern seems to have been the local synagogue worship, with its emphasis on prayer, the reading of the Word, exposition and exhortation, and singing hymns. However, spiritual fervency must not be confused with fleshly enthusiasm. There are false worshipers as well as true worshippers (John 4:22–24; Col. 2:16–23), and some people who think they are filled with the Spirit are really being fooled by the spirits. Bringing false fire into the sanctuary can lead to death (Lev. 10:1–11). Our purpose is not to please ourselves or to demonstrate how "spiritual" we are. Our purpose is to delight the Lord (147:11), and humility is one virtue that brings Him great joy (Isa. 66:1–2). The Lord gives spiritual beauty to those whose worship brings Him delight. Worship ought to be beautiful, for we are beholding the beauty of the Lord (27:4; 29:2; 90:17; 96:9) and becoming more like the Lord (2 Cor. 3:18). Worship must focus on God, not on us, and it must be enrichment, not entertainment. The experience of true worship can help us experience deliverance from the bondage of sin and the world.