The psalmist exhorts the celestial, 1-6, the terrestrial, 7-10, and the rational creatures to praise God, 11-14.
1 Praise the LORD./
Praise the LORD from the heavens./
Praise him in the heights.
2 Praise him, all his angels./
Praise him, all his hosts.
3 Praise him, sun and moon./
Praise him, all you stars of light.
4 Praise him, you heavens of heavens/
and you waters that are above the heavens.
5 Let them praise the name of the LORD,/
for he commanded and they were created.
6 He has also established them forever and ever./
He has made a decree which shall not pass.
7 Praise the LORD from the earth,/
you dragons and all deeps,
8 Fire and hail, snow and vapors,/
stormy wind fulfilling his word,
9 Mountains and all hills,/
fruitful trees and all cedars,
10 Beasts and all cattle,/
creeping animals and flying birds,
11 Kings of the earth and all people,/
princes and all judges of the earth,
12 Both young men and virgins,/
old men and children.
13 Let them praise the name of the LORD,/
for his name alone is excellent./
His glory is above the earth and heaven.
14 He also exalts the horn of his people,/
the praise of all his saints,/
even of the children of Israel, a people near to him./
Praise the LORD.
Matthew Henry Commentary - Psalms, Chapter 148[➚]
John Calvin's Chapter Summary:
The more effectually to express how worthy God is to be praised in his works, he calls upon all creatures from above and below to sing his praises. He begins with angels, but immediately proceeds to address the brute creation and dumb elements, intimating, that there is no part of the world in which the praises of God are not to be heard, inasmuch as he everywhere gives proof of his power, goodness, and wisdom. He then comes to speak of men, whom God has constituted the proper heralds of his praises in this world. But as the unbelieving portion of them is both blind to the consideration of God's works, and dumb to his praises, the Psalmist at the close appeals to the children of Israel, who were privileged with a special discovery of God, as principal witnesses.