Psalm 148 (NRSV)
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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
Praise the Lord! There is a cadence and percussiveness in the Psalmist's voice that causes us to take notice. This is not a subtle invitation or a quiet request. Rather, this Praise of God is a rhythm into which all of creation is drawn.
Frequently we may think of praise as an event, as one thing among many that we choose to do within our ever-cramped schedule.
It is not so for the Psalmist. Here praise is something that is ceaseless. When we are silent, the sun and moon sing their praises. When our lips are closed, the branches of fruit trees dance to melodies of God's goodness. Here praise is not an activity among others, but a melody that pervades everything. When we praise God, we discover that our voices find their place within the rhythm of all God's creation. Praise the Lord!
Prayer
O God you have made us to sing your praises! Help praises to be always in our hearts and on our tongues! Amen.