Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 148

Praise ye the Lord — See the notes at Psalms 146:1.

Praise ye the Lord from the heavens — On the part of the heavens. Let those who dwell in heaven begin the song.

Praise him in the heights — All that are in the heights; that is, in the highest parts of the universe, or the heavens.

Praise ye him, all his angels - Dwelling in the heavens. Compare the notes at (Psalms 103:20).

Praise ye him, all his hosts - See the notes at (Psalms 103:21) and the notes at (Isaiah 1:9). All his armies - referring to the angels considered as marshalled into hosts, of which God is the Head and Leader.

Praise ye him, sun and moon – The most conspicuous and glorious objects in the heavens, as apparent to the eyes of people.

Praise him, all ye stars of light – A poetical expression to denote bright or shining stars. The phrase embraces all the stars as they strike the eyes of people. Each one has something special to it for which to praise God: and the entire groups – the immense multitudes, as such – should join in one chorus of praise.

Praise him, ye heavens of heavens - Referring to the idea that there is one heaven rising above another. See the notes at Psalms 68:33. See 1 Kings 8:27: “Behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee.” Compare 2 Chronicles 2:6.

And ye waters that be above the heavens -Genesis 1:7: “And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament.” The allusion here is to the waters which seem to be above the lower heaven, that is, the air, and which seem to come from some higher region - some higher heaven. See the notes at Psalms 104:3: “Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters.”

Let them praise the name of the Lord - That is, Let them praise Yahweh himself - the name being often put for the person or thing referred to.

For he commanded, and they were created - He showed his great power by merely speaking, and they came at once into being. Compare [Psalms 33:6], note; [Psalms 33:9], note.