John Calvin Commentary Psalms 148:14

"And he hath lifted up the horn of his people, The praise of all his saints; Even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye Jehovah." — Psalms 148:14 (ASV)

And has exalted the horn, etc. As we saw in the previous Psalm, that the perfections of God are to be seen more clearly in the Church than in the order of the world at large, the Psalmist has added this sentence, stating that the Church is protected by the divine hand and armed with a power against all enemies, which secures its safety in every danger.

By the horn, as is well known, strength or dignity is signified. Accordingly, the Psalmist means that God’s blessing is apparent in His Church and among His chosen people, because it flourishes and is powerful only through His strength. An implicit comparison is made between the Church of God and other hostile powers, for it needs divine guardianship, being exposed to attack on all sides.

Therefore, the Psalmist infers that praise belongs to all the merciful ones of God, for they have grounds given them in the unique goodness of His condescension for both self-congratulation and praise. In calling the children of Israel a people near to God, he reminds them of the gracious covenant that God made with Abraham. For how did this nearness come about, except through God preferring an unknown, despised stranger to all nations? Nor should we seek the cause of this distinction other than in the mere love of God. Though all the world equally belongs to God, He graciously revealed Himself to the children of Israel and brought them near to Him—though they were strangers from God, just as the whole race of Adam is. Hence the words of Moses—

When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, and distributed the peoples, he stretched forth his line to Jacob (Deuteronomy 32:8).

He is to be considered, therefore, as pointing out the cause why God has extended such remarkable blessings to a single people, and a people poor and despised—namely, His adoption of them to Himself.