Psalm 148: Lessons For Praising Jesus as the Perfect Creator

Introduction: Psalm 148 is the middle point of the final five psalms where each begins and ends with a praise for Yahweh (Ps. 146-150). It is also the last of five creation psalms (Ps. 8, 19, 65, 104, 148). Here, “Israel, rejoicing in the restoration of its national existence, calls heaven and earth to join in a diapason of praise … The Psalm implies the significance of Israel’s history for the history of the world, and, in view of the unity of all being, for the history of the universe. It should be read in connection with Romans 8:19 ff.; Revelation 5:13.” (Alexander Francis Kirkpatrick, Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges, Ps. 148).1 The ordering of the creatures summoned to praise also tracks the order in which God created them (Gen. 1). The praise also foreshadows the eternal, heavenly praise for Jesus Christ, the Perfect Creator. “All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him not even one thing came into being that has come into being.” (Jo. 1:3). “for by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him.” (Col. 1:16). “in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom He also made the world.” (Heb. 1:2). Here, the Bible reveals many reasons for you to praise Jesus as the Creator. He is: (1) the Creator of all in heaven, (2) the Creator of the universe, (3) the eternal Creator, (4) the faithful Creator, (5) the sovereign Creator, (6) the majestic Creator, and (7) the loving Creator.

First, the psalmist summoned the angels five times to praise the Creator. You can praise Jesus, as part of the Triune God, for creating heaven and the angels. He offers to share His perfect paradise, and His angels protect you. Second, the psalmist next summoned the universe to praise the Creator. You can praise Jesus for creating the perfect life-habitable universe. Third, the psalmist called upon all creation to praise the Creator for creating a universe that does not change. You can praise Jesus because He is eternal, and He set the never-changing rules of physics that allows for life to exist. Fourth, the psalmist next summoned the Earth and all the plant and animal life within it to praise the Creator for being faithful in fulfilling His Word. Because Jesus had the power to create the perfect Earth, you can trust Him to keep His Word. Fifth, the psalmist then summoned all peoples of every rank and nation to praise their Creator. You can praise Jesus because He is the sovereign Creator and King of Kings who treats all fairly regardless of their status or nationality. Sixth, the psalmist then summed all to praise the Creator for His glory. You can also praise Jesus for creating a way to share His eternal Shekinah Glory with you. Finally, the psalmist concluded by urging all to praise the Creator for lifting “a horn for His people” to allow “all His godly ones” to be “near to Him.” (Ps. 148:14). Jesus is the horn of your salvation. Out of love, He created a way for you to dwell with Him for eternity.

1. The Creator of Heaven: Praise Jesus for Creating Heaven to Share With You and the Angels to Protect You. Ps. 148:1-2.

  • Praise the Triune God for creating heaven and the angels. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and most likely in reference to the Triune God, the psalmist called upon all the angels five times to praise Yahweh for creating heaven and all the angelic beings. “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 heavenly armies!” (Ps. 148:1-2). “The song is one and indivisible. It seems almost impossible to expound it in detail, for a living poem is not to be dissected verse by verse. It is a song of nature and of grace. As a flash of lightning flames through space, and enwraps both heaven and earth in one vestment of glory, so doth the adoration of the Lord in this Psalm light up all the universe, and cause it to glow with a radiance of praise. The song begins in the heavens, sweeps downward to dragons and all deeps, and then ascends again, till the people near unto Jehovah take up the strain. For its exposition, the chief requisite is a heart on fire with reverent love to the Lord over all, who is to be blessed forever.” (Charles Spurgeon on Ps. 148).2

  • In heaven, the angels are constantly singing praises to Jesus. God created the heavens and the angels. “You alone are the LORD. You have made the heavens, the heaven of heavens with all their lights, the earth and everything that is on it, the seas and everything that is in them. You give life to all of them, and the heavenly lights bow down before You.” (Neh. 9:6). Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the psalmist described the heavenly praise for Jesus that will take place in heaven for all eternity. “Then I looked, and I heard the voices of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, ‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered to receive power, wealth, wisdom, might, honor, glory, and blessing.’ And I heard every created thing which is in heaven, or on the earth, or under the earth, or on the sea, and all the things in them, saying, ‘To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be the blessing, the honor, the glory, and the dominion forever and ever.”’ (Rev. 5:11-13; Rev. 4:7-9). “And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, ‘Amen, blessing, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, power, and might belong to our God forever and ever. Amen.”’ (Rev. 7:11-12). “After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Hallelujah! Salvation, glory, and power belong to our God,” (Rev. 19:1). “And when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says, ‘And let all the angels of God worship Him.”’ (Heb. 1:6; Ps. 97:7).

  • Praise Jesus for creating heaven and the angels. You can praise Jesus for creating heaven. Words cannot describe the incredible paradise that He has prepared for all who believe (1 Cor. 2:9). You can also praise Him for the angels because they are His messengers, and they protect you. Indeed, He can summon an army of angels at any time to defeat any force that Satan may throw against you “The chariots of God are myriads, thousands upon thousands; the Lord is among them as at Sinai, in holiness.” (Ps. 68:17; Matt. 26:53; Gen. 32:1-2; Zech. 14:5). They can also create a hedge of protection around you. “Then Elisha prayed and said, ‘LORD, please, open his eyes so that he may see.’ And the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” (2 Kgs. 6:17). Thus, you should never fear Satan when you are serving Jesus: ‘“Be strong and courageous, do not fear or be dismayed because of the king of Assyria nor because of all the horde that is with him; for the one with us is greater than the one with him. With him is only an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.’ And the people relied on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.” (2 Chr. 32:7-8; Dt. 20:1). You therefore have many reasons to thank and praise Jesus for creating heaven and the angels.

2. The Creator of the Universe: Praise Jesus for Creating the Perfect Life-Habitable Universe for All Life to Exist. Ps. 148:3-5.

  • Praise Jesus for creating a universe where life can exist. The psalmist next called upon the entire universe to bear witness to its Creator. “3 Praise Him, sun and moon; praise Him, all stars of light! 4 Praise Him, highest heavens, and the waters that are above the heavens! 5 They are to praise the name of the Lord, for He commanded and they were created.” (Ps. 148:3-5). One day, all creation itself will bear witness to the fact that God created it. “Jesus replied, ‘I tell you, if these stop speaking, the stones will cry out!’” (Lk. 19:40; Ps. 98:7-8; Is. 55:12). Creation was never meant to be worshipped. “Sun and moon; you which are adored by the blind heathens for gods, you are but his creatures, and therefore were obliged, if you were capable, to worship and praise him for your glorious light and powerful influences.” (Matthew Poole’s Commentary on Ps. 148:3).3 Paul revealed that distinct “levels” of heaven exist (2 Cor. 12:2). Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, this could be part of the referenced “highest heavens” and the “the waters that are above the heavens!” (Ps. 148:4). Or, this could have been “a construction to signify the superlative degree … [I]n our modern knowledge of space, we cannot even imagine the extent of the highest heavens in God’s creation.” (Allen Ross on Ps. 148:4).4

  • The Bible and the night sky both confirm God’s creation of the universe.  David looked into the sky and proclaimed that it revealed both the “glory” of God and knowledge that proved His creation:  “A Psalm of David.  The heavens tell of the glory of God; and their expanse declares the work of His hands.  Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.”  (Ps. 19:1-2).  God created the universe in two steps.  First, He spoke the universe into existence: “the Universe was formed at God’s command” for “He spoke and it came to be” (Heb. 11:3; Ps. 33:9l 148:4).  The rabbi Nahmanides observed that the universe began in size as a mere “grain of mustard.”  Second, on 12 separate occasions, five different Old Testament writers revealed that God then “stretched out” the stars from a small starting point to their present locations: (1) “who alone stretches out the heavens” (Job 9:8); (2) “He stretches out the north over empty space and hangs the Earth on nothing” (Job 26:7); (3) “Oh Lord my God, though art very great; . . . stretching out Heaven (the stars and the Universe) like a tent curtain” (Ps. 104:1-2); (4) “[God] stretches out the Heavens (the stars and the universe) like a curtain.  And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in” (Is. 40:22); (5) “Thus says God the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out. . .” (Is. 42:5); (6)  “. . . I, the Lord, am the maker of all things, stretching out the heavens by Myself and spreading out the Earth all alone” (Is. 44:24); (7) “It is I who made the Earth, and created man upon it I stretched out the heavens with My hands . . .” (Is. 45:12); (8)  “That you have forgotten the Lord your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the Earth. . .”  (Is. 51:13); (9) “It is He who made the Earth by His power . . . And by His understanding He has stretched out the heavens”  (Jer. 10:12); (10)  “Oh Lord God, Behold, You have made the heavens and the Earth by your great power and by Your outstretched arm!” (Jer. 32:17); (11)  “It is He who hath made the Earth by His power, who established the world by His wisdom, and by His understanding He stretched out the heavens” (Jer. 51:15); and (12)  “. . .Thus declares the Lord who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the Earth . . .”  (Zech. 12:1).  Job, the first of these five authors, wrote about the stretching of the heavens before Moses wrote Genesis.  In the 20th Century, astronomers confirmed the claims of the Bible.  By studying starlight, they discovered that the universe began as an infinitely small spec of matter and then stretched apart over the surface of space.  Astronomer Hugh Ross observes that the analogy to a tent curtain also makes sense in the context of space: “And, like a tent, the physical reality of the universe is its surface.  (All space, time, matter, and energy, is constrained to the surface of the universe).”5  A tent curtain also conveys a three-dimensional structure meant to protect its inhabitants.  Ross points out that “Job’s description of continuous cosmic expansion ranks as one of the most far-reaching and dramatic biblical forecasts of later scientific discovery.  Job accurately – and uniquely – predicted a monumental scientific breakthrough some four thousand years in advance!”6 How could Job, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Zechariah, living centuries ago before telescopes and knowledge of modern physics, have made these claims?  Their writings establish that the Bible is God’s Word.  No other holy book can make similar claims.

Jesus created the universe and then stretched it into its current size7

  • Praise Jesus for creating a universe that allows for life to exist. The exact manner in which Jesus created the universe was necessary for any life to exist. Any changes in the expansion rate of the universe or its contents would not have allowed life to exist.8

  • God’s invisible hand is evidence of His love for you.  When you look at the night sky, you can also praise Jesus’ “glory” and for creating a universe for mankind to live in (Ps. 19:1).  “For the music director; on the Gittith.  A Psalm of David.  LORD, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth, You who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens!”  (Ps. 8:1).  The famous British philosopher and scientist Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626) once declared “A little science estranges a man from God; a lot of science brings him back.”  Science is not something that you need to run from as a believer.  It instead provides the undeniable evidence of God’s glory and His creation. Are you praising Jesus for the glory of His creation when you look at the stars in the sky?

3. The Eternal Creator: Praise Jesus Because He is Eternal, and He Set the Never-Changing Rules For Physics that Allow for Life to Exist. Ps. 148:6.

  • Praise Jesus for creating a universe that is governed by rules that allow for life to exist. The psalmist next urged praise for Yahweh, who issued a “decree” for the universe that will never change. “6 He has also established them forever and ever; He has made a decree, and it will not pass away.” (Ps. 148:6). How do believers reconcile this verse with the prophecies that there will be a new heaven and a new Earth (Isa. 65:17; Matt. 5:18; 2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 21:1)? One view is that, “The new heavens and new earth will be made up of the same matter, but reconstructed and freed from the curse (Rom. 8:19-22).” (Steven Cole on Ps. 148:5-6).9 Another view is that the psalmist referred to the “decree” that never changes regarding the operation of the universe. Today, we call this the laws of physics. Their unchanging nature makes it possible for all life to exist.

  • Praise Jesus for creating the laws of physics that allow all life to exist.  The Bible declares that Jesus’ “decree” holds everything in the universe together: “in Him all things hold together.” (Col. 1:16-17).  “This is what the LORD says: ‘If My covenant for day and night does not continue, and I have not established the fixed patterns of heaven and earth,”’ (Jer. 33:25).  “And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power.”  (Heb. 1:3).

  • Without Jesus’ fixed “decrees” that “hold together” all things, life could not exist. Astronomer Hugh Ross describes a multitude of laws of physics that must be precariously balanced for stars, planets or life of any kind to exist. This fine tuning of the laws of physics defies any natural explanation. The following are seven examples:

  • The fine tuning of the strong nuclear force constant. The strong nuclear force is the force governing the degree to which protons and neutrons stick together at the atomic nuclei. This force must balance perfectly for atoms to exist. If this force were any weaker, protons and neutrons would not stick together. If this force were weaker, the only element in the universe would be hydrogen. If the nuclear force were slightly greater in strength, protons and neutrons would have such an affinity for one another that each would bond tightly and permanently to one another. In such a universe, there would be no hydrogen, only heavy elements. The strong nuclear force must be so precariously balanced that if it were just 2 percent weaker, or .3 percent stronger than it is, “life would be impossible at any time and any place within the universe.”10

  • The fine tuning of the electromagnetic force constant. More than forty different elements must be able to bond together to form molecules.11 Molecular bonding further depends upon two factors: the strength of the force of electromagnetism and the ratio of the mass of the electron to the mass of the proton. Focusing on only the electromagnetic force, if it were significantly stronger, atoms would hang on to electrons so tightly that no sharing of electrons with other atoms would be possible. By contrast, if the electromagnetic force were significantly weaker, atoms would not hang on to electrons at all and the formation of molecules would not take place.12

  • The fine tuning of the weak nuclear force constant. If this force were stronger, too much hydrogen would be converted to helium in the Big Bang. As a result, there would be too much heavy element material made by star burning. As a result of that, there would be no expulsion of heavy elements from stars, which are necessary for any kind of life. By contrast, if the weak nuclear force constant were smaller, there would be too little helium produced from the Big Bang. This also would preclude life of any kind from forming.

  • The fine tuning of the gravitational force constant. If this force were stronger, stars would be too hot and would burn up quickly and unevenly. If this force were weaker, stars would remain so cool that nuclear fusion would never ignite. As a result, no heavy element production would ever take place. This again would preclude life of any kind.

  • The fine tuning of the ratio of number of protons to number of electrons. If the ratio were larger, electromagnetism would have dominated gravity, preventing galaxy, star, and planet formation. Likewise, if the ratio were smaller, electromagnetism would have dominated gravity, which would have also prevented galaxy, star, and planet formation.

  • The fine tuning of the expansion rate of the universe. According to Ross, if the expansion rate were faster, there would be no galaxy formation. By contrast, if the expansion rate were slower, the universe would have collapsed prior to star formation.

  • The fine tuning of the ratio of electromagnetic and gravitational force constants. Ross also explains that the precise ratio of the electromagnetic force constant to the gravitational force constant must be maintained for life to exist. If the electromagnetic force relative to gravity were decreased by just one part in 10-40 power, only small stars would form. However, if this force was increased by just one part to the 10-40 power, only large stars would form. Nevertheless, for life to be possible, both large and small stars must exist.13 The large stars must exist because only in their thermal-nuclear furnaces are most of the life-essential elements produced. The small stars, like the Sun, must also exist because only small stars burn long enough and are stable enough to sustain a planet with life.14 To explain the complete impossibility of the chance formation of a particle force precisely set at 10-40, which would allow for the existence of life, Ross offers the following analogy: “Consider [a] pile of dimes, one part to the 10-40 power is equivalent to a blind-folded person rummaging through a trillion piles of dimes the size of North America that reached the Moon and picking one, on the first try, which is painted red.”15 These are just seven examples of the preciously balances forces of physics.16 In heaven, this will all become clear, and everyone will praise Jesus.

What Has Jesus Christ Created | Christian.net

Praise Jesus, “in Him all things hold together.” (Col. 1:16-17).17

4. The Faithful Creator: Praise Jesus For His Faithfulness in Creating the Perfect Life Sustaining Earth for All Creation. Ps. 148:7-10.

  • Praise Jesus for creating a life-sustaining Earth and all the plant and animal life. The psalmist next praised Yahweh for His faithfulness in creating all life on Earth. “7 Praise the Lord from the earth, sea monsters, and all the ocean depths; 8 fire and hail, snow and clouds; stormy wind, fulfilling His word; 9 mountains and all hills; fruit trees and all cedars; 10 animals and all cattle; crawling things and winged fowl;” (Ps. 148:7-10). “Praise the Lord from the earth. The counterpart of the clause in ver. 1, ‘Praise ye the Lord from the heavens.’ (Pulpit Commentary on Ps. 148:7).18 “Even in this world, dark and bad as it is, God is praised. The powers of nature, be they ever so strong, so stormy, do what God appoints them, and no more.” (Matthew Henry on Ps. 148:7-10).19

  • Praise Jesus as the Creator of all life: The Bible is clear that life on Earth did not evolve by chance. Instead, God created it. “And God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind; and God saw that it was good.” (Gen. 1:21). David also proclaimed God as the Creator of all life: “In wisdom You have made them all; the earth is full of Your possessions. There is the sea, great and broad, in which are swarms without number, animals both small and great.” (Ps. 104:24-25). All life will one day praise Him: “Heaven and earth shall praise Him, the seas and everything that moves in them.” (Ps. 69:34). Here, the psalmist repeats this praise for God (Ps. 148:7).

  • Praise Jesus for creating a life-sustaining water cycle, plant and ocean life. The psalmist next praised God for creating “the ocean depths,” “fire,” “hail,” “snow,” “clouds,” and “wind.” (Ps. 148:8-9). Astronomers have come to realize that Earth’s atmosphere is unique within our solar system and likely rare in the vast universe. Many today might shrug at the sight of clouds. But David also praised God for creating a cloud system with life-giving rain (Ps. 104:3-4). Job gave a similar praise for God: “He wraps up the waters in His clouds, and the cloud does not burst under them. He obscures the face of the full moon and spreads His cloud over it. He has inscribed a circle on the surface of the waters at the boundary of light and darkness. The pillars of heaven tremble and are amazed at His rebuke.”  (Job 26:8-10).  Genesis also records that, “Then God said ‘Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.  And God made the expanse, and separated the waters which were below the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse; and it was so.  And God called the expanse Heaven.   And there was evening and there was morning, a second day” (Gen. 1:6-8).  He created the perfect atmosphere and water cycle for life to exist. Without the clouds, rain would not exist, and crops could not grow.  In the Bible, rain is a symbol of God’s blessing and His Word  (Dt. 11:10-17; 32:1-3; 1 Ki. 18:41-46).  God then created all plant life (Ps. 148:9), and all life in the oceans.20 He is worthy of praise.

  • Praise Jesus for creating life on Earth.  The psalmist next praised Yahweh for creating all “ animals and all cattle; crawling things and winged fowl;” (Ps. 148:10). Jesus created all life on Earth for mankind’s benefit and to manage as His stewards. His creation cannot be explained through a theory of evolution.21 In heaven, the incredible details of Jesus’ complex creation will become fully known, and all will praise Jesus.

  • You can trust Jesus to keep His promises. The psalmist praised Yahweh for creating all life and “fulfilling His word.” (Ps. 148:8). Two psalms earlier, the psalmist declared that believers could also trust in Yahweh because He “made heaven and earth, the sea and everything that is in them;” (Ps. 146:6). The New Testament quotes from this verse to assert that you can also trust in Jesus because He is all-powerful. “And when they heard this, they raised their voices to God with one mind and said, ‘Lord, it is You who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything that is in them,” (Acts 4:24). “and saying, ‘Men, why are you doing these things? We are also men, of the same nature as you, preaching the gospel to you, to turn from these useless things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything that is in them.” (Acts 14:15).

  • Jesus is also faithful.  As part of the triune God and the Creator, Jesus is faithful to keep His promises to you:  “God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”  (1 Cor. 1:9).  “Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass” (1 Thess. 5:24). He is faithful, even when we are not:  “If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.”  (2 Tim. 2:13).   This means that you can trust His many promises to you.  Jesus is again worthy of your praise.

5. The Sovereign Creator: Praise Jesus Because He is the Sovereign Creator and King of Kings Who Treats All Fairly. Ps. 148:11-13a.

  • All persons regardless of their rank, nationality, or gender should praise Jesus as King. The psalmist next called upon all persons, regardless of their position, nationality, age, or sex to praise Yahweh as their sovereign Creator and their King of Kings. “11 Kings of the earth and all peoples; rulers and all judges of the earth; 12 both young men and virgins; old men and children. 13a They are to praise the name of the Lord, for His name alone is exalted; …” (Ps. 148:11-13a). “And now the whole animate and inanimate universe having been summoned, man takes his place as leader of the choir; and here the poet’s language is couched so as to include all, all ranks and nations, of every age, and each sex.” (Charles Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers on Ps. 148:11-13).22

  • Jesus is the King of Kings.  God promised that the Messiah would come from David’s line (1 Chr. 17:11-12; 22:10; 2 Sam. 7:13; Jer. 33:17).  ‘“I will establish your seed forever and build up your throne to all generations.’ Selah.”  (Ps. 89:4). “He gives great deliverance to His king, and shows lovingkindness to His anointed, to David and his descendants forever.”  (Ps. 18:50).  Jesus was born into the line of David (Matt. 1:1).  He came to fulfill God’s covenant with David as the eternal King of Kings:  “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”  (Lk. 1:32-33).  “And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, ‘King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.’”  (Rev. 19:16). Jesus, the King of Glory, rules in righteousness in heaven: “So I will establish his descendants forever and his throne as the days of heaven.” (Ps. 89:29).  He is again worthy of your praise.

  • In heaven, all will praise Jesus as Lord and Savior. The psalmist’s prophesy of all creation bowing before Yahweh are repeated in the book of Isaiah. “I have sworn by Myself; the word has gone out from My mouth in righteousness and will not turn back, that to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance.” (Is. 45:23). “And it shall be from new moon to new moon and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all mankind will come to bow down before Me,” says the LORD.” (Is. 66:23). The New Testament confirms that Jesus will come to fulfill these prophecies. “so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Phil. 2:10-11; Rom. 14:11). “And I heard every created thing which is in heaven, or on the earth, or under the earth, or on the sea, and all the things in them, saying, ‘To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be the blessing, the honor, the glory, and the dominion forever and ever.”’ (Rev. 5:15). As the Creator and King of Kings, He will be the perfect fair and just ruler. He is again worthy of your praise.

Jesus King Of Kings Wallpapers - Wallpaper Cave

Jesus traded His crown of thorns for a crown of glory as King of Kings23

6. The Majestic Creator: Praise Jesus For Offering to Share His Eternal Shekinah Glory With You For All Eternity. Ps. 148:13b.

  • Praise Jesus for sharing His glory with mankind. One day, all creation will worship and submit to Jesus’ glory. “13b His majesty is above earth and heaven.” (Ps. 148:13b). “His glory is above the earth and heaven: Yahweh deserves such praise from all things on earth because He is immeasurably greater and more glorious than anything on earth. We should reserve our praise for only that which is truly greater and more glorious, not for the lesser things (such as the idols of men’s hands).” (David Guzik on Ps. 148:13b).24

  • All creation will praise God’s glory in heaven. David vowed to praise Yahweh for sharing His eternal glory: “31 May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in His works; 32 He looks at the earth, and it trembles; He touches the mountains, and they smoke. 33 I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. 34 May my praise be pleasing to Him; as for me, I shall rejoice in the Lord.” (Ps. 104:31-34). Like David, all will praise God’s glory in heaven.

  • Praise Jesus for His majestic glory. David also worshiped God for His glorious majesty. “A Psalm of David. The heavens tell of the glory of God; and their expanse declares the work of His hands.” (Ps. 19:1). “One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek:  That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD and to meditate in His temple.” (Ps. 27:4). “A Psalm of David. Ascribe to the LORD, sons of the mighty, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. . . “The voice of the LORD makes the deer give birth and strips the forests bare; and in His temple everything says, “Glory!”  (Ps. 29:1, 9). “Splendor and majesty are before Him, strength and joy are in His place. Ascribe to the LORD, you families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name; bring an offering, and come before Him; . . .” (1 Chr. 16:27-29a). “Ascribe strength to God; His majesty is over Israel, and His strength is in the skies.” (Ps. 68:34). God is “clothed with majesty;” (Ps. 93:1). Jesus’ creation is witness to His glory. “And blessed be His glorious name forever; and may the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen.” (Ps. 72:19). “however, as I live, all the earth will be filled with the glory of the LORD.” (Nu. 14:21). “ . . . The whole earth is full of His glory.”’ (Is. 6:3). “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.” (Hab. 2:14). Jesus made it possible through His sacrifice on the cross to let you share in His glory in heaven. “The heavens declare His righteousness, and all the peoples have seen His glory.”  (Ps. 97:6). Thus, He is again worthy of your praise and worship.

  • Evil will have no place in God’s glorious new creation. In the new heaven, the wicked will have no place (Rev 21:8; 27; 22:15). “May sinners be removed from the earth and may the wicked be no more. Bless the Lord, my soul. Praise the Lord!” (Ps. 104:35). Jesus is again worthy of your praise and worship for preparing the perfect heaven for you.

7. The Loving Creator: Praise Jesus Because He Loves All His People, and He Provided a Way For You to Dwell With Him for All Eternity. Ps. 148:14.

  • Praise Jesus for becoming the horn or your salvation out of love for you. The psalmist concluded by praising Yahweh for lifting up a horn (a symbol of power) to make it possible for those made righteous through faith to be in His holy presence. “14 And He has lifted up a horn for His people, praise for all His godly ones, for the sons of Israel, a people near to Him. Praise the Lord!” (Ps. 148:14). “Let all manner of persons praise God. Those of every rank, high and low. Let us show that we are his saints by praising his name continually. He is not only our Creator, but our Redeemer; who made us a people near unto him. We may by the Horn of his people understand Christ, whom God has exalted to be a Prince and a Savior, who is indeed the defense and the praise of all his saints, and will be so forever. In redemption, that unspeakable glory is displayed, which forms the source of all our hopes and joys. May the Lord pardon us, and teach our hearts to love him more and praise him better.” (Matthew Henry on Ps. 148:7-14).25

  • Praise Jesus as the horn of your salvation.  The psalmist stated that God had “lifted up a horn for His people.” (Ps. 148:14). Hannah also prophetically praised God for the promise of a future anointed King:  “He will give strength to His king, and will exalt the horn of His anointed.”  (1 Sam. 2:10).  His power would also bring salvation: “6 The Lord kills and makes alive; He brings down to Sheol and raises up.”  (1 Sam. 2:6). Centuries later, the father of John the Baptist, Zecharias, connected Hannah’s prayer to Jesus:  “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people, and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of David His servant--”  (Lk. 1:68-69).  Faith in Jesus brings salvation:  “and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.”  (Rev. 1:18).  “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne.  All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats;”  (Matt. 25:31-32).  If you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you also can rejoice in your salvation:  “I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, my soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.”  (Is. 61:10).  “And my soul shall rejoice in the LORD; it shall exult in His salvation.”  (Ps. 35:9).  His love for us made this salvation possible.

  • All creation will praise the loving Creator who made salvation possible. “Perhaps with Ps 148 in mind, Paul writes of the glory God will receive from the heavens and the earth in Eph 3:10, ‘This is so that God’s multi-faceted wisdom may now be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavens’ (CSB). God will be glorified in the heavens above and on the earth beneath through the horn of salvation he raised up for his people (Ps 148:14). Jesus is Lord.” (James Hamilton on Ps. 148).26 “1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is among the people, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, 4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.’ 5 And He who sits on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’ And He said, ‘Write, for these words are faithful and true.”’ (Rev. 21:1-5).

  4. Allen Ross, A Commentary of the Psalms: Volume 3 (90-150), Kregel Academic (2016) p. 946.↩︎

  5. Hugh Ross A Matter of Days (2nd ed. RTB Press 2015) p. 69-70.↩︎

  6. Id. at 56.↩︎

  10. Ross, The Creator and the Cosmos, at 112 - 113 citing Iosef Shaklovskii and Carl Sagan, Intelligent Life in the Universe, pp. 343-350.↩︎

  11. Ross, The Creator and the Cosmos, p. 112.↩︎

  12. Id.↩︎

  13. Hugh Ross, The Creator and the Cosmos, p.117.↩︎

  14. Id. at 117. Citing John P. Cox and R. Thomas Giuli, Principals of Stellar Structure, Vol. II: Applications to Stars (1968) pp.944-1028.↩︎

  15. Id. at 117.↩︎

  16. For other examples, see Hugh Ross, Creator and the Cosmos (Nav Press 2001 3rd ed) pp. 154-157.↩︎

  26. James M. Hamilton Jr., Evangelical Bible Theology Commentary Psalms (Vol. II: Psalms 73-150) (Lexham Academic 2021) p. 519.↩︎