Psalm 148
The Celestial Chorus
The heavenly hosts and the celestial bodies are called to praise the name of the Lord.
Praise God the Lord from all his radiant heavens; praise him and give him honor, you heavenly hosts above. You chosen angels and all his mighty hosts, proclaim his praise; praise him with great joy.✦ You sun, and you moon as well, you stars and lights of heaven, proclaim his praise. You beautifully fashioned heavens, you waters above, praise him all together; give thanks and praise the name of God, the Lord of heaven.
The Order of Creation
All created things and natural elements obey the eternal decree of the Creator.
He spoke, and all created things came into being as he commanded; and he established them securely. He gave them a decree for all eternity that they won't break—understand this well. You dragons of the earth and mighty depths, praise the Lord of great worth without ceasing.✦ Fire, hail, and storms, frost and cold snow—all these keep his word in their appointed forms and carry it out.✦
The Universal Call to Worship
All people, regardless of age or status, are invited to join in the exaltation of God's name.
Towering mountains, all fruit-bearing trees, every living animal, serpents, and the chorus of birds; kings and all people on earth, great and small, every judge and prince across this earthly realm—praise the Lord. Young men and women, children and the elderly, praise and give thanks here to the glorious name of the Lord. For his name alone is praised and exalted; it must always be praised here with pure hearts.✦
The Strength of the Chosen
God exalts his people, who respond with a song of praise as they draw near to him.
His praise rises in glory above heaven and earth; he has raised up the strength of his chosen people.1 Let a song rise now from his chosen ones, the children of Israel, who draw near to him without delay.
Read the original Latin
WIlt louen God den Heere Al wt zijn hemelen claer Loeft hem, en gheeft hem eere Hier bouen ghi hemelsce schaer. Ghi Engelen wtuercoren En al zijn crachten wijt Sijn lof brengt toch te voren Loeft hem met groot iolijt.
Ghi Son, end oock ghi Mane Ghi sterren, en hemels licht Brengt doch zijn lof ter bane Ghi hemelen schoon ghesticht Ghi wateren daer bouen Laet prisen al ghelijck Laet dancken ende louen Gods naem van hemelrijck.
Hy sprack, en dat gheschieden Die dinghen ghescapen zijn So hi dat wou ghebieden En hi die stelde fijn. Al inder eewicheden Hy gaf haer een beuel Dat si niet ouertreden En sullen (verstaet dit wel)
Ghi draken vander eerden Ghi diepten seer vermaert Den Heer van grooter weerden Wilt louen onghespaert. Vier, haghel, ende stormen, Vorst, en die coude sne, Sijn woort in zijnder formen Die houden, volbrenghen me.
Die berghen hooch verheuen Die vruchtbaer boomen al Alle beesten die daer leuen Serpenten, het voghel ghescal, Die coninghen, die minschen Op eerden, groot, en cleyn Alle rechters, ende prinschen Die leuen int aertsche pleyn.
Die ionghen, en die maechden, Laet louen, en dancken hier: Die kindren, die ghedaechden, Des naem des Heeren fier. Want sinen naem ghepresen Verheuen is alleyn, Die moet altijt hier wesen Gheloeft met herten reyn.
Sijn lof seer hooch gheuloghen Bouen hemel end aerde gaet Den hoorn wou hy verhoghen Van zijn vercoren saet. Een liedt sinen wtuercoren Den kindren van Israhel Moet comen hier te voren Die hem ghenaken snel.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Ps.148.2 — Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his host.
- ↩Ps.148.7 — Praise the LORD from the earth, you sea creatures and all deeps,
- ↩Ps.148.8 — fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind that carries out his word
- ↩Ps.148.13 — Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his glory is above earth and heaven.
Notes
- 1 ↩The Dutch literally says “the horn,” a biblical image of strength, dignity, and flourishing.
Souterliedekens (Psalm Songs) companion
Never lose the rhythm again
Chosen Portion delivers your morning, midday and night office to your phone — the Hours, without the bells.
Chosen Portion is a modern Book of Hours: it turns the fixed-hour structure this collection preserves into scheduled, tappable daily prayer on your phone.
- Three daily prayer moments scheduled around your real calendar, not a monastery's
- Psalms and historic prayers sequenced for you — no page-flipping or decision fatigue
- A visible streak of completed offices, so the rhythm compounds instead of collapsing