Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you stars of light. Praise him, highest heavens and waters that are above the heavens.[1] Let them praise the name of the Lord; for he commanded and they were created, He fixed them fast forever and ever; he gave a law which none transgresses. Praise the Lord from the earth, you sea-monsters and all depths; fire and hail, snow and vapor, stormy wind, fulfilling his word; mountains and all hills, fruit-trees and all cedars; wild animals and all cattle, crawling things and winged fowl; kings of the earth and all nations, princes and all earthly rulers; young men and maidens, old men and children; let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his majesty is above earth and heaven. He has raised the honor of his people, the glory of his faithful followers, the children of Israel, the people near to him. Praise the Lord!
Psalm 149
Praise the Lord! Sing a new song[2] to the Lord; praise him in, the assembly of the faithful. Let Israel rejoice in his Maker; let the children of Zion exult in their King. Let them praise his name with dancing; let them make music to him with drum and harp. For the Lord is pleased with his people; he adorns the meek[3] with triumph. Let the faithful exult in glory; let them sing upon their beds.[4] Let the praises of God be in their mouth, and a double-edged sword in their hand,[5] to execute vengeance upon the nations, punishment upon the peoples; to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute upon them the written judgment. He is the glory of all his faithful. Praise the Lord!
Psalm 150
Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his glorious heaven. Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him for his abundant greatness. Praise him with the blast of the horn; praise him with the harp and the lyre.[6] Praise him with the drum and dance;[7] praise him with strings and flute.[8] Praise him with re-
- ↑ המים... מעל השמים According to Genesis 1:6—7, there are waters above the heavens.
- ↑ שיר חדש a new song, in acknowledgement of a fresh act of deliverance by God which merits a new song of thanksgiving.
- ↑ יפאר ענוים God restores the dignity and honor to those who have been humiliated and degraded.
- ↑ ירננו על משכבותם that is, they can lie down in peace, their foes having been defeated.
- ↑ רוממות—וחרב... The Maccabean warriors were described as “fighting with their hands and praying with their hearts.”
- ↑ According to Josephus, the נבל had twelve strings and the כנור ten.
- ↑ מחול The dance was an important part of religious ceremonies. “David danced before the Lord with all his might” (II Samuel 6:14).
- ↑ עוגב was a wind instrument, a flute, which was called אבוב in the period of the second Temple.
