*H Alleluia. PRAISE ye the Lord from the heavens: praise ye him in the high places.
Ver. 1. Alleluia. Sept. Syr. &c. add, "of Aggæus and Zacharias," as it seems to have been composed after the captivity, v. 13. C. — But why might not David thus invite all to praise God? He descends from the highest creatures to those on earth. Bert. — Heavens. All ye blessed spirits, preach God for the excellence of your nature, and for your numbers. W.
*H Praise ye him, all his angels, praise ye him, all his hosts.
Ver. 2. Hosts. Stars, (C.) or rather angels. S. Chrys. Matt. xxvi. 52. — The three children made the same invitation to them, rejoicing in this holy communion. Bert.
*H Praise ye him, O sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars and light.
Ver. 3. And light. Heb. "of light," meaning the planets. Kimchi. — The harmony of these things invites us to praise the Lord. Origen and S. Hilary seem to represent them as intelligent. But (C.) when God is praised on their account...they all praise him. S. Aug. — Irrational things shew forth the excellence of their Creator. W.
*H Praise him, ye heavens of heavens: and let all the waters that are above the heavens
Ver. 4. Of heavens. The highest and most excellent, (C.) though not the abode of the angels, which had been specified before. — Heavens, in the clouds. It is not necessary to allow these waters to be above the stars. Bert.
* Footnote * Daniel 3 : 59
O ye heavens, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.*H Praise the name of the Lord. For he spoke, and they were made: he commanded, and they were created.
Ver. 5. He spoke, and they were made, is not in Heb. or Chal. being taken from Ps. xxxii. 9. (C.) or lost in the original. Bert.
*H He hath established them for ever, and for ages of ages: he hath made a decree, and it shall not pass away.
Ver. 6. Away. The heavenly bodies observe the most constant order. H. — They are not liable to change, like sublunary things, (C.) though God may suspend the laws which he has established. Bert.
*H Praise the Lord from the earth, ye dragons, and all ye deeps:
Ver. 7. Earth. All ye inhabitants. H. — He then addresses whales, and all in the seas.
*H Fire, hail, snow, ice, stormy winds, which fulfil his word:
Ver. 8. Word. For the punishment of the wicked, (C.) and to strike the saints with awe. H.
*H Mountains and all hills, fruitful trees and all cedars:
Ver. 9. Mountains. Thales, Origen, &c. have attributed souls to waters, &c. But this cannot be proved from this poetical personification. C.
*H Kings of the earth and all people: princes and all judges of the earth:
Ver. 11. Kings, &c. God is to be praised for the diversity of states, whereby the whole community is preserved.
*H For his name alone is exalted.
Ver. 13. Alone. God, and not any idol, has disposed all things. W.
*H The praise of him is above heaven and earth: and he hath exalted the horn of his people. A hymn to all his saints to the children of Israel, a people approaching to him. Alleluia.
Ver. 14. Earth. All contribute towards the divine praise. Yet they cannot afford as much as God deserves. — Horn. Glory, (C.) or the Messias; though this cannot easily be proved to be the literal sense. Bert. — People. Establishing his Church. W. — Saints. Israelites, (Bert.) particularly the sacred ministers. Deut. iv. 7. C. — To him. By free-will, assisted by God's grace. W. Heb. xi. 6. Jam. iv. 8. Bert.