Psalm 148 is most definitely a PRAISE Psalm!
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 hosts!
3 Praise Him, sun and moon, praise Him, all you stars of light!
4 Praise Him, you highest heavens and you waters above the heavens!
5 Let them praise the name of the Lord, for He commanded and they were created.
6 He also established them forever and ever; He made a decree which shall not pass away [He fixed their bounds which cannot be passed over].
7 Praise the Lord from the earth, you sea monsters and all deeps!
8 You lightning, hail, fog, and frost, you stormy wind fulfilling His orders!
9 Mountains and all hills, fruitful trees and all cedars!
10 Beasts and all cattle, creeping things and flying birds!
11 Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers andjudges of the earth!
12 Both young men and maidens, old men and children!
13 Let them praise and exalt the name of the Lord, for His name alone is exalted and supreme! His glory and majesty are above earth and heaven!
14 He has lifted up a horn for His people [giving them power, prosperity, dignity, and preeminence], a song of praise for all His godly ones, for the people of Israel, who are near to Him. Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!) AMP
The word "praise" here is the Hebrew "halal", which means: to shine, to boast, to make a show, to be clamorously foolish, to rave, to appear as a madman! Notice that not a person, place or living thing is exempt from the COMMAND to praise HIM! Why? Because He IS and He made us! Everything we are and everything we have that is good came from HIM! AMEN! Our New Testament reading today in John recounts the situation when the scribes and Pharisees brought the woman whom they caught in "the very act of adultery". (I wonder how they missed the man that must have been present "in the very act", but THAT is another subject!) Notice how Jesus spoke to this woman after all those who MUST have had sin in their own lives had left them. Verses 10-11:
10 When Jesus raised Himself up, He said to her, Woman, where are your accusers? Has no man condemned you? 11 She answered, No one, Lord! And Jesus said, I do not condemn you either. Go on your way and from now on sin no more. AMP
Notice how Jesus addressed the Pharisees in the crowd after this incident in verse 15:
15 You [set yourselves up to] judge according to the flesh (by what you see). [You condemn by external, human standards.] I do not [set Myself up to] judge or condemn or sentence anyone. AMP
They had judged this woman, and many others on other occasions, but Jesus, Who alone had the RIGHT to judge, did NOT! Look at John 3:17:
17 For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him. AMP
Jesus did NOT come into the world to judge, but to bring SALVATION! Neither did He send US into the world to condemn, but to PREACH THE GOSPEL (the GOOD NEWS)! Don't get caught up, as some have, in concentrating on sin, but rather on SALVATION! Present THIS Jesus to the world and the world will WANT Him! AMEN! Hallelujah! Now THAT is something to Praise Him for! Here is Hillsong Live with "Praise Him":
Shalom in Him!
