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GOD CREATION'S CHOIR
Psalm 148:1-14
March 10, 2019 SUN a.m.
Introduction:
Notice: Heaven is the starting place of praise and the ending place is the homes of men, mighty and small and lastly the people of Israel.
We can also see that this psalm middle portion are the lower places of the earth’s creatures of land and sea.
I- DISPELLED NOTIONS OF WORSHIP
A. Worthy of worship
We can find three false notions of worship here dispelled mentioned in the first three verses of Psalm 148.
Psalm 148:1-3 “Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord from the heavens: praise him in the heights. 2 Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts. 3 Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light.”

  • We read the commands of this Psalm which cleared the doubts and gives us the right answer whether angels and objects in the heavens should be considered something worthy of worship. This notion is dispelled.

  • Angel rebuked John the Apostle not to worship him only worship God.—Revelation 22:8-9.  Then Peter corrects Cornelius not to fell down and worship him for he is a man.—Acts 10:25-26

  • Listen, there are mere creatures of the One Creator to whom all worship and praise is due.

B. Way of worship
Again in verse 5 dispels the notion that created beings may be worshipped.
Psalm 148:5 “Let them praise the name of the Lord: for he commanded, and they were created.”
  • Notice carefully the word “He commanded and they were created.” They exist because God commanded. They are nothing.
  • Men worshipped and serve the creature more than the creator because they changed the truth into a lie. And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.—Romans 1:23, 25
  • God made the world and all things therein. God do not even dwells in temple made with hands and neither worshipped with men’s hands.—Acts 17:24-25
  • “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”—John 4:24
II- DESCRIPTION OF WHO GOD IS AND WHO WILL PRAISE GOD
A. The Person of God to be praise
Psalm 148:2 “Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts.”
  • The word “hosts” here verse 2 is mentioned and it is a military word for an army.
  • This described the person of God that He is a noble and regal being, He is a great King.
B. The Phrase for things called to praise
Psalm 148:1-6 “Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord from the heavens: praise him in the heights. 2 Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts. 3 Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light. 4 Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. 5 Let them praise the name of the Lord: for he commanded, and they were created. 6 He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass.”
  • The words “heights” in the very first verse described the things mentioned in v.1-6 that are high, therefore it talks about the mightiest aspects of creation.
III- DISTINCTION OF THOSE WHO ARE CALLED TO WORSHIP GOD
A. Opposite words for those called to worship
Psalm 148:1, 7 “Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord from the heavens: praise him in the heights. 7 Praise the Lord from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps:”
  • Notice the contrast of words in v.1 “Heavens” with “earth in v.7. Then again the contrast of v.1 “heights with “deeps” of v.7.  By these emphasizes the unmeasurable dimension that God must be worshipped.
B. Objects who are called to worship
Psalm 148:1-6 “Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord from the heavens: praise him in the heights. 2 Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts. 3 Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light. 4 Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. 5 Let them praise the name of the Lord: for he commanded, and they were created. 6 He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass.”
Psalm 148:7-14 “Praise the Lord from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps: 8 Fire, and hail; snow, and vapours; stormy wind fulfilling his word: 9 Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars: 10 Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl: 11 Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth: 12 Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children: 13 Let them praise the name of the Lord: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth  and heaven. 14 He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the Lord.”
  • The praise was passed down from heaven conscious participants to unconscious in v.1-6. Then it was passed upon man who has awareness of God and ultimately passed to the covenant people with God in v.7-14.  
  • Here we see God’s estimate of God’s relationship with His covenant people.
  • God esteemed His beloved people on the highest level. Because of their acceptance of God’s covenant, they are in the mind of God, on a par with the faithful angels who are the highest creatures of His creation

IV- DUTY OF ALL THOSE PRE-OCCUPIED WITH GOD

Psalm 148:11-12 “Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth: 12 Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children:”
  • Now there comparisons of various groups that are coupled together. These arrangements intended to express the highest aim of the chief of man.
  • It seems that these phrases includes all people by comparing extremes in their social reputation. Since it included all, the psalmist emphasizes that it is indeed the duty of all men to be pre-occupied with God. It is a great privilege with joy to give all of his life to God.
V- DELIGHTS ON THE REDEEMED PEOPLE OF GOD
Again, we can notice some similarity of thoughts between v.5-6 and v.13-14
Psalm 148:5-6 “Let them praise the name of the Lord: for he commanded, and they were created. 6 He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass.”
Psalm 148:13-14 “Let them praise the name of the Lord: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven. 14 He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the Lord.”
     A. The existence of the celestial bodies are purposely called to praise God (v.5); and God’s revelation of Himself (God’s name) to man intended to praise God (v.13). In Acts 4:12 “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
     B. The established celestial bodies by God’s decree (means by law which open for investigation in Psalm 111:2 “The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.”)—v.6; and the people of God are established by God’s redemption (the word “exalteth the horn”, see Luke 1:69 “And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;”) and brought them near unto Him.—v.14.

Conclusion: Revelation 21:3 “And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.”