8 Fire and rain of ice, snow and mists; storm-wind, doing his word:
He sends out his orders to the earth; his word goes out quickly. He gives snow like wool; he sends out ice-drops like dust. He sends down ice like raindrops: water is made hard by his cold. At the outgoing of his word, the ice is turned to water; when he sends out his wind, there is a flowing of waters.
And the fourth let what was in his vessel come out on the sun; and power was given to it that men might be burned with fire. And men were burned with great heat: and they said evil things against the name of the God who has authority over these punishments; and they were not turned from their evil ways to give him glory.
And there came up a great storm in the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves: but he was sleeping. And they came to him, and, awaking him, said, Help, Lord; destruction is near. And he said to them, Why are you full of fear, O you of little faith? Then he got up and gave orders to the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. And the men were full of wonder, saying, What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea do his orders?
For at his word comes up the storm-wind, lifting high the waves. The sailors go up to heaven, and down into the deep; their souls are wasted because of their trouble. They are turned here and there, rolling like a man who is full of wine; and all their wisdom comes to nothing. Then they send up their cry to the Lord in their sorrow, and he gives them salvation out of all their troubles. He makes the storm into a calm, so that the waves are at peace.
Have you come into the secret place of snow, or have you seen the store-houses of the ice-drops, Which I have kept for the time of trouble, for the day of war and fighting? Which is the way to the place where the wind is measured out, and the east wind sent out over the earth? By whom has the way been cut for the flowing of the rain, and the flaming of the thunder; Causing rain to come on a land where no man is living, on the waste land which has no people; To give water to the land where there is waste and destruction, and to make the dry land green with young grass? Has the rain a father? or who gave birth to the drops of night mist? Out of whose body came the ice? and who gave birth to the cold mist of heaven? The waters are joined together, hard as a stone, and the face of the deep is covered. Are the bands of the Pleiades fixed by you, or are the cords of Orion made loose? Do you make Mazzaroth come out in its right time, or are the Bear and its children guided by you? Have you knowledge of the laws of the heavens? did you give them rule over the earth? Is your voice sent up to the cloud, so that you may be covered by the weight of waters? Do you send out the thunder-flames, so that they may go, and say to you, Here we are? Who has put wisdom in the high clouds, or given knowledge to the lights of the north? By whose wisdom are the clouds numbered, or the water-skins of the heavens turned to the earth,
Give ear to the rolling noise of his voice; to the hollow sound which goes out of his mouth. He sends it out through all the heaven, and his thunder-flame to the ends of the earth. After it a voice is sounding, thundering out the word of his power; he does not keep back his thunder-flames; from his mouth his voice is sounding. He does wonders, more than may be searched out; great things of which we have no knowledge; For he says to the snow, Make the earth wet; and to the rain-storm, Come down.
And Moses put out his rod to heaven: and the Lord sent thunder, and an ice-storm, and fire running down on the earth; the Lord sent an ice-storm on the land of Egypt. So there was an ice-storm with fire running through it, coming down with great force, such as never was in all the land of Egypt from the time when it became a nation. And through all the land of Egypt the ice-storm came down on everything which was in the fields, on man and on beast; and every green plant was crushed and every tree of the field broken.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 148
Commentary on Psalms 148 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 148
Ps 148:1-14. The scope of this Psalm is the same as that of the preceding.
1. heavens [and] heights—are synonymous.
2. hosts—(compare Ps 103:21).
4. heavens of heavens—the very highest.
waters—clouds, resting above the visible heavens (compare Ge 1:7).
5. praise the name—as representing His perfections.
he commanded—"He" is emphatic, ascribing creation to God alone.
6. The perpetuity of the frame of nature is, of course, subject to Him who formed it.
a decree … pass—His ordinances respecting them shall not change (Jer 36:31), or perish (Job 34:20; Ps 37:36).
7-10. The call on the earth, as opposed to heaven, includes seas or depths, whose inhabitants the dragon, as one of the largest (on leviathan, see on Ps 104:26), is selected to represent. The most destructive and ungovernable agents of inanimate nature are introduced.
8. fulfilling his word—or, law, may be understood of each. Next the most distinguished productions of the vegetable world.
9. fruitful trees—or, "trees of fruit," as opposed to forest trees. Wild and domestic, large and small animals are comprehended.
11, 12. Next all rational beings, from the highest in rank to little children.
princes—or, military leaders.
13. Let them—all mentioned.
excellent—or, exalted (Isa 12:4).
his glory—majesty (Ps 45:3).
above the earth and heaven—Their united splendors fail to match His.
14. exalteth the horn—established power (Ps 75:5, 6).
praise of—or literally, "for"
his saints—that is, occasions for them to praise Him. They are further described as "His people," and "near unto Him," sustaining by covenanted care a peculiarly intimate relation.