8 Fire and hail, snow and vapour, stormy wind fulfilling his word;
He sendeth forth his oracles to the earth: his word runneth very swiftly. He giveth snow like wool, scattereth the hoar frost like ashes; He casteth forth his ice like morsels: who can stand before his cold? He sendeth his word, and melteth them; he causeth his wind to blow -- the waters flow.
Bless Jehovah, ye his angels, mighty in strength, that execute his word, hearkening unto the voice of his word.
And the fourth poured out his bowl on the sun; and it was given to it to burn men with fire. And the men were burnt with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, who had authority over these plagues, and did not repent to give him glory.
and behold, [the water] became very agitated on the sea, so that the ship was covered by the waves; but *he* slept. And the disciples came and awoke him, saying, Lord save: we perish. And he says to them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then, having arisen, he rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. But the men were astonished, saying, What sort [of man] is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?
Thus did the Lord Jehovah shew unto me; and behold, the Lord Jehovah called to contend by fire; and it devoured the great deep, and ate up the inheritance.
For behold, he who formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought, who maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, -- Jehovah, the God of hosts, is his name.
For by fire and by his sword will Jehovah enter into judgment with all flesh: and the slain of Jehovah shall be many.
For he speaketh, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof: They mount up to the heavens, they go down to the depths; their soul is melted because of trouble; They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and they are at their wits' end: Then they cry unto Jehovah in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses; He maketh the storm a calm, and the waves thereof are still:
From the brightness before him his thick clouds passed forth: hail and coals of fire.
Hast thou entered into the storehouses of the snow, and hast thou seen the treasuries of the hail, Which I have reserved for the time of distress, for the day of battle and war? By what way is the light parted, [and] the east wind scattered upon the earth? Who hath divided a channel for the rain-flood, and a way for the thunder's flash; To cause it to rain on the earth, where no one is; on the wilderness wherein there is not a man; To satisfy the desolate and waste [ground], and to cause the sprout of the grass to spring forth? Hath the rain a father? or who begetteth the drops of dew? Out of whose womb cometh the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who bringeth it forth? When the waters lie hidden as in stone, and the face of the deep holdeth fast together. Canst thou fasten the bands of the Pleiades, or loosen the cords of Orion? Dost thou bring forth the constellations each in its season? or dost thou guide the Bear with her sons? Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? dost thou determine their rule over the earth? Dost thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that floods of waters may cover thee? Dost thou send forth lightnings that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we are? Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the mind? Who numbereth the clouds with wisdom? or who poureth out the bottles of the heavens,
Hear attentively the roar of his voice, and the murmur going forth from his mouth. He sendeth it forth under the whole heaven, and his lightning unto the ends of the earth. After it a voice roareth: he thundereth with the voice of his excellency, and holdeth not back the flashes when his voice is heard. ùGod thundereth marvellously with his voice, doing great things which we do not comprehend. For he saith to the snow, Fall on the earth! and to the pouring rain, even the pouring rains of his might.
And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, -- they were at the descent of Beth-horon, -- that Jehovah cast down great stones from heaven upon them up to Azekah, and they died. They were more who died with the hailstones than they whom the children of Israel had slain with the sword.
And there came out a fire from Jehovah, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that had presented incense.
And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and Jehovah made the sea go [back] by a strong east wind all the night, and made the sea dry [land], and the waters were divided.
And Jehovah turned a very powerful west wind, which took away the locusts, and drove them into the Red Sea: there remained not one locust in all the borders of Egypt.
And Moses stretched out his staff toward the heavens, and Jehovah gave thunder and hail; and the fire ran along the ground; and Jehovah rained hail on the land of Egypt. And there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there had been none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. And the hail smote throughout the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both men and cattle; and the hail smote every herb of the field, and broke every tree of the field.
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.