The Pulpit Commentary
Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord from the heavens; i.e. beginning at the heavens, making them the primary source from which the praises are to be drawn (comp. Psa_148:7). Praise him in the heights; in excelsis (Vulgate). In the upper tenons, or the most exalted regions of his creation.

The Pulpit Commentary
Praise ye him, all his angels (comp. Psa_103:20, Psa_103:21). As the angels occupy the first rank in creation, and have the most to praise God for, they are fitly called upon to commence the song of jubilation. The praises of God must form their chief occupation through all eternity. Praise ye him, all his hosts; rather, all his host. In the "host of God" are included beings of inferior rank to angels—"ministers of his that do his pleasure" (Psa_103:21).

The Pulpit Commentary
Praise ye him, sun and moon. Objects of worship to most heathen nations, but here called upon to join in the chorus of praise to God. Praise him, all ye stars of light; i.e. ye brilliant stars, that light up the heaven at night.

The Pulpit Commentary
Praise him, ye heavens of heavens; i.e. "ye highest heavens" (comp. Deu_10:14; 1Ki_8:27; Psa_68:33). And ye waters that be above the heavens (comp. Gen_1:7). The clouds are probably intended.

The Pulpit Commentary
Let them praise the Name of the Lord. Frequent changes of person, when no doubt can arise as to the meaning, are a sort of Hebrew idiom. They give liveliness and variety. For he commanded, and they were created (Gen_1:3, Gen_1:6, Gen_1:9, Gen_1:11, Gen_1:14, Gen_1:15, etc.). All creation sprang into being at the word of God (Psa_33:8).

The Pulpit Commentary
He hath also established them forever and ever (comp. Psa_89:37). The expression, "forever and ever," must not be pressed. It means "for all time"—while heaven and earth endure—but does not imply an absolute perpetuity. He hath made a decree which shall not pass; rather, which shall not pass away (see the Revised Version; and comp Gen_8:22; Jer_31:35, Jer_31:36; Jer_33:25).

The Pulpit Commentary
Praise the Lord from the earth. The counterpart of the clause in Psa_148:1, "Praise ye the Lord from the heavens." Earth must join with heaven in the praise of God. Ye dragons; or, "ye sea-monsters" (comp. Psa_74:13, where the same word is used). Hengstenberg translates by "whales;" but all the greater sea-animals are probably included. And all deeps. The extreme "ocean depths" are meant—"lower deeps," in certain parts of what was commonly known as "the great deep" (Psa_36:6).

The Pulpit Commentary
Fire and hail. By "fire," in this combination, we must understand "lightning," or rather the various electrical phenomena accompanying storms in the East, which are sometimes very strange and terrible. Snow and vapors; rather, vapor. The mist so often accompanying snowstorms is probably the "vapor" intended. Stormy wind fulfilling his word (comp. Psa_107:25).

The Pulpit Commentary
Mountains, and all hills. The later psalmists are great admirers of" mountains." Perhaps the fiat and monotonous Babylonian plains led them to appreciate the beauties of a landscape like that of Palestine (comp. Psa_83:14; Psa_114:4, Psa_114:6; Psa_144:5; Psa_147:8). Fruitful trees; rather, fruit trees; literally, trees of fruit. The Babylonian palms may have swept across the writer's remembrance; but probably the vine, the olive, and the fig, which were among the chief glories of Palestine, were in his mind principally. And all cedars. Babylonia had had no "cedars." When the exiles returned, the beauty of the cedar broke upon them as a sort of new revelation.

The Pulpit Commentary
Beasts, and all cattle. There is a gradual ascent—from inanimate to animate things, from the "beasts" of the field to domesticated animals; from such animals to man (Psa_148:11, Psa_148:12). Creeping things (comp. Gen_1:24, Gen_1:25, Gen_1:30; Psa_104:25). And flying fowl; literally, bird of wing. The intention is to include, under a few heads, all animate creation.

The Pulpit Commentary
Kings of the earth, and all people; rather, all peoples; or, all nations. Princes, and all judges of the earth. "Kings," "princes," and "judges" represent the upper classes of society; "peoples," or "nations," all the remainder. Together, they include the whole race of mankind.

The Pulpit Commentary
Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children. All mar. bind, i.e; of each sex and of every age. The obligation to praise God lies upon all.

The Pulpit Commentary
Let them praise the Name of the Lord. This is the burden of the entire psalm (see especially Psa_148:5, and comp. Psa_148:1-4, Psa_148:7, and Psa_148:14). For his Name alone is excellent; or, "exalted" (comp. Psa_8:1; Isa_12:4). The exaltation of God's Name is effected mainly by the praises which his rational creatures render to him. His glory is above the earth and heaven. (On God's "glory," see Psa_8:1; Psa_19:1; Psa_57:5, Psa_57:11; Psa_63:2; Psa_89:17, etc.) "Earth and heaven" is an unusual phrase; the terms are commonly inverted. Here, perhaps, the order may be accounted for by the law of climax. "His glory is not only above the earth, but even above the heavens."

The Pulpit Commentary
He also exalteth the horn of his people. Great as God is, his greatness does not separate him from his human creatures. On the contrary, it makes the union between himself and them closer. His might enables him to confer benefits on his people—to "exalt their horn;" i.e. to increase their glory and their strength, and set them up above their enemies. The praise of all his saints. The construction is doubtful. Some regard "praise" as in apposition with "horn," and understand that God, by exalting the "horn" (power) of his saints, exalts also their "praise" or "renown." Others imagine an ellipse, and translate, "Praise belongs to all his saints" (Kay); or, "Seemly is praise for all his saints" (Cheyne). Even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. The "children of Israel" are nearer to God than others, since he has taken them to himself as his own peculiar people, and both "draws nigh" to them (Psa_69:11), and draws them near to him (Jer_30:21). Praise ye the Lord (comp. Psa_148:1).