“Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights. Praise ye the LORD. Praise: Heb. Hallelujah, etc”
Alleluia. Septuagint, Syriac, &c., add, “of Aggæus and Zacharias,” as it seems to have been composed after the captivity, ver. 13. (Calmet) — But why might not David thus invite all to praise God? He descends from the highest creatures to those on earth. (Berthier) — Heavens. All ye blessed spirits, preach God for the excellence of your nature, and for your numbers. (Worthington)
“Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts.”
Hosts. Stars, (Calmet) or rather angels. (St. Chrysostom) (Matthew xxvi. 52.) — The three children made the same invitation to them, rejoicing in this holy communion. [Daniel iii.] (Berthier)
“Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light.”
And light. Hebrew, “of light,” meaning the planets. (Kimchi) — The harmony of these things invites us to praise the Lord. Origen and St. Hilary seem to represent them as intelligent. But (Calmet) when God is praised on their account….they all praise him. (St. Augustine) — Irrational things shew forth the excellence of their Creator. (Worthington)
“Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens.”
Of heavens. The highest and most excellent, (Calmet) though not the abode of the angels, which had been specified before. — Heavens, in the clouds. It is not necessary to allow these waters to be above the stars. (Berthier)
“Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created.”
He spoke, and they were made, is not in Hebrew or Chaldean, being taken from Psalm xxxii. 9., (Calmet) or lost in the original. (Berthier)
“He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass.”
Away. The heavenly bodies observe the most constant order. (Haydock) — They are not liable to change, like sublunary things, (Calmet) though God may suspend the laws which he has established. (Berthier)
“Praise the LORD from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps:”
Earth. All ye inhabitants. (Haydock) — He then addresses whales, and all in the seas.
“Fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word:”
Word. For the punishment of the wicked, (Calmet) and to strike the saints with awe. (Haydock)
“Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars:”
Mountains. Thales, Origen, &c., have attributed souls to waters, &c. But this cannot be proved from this poetical personification. (Calmet)
“Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth:”
Kings, &c. God is to be praised for the diversity of states, whereby the whole community is preserved.
“Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven. excellent: Heb. exalted”
Alone. God, and not any idol, has disposed all things. (Worthington)
“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.”
Earth. All contribute towards the divine praise. Yet they cannot afford as much as God deserves. — Horn. Glory, (Calmet) or the Messias; though this cannot easily be proved to be the literal sense. (Berthier) — People. Establishing his Church. (Worthington) — Saints. Israelites, (Berthier) particularly the sacred ministers, Deuteronomy iv. 7. (Calmet) — To him. By free-will, assisted by God’s grace. (Worthington) (Hebrews xi. 6., and James iv. 8.) (Berthier)