“Halleluiah!” A
Scriptures: Ps 148, Rom 1, etc.
Halleluiah (halelu-yah).
Praise (halelu) the LORD (Yahweh)
from (in) the heavens,
Praise him (halelu-hu) in the heights above.
Praise him (halelu-hu), all his angels,
Praise him (halelu-hu), all his heavenly hosts.
Praise him (halelu-hu), sun and moon,
Praise him (halelu-hu), all you shining stars.
Praise him (halelu-hu), you highest heavens
and you waters above the skies.
Let them praise (yehalelu)
the name of the LORD (Yahweh),
because he commanded and they were created.
He set them in place for ever and ever;
he gave a decree (border)
that will never pass away (cross over) (Ps 148:1-6).
The first half of this psalm (vv. 1-6) calls all the created beings and things in heaven to praise the Lord. These include not only the angels, but also his hosts (cf. Gen 2:1), which are the sun, the moon, and all the stars, as well as the “waters above the skies”—the waters above raqia’. All these are called to praise the name of the Lord. Except for the angels, they are all inanimate things, but they are to praise the Lord “because he commanded and they were created.” All creations, whether animate or inanimate, reveal and express the nature of the one who created them. Therefore, it is natural for the creations to praise their Creator, and that is the purpose of their existence.
