Verse 16
He giveth snow like wool - Falling down in large flakes; and in this state nothing in nature has a nearer resemblance to fine white wool.
Scattereth the hoar frost like ashes - Spreading it over the whole face of nature.
Verse 17
He casteth forth his ice - קרחו korcho, (probably hailstones), like crumbs.
Who can stand before his cold? - At particular times the cold in the east is so very intense as to kill man and beast. Jacobus de Vitriaco, one of the writers in the Gesta Dei per Francos, says, that in an expedition in which he was engaged against Mount Tabor, on the 24th of December, the cold was so intense that many of the poor people, and the beasts of burden, died by it. And Albertus Aquensis, another of these writers, speaking of the cold in Judea, says, that thirty of the people who attended Baldwin 1: in the mountainous districts near the Dead Sea, were killed by it; and that in that expedition they had to contend with horrible hail and ice, with unheard-of snow and rain. From thls we find that the winters are often very severe in Judea; and in such cases as the above, we may well call out, "Who can stand against his cold!"
Verse 18
He sendeth out his word - He gives a command: the south wind blows; the thaw takes place; and the ice and snow being liquefied, the waters flow, where before they were bound up by the ice.
Verse 19
He showeth his word unto Jacob - To no nation of the world beside had God given a revelation of his will.
Verse 20
And as for his judgments - The wondrous ordinances of his law, no nation had known them; and consequently, did not know the glorious things in futurity to which they referred.
Introduction
The psalmist calls on all the creation to praise the Lord. The angels and visible heavens, [Psa 148:1-6]; the earth and the sea, [Psa 148:7]; the meteors, [Psa 148:8]; mountains, hills, and trees, [Psa 148:9]; beasts, reptiles, and fowls, [Psa 148:10]; kings, princes, and mighty men, [Psa 148:11]; men, women, and children, [Psa 148:12], [Psa 148:13]; and especially all the people of Israel, [Psa 148:14].
This Psalm has no title: but by the Syriac it is attributed to Happai and Zechariah, and the Septuagint and the Ethiopic follow it. As a hymn of praise, this is the most sublime in the whole book.
Verse 1
Praise ye the Lord from the heavens - The Chaldee translates, "Praise the Lord, ye holy creatures from the heavens. Praise him, ye armies of supreme angels. Praise him, all ye angels who minister before him." מן השמים min hashshamayim signifies whatever belongs to the heavens, all their inhabitants; as מן הארץ min haarets, [Psa 148:7], signifies all that belongs to the earth, all its inhabitants and productions.
Verse 3
Praise ye him, sun and moon - The meaning of this address and all others to inanimate nature, is this: Every work of God's hand partakes so much of his perfections, that it requires only to be studied and known, in order to show forth the manifold wisdom power, and goodness of the Creator.
Stars of light - The brightest and most luminous stars: probably the planets may be especially intended.
Verse 4
Heavens of heavens - Heavens exceeding heavens. Systems of systems extending as far beyond the solar system, as it does beyond the lowest deeps. The endless systematic concatenation of worlds.
Ye waters that be above the heavens - This refers to [Gen 1:7] (note), where see the notes. Clouds, vapours, air, exhalations, rain, Snow, and meteors of every kind.
Verse 5
He commanded, and they were created - He spake the word expressive of the idea in his infinite mind; and they sprang into being according to that idea.
Verse 6
He hath also stablished them - He has determined their respective revolutions and the times in which they are performed, so exactly to show his all-comprehensive wisdom and skill, that they have never passed the line marked out by his decree, nor intercepted each other in the vortex of space, through revolutions continued for nearly 6000 years.
Verse 7
Praise the Lord from the earth - As in the first address, he calls upon the heavens and all that belong to them; so here, in this second part, he calls upon the earth, and all that belong to it.
Ye dragons - תנינים tanninim, whales, porpoises, sharks, and sea-monsters of all kinds.
And all deeps - Whatsoever is contained in the sea, whirlpools, eddies, ground tides, with the astonishing flux and reflux of the ocean.
Every thing, in its place and nature, shows forth the perfections of its Creator.
Verse 8
Fire, and hail; snow, and vapours - All kinds of meteors, water, and fire, in all their forms and combinations. And air, whether in the gentle breeze, the gale, the whirlwind, the tempest, or the tornado; each accomplishing an especial purpose, and fulfilling a particular will of the Most High.
Verse 9
Mountains, and all hills - Whether primitive, secondary, or alluvial; of ancient or recent formation, with all their contents, quarries, mines, and minerals. But what a profusion of wisdom and skill is lavished on these! To instance only in the different metals, earths, and minerals; especially the precious stones.
Fruitful trees - עץ פרי ets peri, fruit trees of all kinds.
And all cedars - Every kind of forest tree. The formation of the fruits, their infinitely varied hues and savours, proclaim the unsearchable wisdom and goodness of God: not less so, the growth, structure, and various qualities and uses of the forest trees.
Verse 10
Beasts - החיה hachaiyah, wild beasts of every kind.
All cattle - בהמה behemah, all domestic animals; those used for the service of the house, and those for agricultural purposes.
Creeping things - All the class of reptiles, from the boa constrictor, that can combat, kill, and swallow whole the royal tiger, to the cobra de manille, a poisonous reptile as small as a fine needle; with those still smaller animals that are found in water, and require the power of the microscope to bring them to view. In the production, preservation, habits, and properties of all these, there is a profusion of wisdom and economy that would require ages to exhibit.
Flying fowl - The structure of fowls is astonishing; and the exact mathematical manner in which flying fowls swim the air, and steer their course wheresoever they will; the feathers, and their construction, with the muscles which give them motion; strike the observer of nature with astonishment and delight.
Verse 11
Kings of the earth - As being representatives of the Most High; and all people - the nations governed by them. Princes, as governors of provinces, and all judges executing those laws that bind man to man, and regulate and preserve civil society, praise God, from whom ye have derived your power and influence: for by him kings reign. And let the people magnify God for civil and social institutions and for the laws by which, under him, their lives and properties are preserved.