Psalm 148 verses 1-4

The opening verses of Psalm 148 are a call to praise God directed at the entire universe, starting with the heavens, and the holy angels.

1	Vulgate/Neo-Vulgate (V/NV)	Laudáte Dóminum de cælis: * laudáte eum in excélsis.
	Septuagint	αἰνεῖτε τὸν κύριον ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν αἰνεῖτε αὐτὸν ἐν τοῖς ὑψίστοις

laudo, avi, atum, are  to praise, glorify, to boast, glory, rejoice

caelum, i, n., or caeli, orum, m.  heaven, the abode of God; the heavens as opposed to the earth; the air;

excelsus, a, um  high, august, sublime, towering aloft ; uplifted; heights, high places; billows, high waves

Douay-Rheims (DR)	Praise the Lord from the heavens: praise him in the high places
Brenton (from the Septuagint)	Praise ye the Lord from the heavens: praise him in the highest.
Coverdale (Cover)	O praise the Lord of heaven; praise him in the heights.
Grail (Psalter)	Praise the Lord from the heavens, raise him in the heights.

The psalm opens with an exhortation for all those in heaven to praise God.  Cassiodorus points out that this is in their nature anyway, it must be an exhortation to do so more intensively:

"Since all heavenly things continually pour out hymns to the Lord, we must examine why the prophet first urges that to be done which is unceasingly fulfilled. It is a human tendency to tell men, when we see them working in the fields: "Work on"; or when they are reading: "Read on"; or when they are building: "Build on." So this exhortation can be uttered, it seems, to intensify the will to work rather than to inaugurate it. But what are these heavenly things which are encour¬aged to utter praise? Surely the things capable of contemplation of the Lord with the most refined understanding, through His gift. Fired with perennial love, they together hymn their Creator with sweet rejoicing. Since they are immortal, so their praises are not bounded by any close. In the high places denotes the more worthy essences which human beings in their weakness rightly proclaim to be lofty in their eyes, since they themselves are forced down by weakness of the flesh. It is right that each and every thing praise its Maker, in accordance with the limitations of the gift which it has received."

2	V/NV	Laudáte eum, omnes angeli ejus: * laudáte eum, omnes virtútes ejus.
	Jerome from the Hebrew (JH)	Laudate eum omnes angeli eius : laudate eum omnes exercitus eius.
		αἰνεῖτε αὐτόν πάντες οἱ ἄγγελοι αὐτοῦ αἰνεῖτε αὐτόν πᾶσαι αἱ δυνάμεις αὐτοῦ

virtus, utis,   strength, power, might; an army, host; the angels.; the heavenly bodies, the sun, moon, and stars

  

DR	Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his hosts.
Brenton	Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts.
Cover	Praise him, all ye angels of his; praise him, all his host.
Grail	Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his host.

Bellarmine sees this verse as attesting to the superiority of the holy spirits:

"The angels, as residing in the supreme heavens, as it were, in the very palace of the eternal King, get the first invi­tation. The words "praise ye" are not used in a spirit of com­mand or exhortation, as if the angels were deficient in their duty, and needed such; it is spoken in a spirit of invitation and strong affection by the Prophet, who is highly excited and inflamed with the love of God, as if he said: Oh that all creat­ed things would praise their Creator! and you, ye angels, who hold the first place in creation, follow up the praise you daily offer him; "from the heavens," indicates where the angels reside, which he repeats when he adds, "praise ye him in the high places." This he explains more clearly when he adds who they are that dwell there, saying, "praise ye him, all his hosts," meaning the heavenly powers, and not the sun, moon, and stars, as some will have it; first, because nothing is more usual than such repetitions with David; secondly, the holy fathers are unanimous that these words refer to the Cherubim, Seraphim, and the other angels; thirdly, from Luke 2, where the angels are called "The multitude of the heavenly host;" and fourthly, from Psalm 102, where the angels are more clear­ly indicated, when he says, "Bless the Lord, all ye his hosts; you ministers of his that do his will."

3	V	Laudáte eum, sol et luna: * laudáte eum, omnes stellæ et lumen.
	NV	Laudate eum, sol et luna, laudate eum, omnes stellae lucentes.
	JH	Laudate eum, sol et luua : laudate eum, omnes stellae luminis.
		αἰνεῖτε αὐτόν ἥλιος καὶ σελήνη αἰνεῖτε αὐτόν πάντα τὰ ἄστρα καὶ τὸ φῶς

sol, solis, m., the sun.

lumen, inis, n.  light; in the hymns, brightness, splendor

luna, ae, . the moon.

stella, ae,  a star.

DR	Praise him, O sun and moon: praise him, all you stars and light.
Brenton	Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all ye stars and light.
RSV	Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars!
Cover	Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all ye stars and light

St Augustine starts his explanation of the enumeration of the praises of God uttered by the entire universe:

"When can he unfold all in his enumeration? Yet he has in a manner touched upon them all summarily, and included all things in heaven praising their Creator. And as though it were said to him, Why do they praise Him? What has He conferred on them, that they should praise Him?"

4	V/NV	Laudáte eum, cæli cælórum: * et aquæ omnes, quæ super cælos sunt, laudent nomen Dómini.
	JH	Laudate eum, caeli caelorum, et aquae quae super caelos sunt. Laudent nomen Domini :
		αἰνεῖτε αὐτόν οἱ οὐρανοὶ τῶν οὐρανῶν καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ τὸ ὑπεράνω τῶν οὐρανῶν αἰνεσάτωσαν τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου

Caeli caelorum=highest heaven

Waters above the heavens are the firmament of Gen 1:7.

aqua, ae, water

DR	Praise him, you heavens of heavens: and let all the waters that are above the heavens praise the name of the Lord.
Brenton	Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and the water that is above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the Lord:
RSV	Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens! Let them praise the name of the LORD!
Cover	Praise him, all ye heavens, and ye waters that are above the heavens. Let them praise the Name of the Lord,

What is meant by the highest heavens and the waters here?  St Alphonse Liguori points out that there are different opinions on this:  

"With regard to these waters there are various opinions. Some, as St. Bonaventure, Ambrose and Catharinus, etc., say that they are the crystalline heaven. Others, as St. Athanasius (Cont. Arian. or. 2, n. 28, E .), St. Basil (In Hexam. horn. 3), St. Ambrose (Hexam. 1. 2, c. 2, 3), St. John Chrysostom (In Genes, horn. 4), Bede (Hexam), etc., believe that these waters are above the firmament or starry heavens, and they cite for this opinion Genesis... And St. Augustine, who holds the same view, says: Major est Scripturce hujus auctoritas, quam omnis humani ingenii capacitas. The authority of this Scripture is greater than all the capacity of the human mind (De Gen. ad litt. 1. 2, c. 5, n. 9). This opinion is also followed by many modern interpreters cited by Tirinus. Others, in fine, such as Rupert, Lorinus, Mariana, etc., with the greatest number of modern commentators, understand by these waters the clouds that are suspended over the earth.  Bellarmine, who holds the second opinion with the holy Fathers, seems to us to refute in a solid way this last opinion; besides, we see that the psalm is divided into two parts, the first of which refers to the higher regions of the heavens. See, moreover, in the preceding canticle, verse 3, and in Psalm ciii., verse 3."

Psalm 148: Laudate Dominum de caelis

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Alleluia
1 Laudáte Dóminum de cælis: * laudáte eum in excélsis.	Praise the Lord from the heavens: praise him in the high places.
2  Laudáte eum, omnes Angeli ejus: * laudáte eum, omnes virtútes ejus.	2 Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his hosts.
3  Laudáte eum, sol et luna: * laudáte eum, omnes stellæ et lumen.	3 Praise him, O sun and moon: praise him, all you stars and light
4  Laudáte eum, cæli cælórum: * et aquæ omnes, quæ super cælos sunt, laudent nomen Dómini.	4 Praise him, you heavens of heavens: and let all   the waters that are above the heavens 5 praise the name of the Lord.
5 Quia ipse dixit, et facta sunt: * ipse mandávit, et creáta sunt.	For he spoke, and they were made: he commanded, and they were created
6  Státuit ea in ætérnum, et in sæculum sæculi: * præcéptum pósuit, et non præteríbit.	6 He has established them for ever, and for ages of ages: he has made a decree, and it shall not pass away.
7  Laudáte Dóminum de terra, * dracónes, et omnes abyssi.	7 Praise the Lord from the earth, you dragons, and all you deeps:
8  Ignis, grando, nix, glácies, spíritus procellárum: * quæ fáciunt verbum ejus:	8 Fire, hail, snow, ice, stormy winds, which fulfil his word:
9  Montes, et omnes colles: * ligna fructífera, et omnes cedri.	9 Mountains and all hills, fruitful trees and all cedars:
10  Béstiæ, et univérsa pécora: * serpéntes, et vólucres pennátæ:	10 Beasts and all cattle: serpents and feathered fowls:
11  Reges terræ, et omnes pópuli: * príncipes, et omnes júdices terræ.	11 Kings of the earth and all people: princes and all judges of the earth:
12  Júvenes, et vírgines : senes cum junióribus laudent nomen Dómini: * quia exaltátum est nomen ejus solíus.	12 Young men and maidens: let the old with the younger, praise the name of the Lord: 13 For his name alone is exalted.
13  Conféssio ejus super cælum et terram: * et exaltávit cornu pópuli sui.	14 The praise of him is above heaven and earth: and he has exalted the horn of his people.
14  Hymnus ómnibus sanctis ejus: * fíliis Israël, pópulo appropinquánti sibi.	A hymn to all his saints to the children of Israel, a people approaching to him. Alleluia

You can find the next set of verse notes on Psalm 148 here.

Introduction to Psalm 148

Psalm 148 has been described as Genesis 1 in poetic form, because it invites all creation to give God in an order that mirrors the days of creation.  

But it goes further than this, containing a call to our own conversion and intensification of efforts in seeking holiness. 

The content and structure of Psalm 148 is echoed in a number of other Old Testament canticles, including the Benedicite (Daniel 3) said at Lauds on Sunday, Job 28, and Sirach 43.  Read in the light of the New Testament however, the call to praise is not just for creation, but more particularly for our redemption through the Resurrection of Christ.  St Augustine explains the context:

"This is the Halleluia which we sing, which, as you know, means (in Latin), Praise ye the Lord...this, after His Resurrection: by which time is signified the future hope which as yet we have not: for what we represent after the Lord's Resurrection, we shall have after our own. For in our Head both are figured, both are set forth. The Baptism of the Lord sets forth to us this present life of trial, for in it we must toil, be harassed, and, at last, die; but the Resurrection and Glorification of the Lord sets forth to us the life which we are to have hereafter, when He shall come to recompense due rewards, evil to the evil, good to the good."

Similarly, St Alphonsus Liguori notes that:

In this psalm, as well as in the two following, all creatures are called upon to praise and thank the Lord for the victory gained over the enemies of his holy name.

The praises of creation

Psalm 148 can be interpreted both literally and metaphorically.

At the literal level, the psalm calls on all creation to praise God, for all are equal before God, praising in their own way either with our hearts, minds and voices, or by our very being.  The psalm is in essence a call to redouble our efforts, to intensify our praise of God, and to join others to our work of praise, as St John Chrysostom's explains:

"The practice of the saints in their deep gratitude was like this, when on the point of giving thanks to God, to invite many to share in the praise and exhort them to be associated with them in this lovely ritual...."

There is, moreover, a particularly monastic dimension to the psalm, for the work of heaven, and of the angels, as the opening verses attest, is the constant praise of God, and on earth, the monastery is the pre-eminent place where this is imitated.  Indeed, Pope Benedict XVI made this very point:

"In the patristic period the monastic life was likened to the life of the angels. It was considered the essential mark of the angels that they are worshippers. Their very life is worship. This should hold true also for monks. Monks pray first and foremost not for any specific intention, but simply because God is worthy of being praised. “Confitemini Domino, quoniam bonus! – Praise the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy is eternal!”: so we are urged by a number of Psalms (e.g. Ps 106:1). Such prayer for its own sake, intended as pure divine service, is rightly called officium. It is “service” par excellence, the “sacred service” of monks. It is offered to the triune God who, above all else, is worthy “to receive glory, honour and power” (Rev 4:11), because he wondrously created the world and even more wondrously renewed it." Visit To Heiligenkreuz Abbey, 9 September 2007

The celestial hierarchy

Verses 5 and 6 explain why we should praise him, namely because is the creator - and recreator - of all, effecting the work of creation out of nothing with ease, and continuing to govern it.

Though all are part of creation and therefore called to respond to the creator with praise, the psalm sets out  a hierarchy in creation. 

Verses 1-4 start with the heavens and all therein, including the angels, to praise God more intensively.

Verses 7-10 extend the call to the things of earth, including the good and the bad; the beautiful and the scary, for everything created plays a role in God's providential plan for the world.  These verses also perhaps service to put humanity in its place, for we are but one part of this divine creation, a part of it, not something above it.

Verses 11-12 set out the hierarchy amongst men: rulers and judges and ruled; young and old; men and women.  They illustrate perhaps that all are equally called to God's praise yet the hierarchical construction of society is also part of God's creation, a protection against chaos.

The final verses attest to the special place of the Church in this hierarchy: through it God grants his people grace, and thus allows us to share in his glory.

The spiritual interpretation

The Fathers though, also constructed allegorical interpretations of each of the elements mentioned in the psalm.  Dragons, for example, dragons, can be seen as representing the more abrasive and strong-minded amongst us, while the stormy winds that fulfil his word are those who have turned from evil and been converted.

St Alphonsus Liguori summarises the meaning at this level as follows:

In an allegorical sense all Christians are invited to bless God for the victory that he helped them to gain over the devil, the world, and the flesh; a victory so great that for it they will be honored by being appointed judges at the day of judgment.

Liturgical uses of the psalm

NT references	-
RB cursus	Lauds daily+3585, 4116, 1836
Monastic/(Roman) feasts etc	AN 3232, 3720 (1), 4116 (1,13); 4976, 4977 (3) 3584 (4) 5001 (5) 5020 (6) 4593 (7, 11) 3219 (cf13) 3155 (9, 14)
Roman pre 1911	Lauds daily
Responsories	?6826 (Hic est Michael)
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Sunday Lauds 1970: Lauds for Sunday of the third week;
Mass propers (EF)	Second Sunday after Epiphany, AL (2) Votive Mass of the Holy Angels, GR (1-2)

Psalm 148: Laudate Dominum de caelis

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Alleluia
1 Laudáte Dóminum de cælis: * laudáte eum in excélsis.	Praise the Lord from the heavens: praise him in the high places.
2  Laudáte eum, omnes Angeli ejus: * laudáte eum, omnes virtútes ejus.	2 Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his hosts.
3  Laudáte eum, sol et luna: * laudáte eum, omnes stellæ et lumen.	3 Praise him, O sun and moon: praise him, all you stars and light
4  Laudáte eum, cæli cælórum: * et aquæ omnes, quæ super cælos sunt, laudent nomen Dómini.	4 Praise him, you heavens of heavens: and let all the waters that are above the heavens 5 praise the name of the Lord.
5 Quia ipse dixit, et facta sunt: * ipse mandávit, et creáta sunt.	For he spoke, and they were made: he commanded, and they were created
6  Státuit ea in ætérnum, et in sæculum sæculi: * præcéptum pósuit, et non præteríbit.	6 He has established them for ever, and for ages of ages: he has made a decree, and it shall not pass away.
7  Laudáte Dóminum de terra, * dracónes, et omnes abyssi.	7 Praise the Lord from the earth, you dragons, and all you deeps:
8  Ignis, grando, nix, glácies, spíritus procellárum: * quæ fáciunt verbum ejus:	8 Fire, hail, snow, ice, stormy winds, which fulfil his word:
9  Montes, et omnes colles: * ligna fructífera, et omnes cedri.	9 Mountains and all hills, fruitful trees and all cedars:
10  Béstiæ, et univérsa pécora: * serpéntes, et vólucres pennátæ:	10 Beasts and all cattle: serpents and feathered fowls:
11  Reges terræ, et omnes pópuli: * príncipes, et omnes júdices terræ.	11 Kings of the earth and all people: princes and all judges of the earth:
12  Júvenes, et vírgines : senes cum junióribus laudent nomen Dómini: * quia exaltátum est nomen ejus solíus.	12 Young men and maidens: let the old with the younger, praise the name of the Lord: 13 For his name alone is exalted.
13  Conféssio ejus super cælum et terram: * et exaltávit cornu pópuli sui.	14 The praise of him is above heaven and earth: and he has exalted the horn of his people.
14  Hymnus ómnibus sanctis ejus: * fíliis Israël, pópulo appropinquánti sibi.	A hymn to all his saints to the children of Israel, a people approaching to him. Alleluia

You can find the first set of verse by verse notes on this psalm here.

Psalm 50 in the daily Office

The second repeated psalm of Lauds is Psalm 50.  As I've previously dealt with it in detail (see below for links to previous posts), I won't linger on it here.

I do, however, want to spend a few lines to pondering the reasons why St Benedict included it as one of the repeated psalms of the Office.

Contrition

I noted in relation to Psalm 66 that there is a certain symmetry in the opening call for God to have mercy on us: Psalm 66 uses the verb misereor twice, this psalm famously adds the third invocation of it; the three Laudate psalms can be seen as the counterbalance to these.

Indeed, the Miserere is surely one of the most poignant psalms in the psalter, acknowledging our sinful state, and encouraging us to beg God's forgiveness of our sins.

Accordingly, St Benedict perhaps includes it each day at least in part for the same reasons he specifies that the Superior of the community should say the Our Father each day: monks and nuns may aspire to perfection, but are still but human, and prone to sin, in need of constant conversion.

Praise and mission

Nonetheless, the Miserere is not all about contrition, or, perhaps more accurately sets contrition before us as a necessary foundation rather than an end in itself, for the second half of the psalm goes very much to the mission of the Christian.

That mission, the psalms of Lauds makes clear, is twofold: firstly to praise and worship God; and secondly to work to advance his kingdom in the world.

Verses 15&16 go to the praise of God, with the latter used daily to open Matins:

15  Líbera me de sanguínibus, Deus, Deus salútis meæ: * et exsultábit lingua mea justítiam tuam.	Deliver me from blood, O God, you God of my salvation: and my tongue shall extol your justice.
16  Dómine, lábia mea apéries: * et os meum annuntiábit laudem tuam.	O Lord, you will open my lips: and my mouth shall declare your praise.

The psalm also speaks to the mission of building up the Church:

14  Docébo iníquos vias tuas: * et ímpii ad te converténtur.

I will teach the unjust your ways: and the wicked shall be converted to you.

19  Benígne fac, Dómine, in bona voluntáte tua Sion: * ut ædificéntur muri Jerúsalem.

Deal favourably, O Lord, in your good will with Sion; that the walls of Jerusalem may be built up.

Verse by verse notes

You can find more detailed notes on the psalm here:

Introduction to Psalm 50
Psalm 50: verses 1-4
Psalm 50: verses 5-6
Psalm 50: verses 7-9
Psalm 50: verses 10-12
Psalm 50: verses 13-15
Psalm 50: verse 16
Psalm 50: verses 17-18
Psalm 50: verses 19-20

Psalm 50: Miserere me Deus 

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
In finem. Psalmus David cum venit ad eum Nathan propheta, quando intravit ad Bethsabee.	Unto the end, a psalm of David, 2 when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had sinned with Bethsabee.
1 Miserére mei Deus, * secúndum magnam misericórdiam tuam.	Have mercy on me, O God, according to your great mercy.
2  Et secúndum multitúdinem miseratiónum tuárum, * dele iniquitátem meam.	And according to the multitude of your tender mercies blot out my iniquity.
3  Amplius lava me ab iniquitáte mea: * et a peccáto meo munda me.	Wash me yet more from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
4  Quóniam iniquitátem meam ego cognósco: * et peccátum meum contra me est semper.	For I know my iniquity, and my sin is always before me.
5  Tibi soli peccávi, et malum coram te feci: * ut justificéris in sermónibus tuis, et vincas cum judicáris.	To you only have I sinned, and have done evil before you: that you may be justified in your words, and may overcome when you are judged.
6  Ecce enim in iniquitátibus concéptus sum: * et in peccátis concépit me mater mea.	For behold I was conceived in iniquities; and in sins did my mother conceive me.
7  Ecce enim veritátem dilexísti: * incérta et occúlta sapiéntiæ tuæ manifestásti mihi.	For behold you have loved truth: the uncertain and hidden things of your wisdom you have made manifest to me.
8  Aspérges me hyssópo, et mundábor: * lavábis me, et super nivem dealbábor.	You shall sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed: you shall wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow.
9  Audítui meo dabis gáudium et lætítiam: * et exsultábunt ossa humiliáta.	To my hearing you shall give joy and gladness: and the bones that have been humbled shall rejoice.
10  Avérte fáciem tuam a peccátis meis: * et omnes iniquitátes meas dele.	Turn away your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.
11  Cor mundum crea in me, Deus: * et spíritum rectum ínnova in viscéribus meis.	Create a clean heart in me, O God: and renew a right spirit within my bowels.
12  Ne projícias me a fácie tua: * et spíritum sanctum tuum ne áuferas a me.	Cast me not away from your face; and take not your holy spirit from me.
13  Redde mihi lætítiam salutáris tui: * et spíritu principáli confírma me.	Restore unto me the joy of your salvation, and strengthen me with a perfect spirit.
14  Docébo iníquos vias tuas: * et ímpii ad te converténtur.	I will teach the unjust your ways: and the wicked shall be converted to you.
15  Líbera me de sanguínibus, Deus, Deus salútis meæ: * et exsultábit lingua mea justítiam tuam.	Deliver me from blood, O God, you God of my salvation: and my tongue shall extol your justice.
16  Dómine, lábia mea apéries: * et os meum annuntiábit laudem tuam.	O Lord, you will open my lips: and my mouth shall declare your praise.
17  Quóniam si voluísses sacrifícium dedíssem útique: * holocáustis non delectáberis.	For if you had desired sacrifice, I would indeed have given it: with burnt offerings you will not be delighted.
18  Sacrifícium Deo spíritus contribulátus: * cor contrítum, et humiliátum, Deus non despícies.	A sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit: a contrite and humbled heart, O God, you will not despise.
19  Benígne fac, Dómine, in bona voluntáte tua Sion: * ut ædificéntur muri Jerúsalem.	Deal favourably, O Lord, in your good will with Sion; that the walls of Jerusalem may be built up.
20  Tunc acceptábis sacrifícium justítiæ, oblatiónes, et holocáusta: * tunc impónent super altáre tuum vítulos.	Then shall you accept the sacrifice of justice, oblations and whole burnt offerings: then shall they lay calves upon your altar.

Scriptural and liturgical uses of the psalm

NT references	Acts 3:19 (v1); Lk 15:18, Rom 3:4 (v5); Rom 5:12, 7:14, Eph 2:3 (v6); Heb 9:13-14 (v9); Rom 8:9, 14-16 (v12); Lk 22:32, Jas 5:20 (14)
RB cursus	Lauds daily
Monastic/(Roman) feasts etc	Lauds Office of the Dead; Penitential Psalms; Grace for meals;
Roman pre 1911	Lauds daily
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Lauds II daily . 1970:
Mass propers (EF)	Asperges, PP 10 CO21; Tuesday Lent 2, OF 3