TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 148

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1Hallelujah. Praise Hashem from the heavens; praise Him on high.

אהַלְלוּ יָהּ הַלְלוּ אֶת־יְהֹוָה מִן־הַשָּׁמַיִם הַלְלוּהוּ בַּמְּרוֹמִים׃

2Praise Him, all His angels, praise Him, all His hosts.

בהַלְלוּהוּ כָל־מַלְאָכָיו הַלְלוּהוּ כָּל־צבאו [צְבָאָיו׃]

3Praise Him, sun and moon, praise Him, all bright stars.

גהַלְלוּהוּ שֶׁמֶשׁ וְיָרֵחַ הַלְלוּהוּ כָּל־כּוֹכְבֵי אוֹר׃

4Praise Him, highest heavens, and you waters that are above the heavens.

דהַלְלוּהוּ שְׁמֵי הַשָּׁמָיִם וְהַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר מֵעַל הַשָּׁמָיִם׃

5Let them praise the name of Hashem, for it was He who commanded that they be created.

היְהַלְלוּ אֶת־שֵׁם יְהֹוָה כִּי הוּא צִוָּה וְנִבְרָאוּ׃

6He made them endure forever, establishing an order that shall never change.

ווַיַּעֲמִידֵם לָעַד לְעוֹלָם חָק־נָתַן וְלֹא יַעֲבוֹר׃

7Praise Hashem, O you who are on earth, all sea monsters and ocean depths,

זהַלְלוּ אֶת־יְהֹוָה מִן־הָאָרֶץ תַּנִּינִים וְכָל־תְּהֹמוֹת׃

8fire and hail, snow and smoke, storm wind that executes His command,

חאֵשׁ וּבָרָד שֶׁלֶג וְקִיטוֹר רוּחַ סְעָרָה עֹשָׂה דְבָרוֹ׃

9all mountains and hills, all fruit trees and cedars,

טהֶהָרִים וְכָל־גְּבָעוֹת עֵץ פְּרִי וְכָל־אֲרָזִים׃

10all wild and tamed beasts, creeping things and winged birds,

יהַחַיָּה וְכָל־בְּהֵמָה רֶמֶשׂ וְצִפּוֹר כָּנָף׃

11all kings and peoples of the earth, all princes of the earth and its judges,

יאמַלְכֵי־אֶרֶץ וְכָל־לְאֻמִּים שָׂרִים וְכָל־שֹׁפְטֵי אָרֶץ׃

12youths and maidens alike, old and young together.

יבבַּחוּרִים וְגַם־בְּתוּלוֹת זְקֵנִים עִם־נְעָרִים׃

13Let them praise the name of Hashem, for His name, His alone, is sublime; His splendor covers heaven and earth.

y'-ha-l'-LU et SHAYM a-do-NAI kee nis-GAV sh'-MO l'-va-DO ho-DO al E-retz v'-sha-MA-yim

יגיְהַלְלוּ אֶת־שֵׁם יְהֹוָה כִּי־נִשְׂגָּב שְׁמוֹ לְבַדּוֹ הוֹדוֹ עַל־אֶרֶץ וְשָׁמָיִם׃

148:13   Let them praise the name of Hashem

Psalm 148 can be divided into two parts. The first half speaks of Hashem being praised in the celestial spheres, while the second half speaks of human praises of God. Though both seemingly exalt Him the same way, as it says, “let them praise the name of Hashem” (verses 5 and 13), the praises are actually very different. The angels exalt God “for it was He who commanded that they be created.” They are robotically programmed to sing Hashem’s praises. Humans, on the other hand, worship Him because they see the beauty of creation, understand God’s compassion and voluntarily choose to sing His praises. We are all recipients of God’s love and His bounty. It is our duty to recognize what He gives us and to sing His praises.

14He has exalted the horn of His people for the glory of all His faithful ones, Yisrael, the people close to Him. Hallelujah.

ידוַיָּרֶם קֶרֶן לְעַמּוֹ תְּהִלָּה לְכָל־חֲסִידָיו לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עַם־קְרֹבוֹ הַלְלוּ־יָהּ׃