Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars! Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens! Let them praise the name of the LORD! For he commanded and they were created.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse pointedly calls out the sun and moon, precisely the celestial bodies often worshipped by ancient peoples as gods. It's a subtle but powerful declaration: these magnificent lights are not divine in themselves but are instead God's creation, obligated to praise their Maker just as we are.
Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars! Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens! Let them praise the name of the LORD! For he commanded and they were created.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This psalm is a grand invitation for all of creation to join in praising God. It begins by calling on the highest heavens and the angelic hosts, and now it addresses the celestial bodies, including the sun, moon, and stars. The psalmist calls upon these heavenly lights, which were even worshipped by many ancient peoples, to instead praise their Creator, highlighting how their very existence and purpose declare God's glory.
We often think of praise as something only people can do. But this psalm calls on the sun, moon, and stars to join in!
The Unspoken Sermon of Creation
This verse is part of a psalm that invites everything in creation to praise God. It might sound a bit strange to us, but the idea is that the very existence and function of the sun, moon, and stars are a constant declaration of God's glory. They don't have voices, but their splendor, their predictable movements, and their vital roles in sustaining life are a powerful testament to the Creator.
Think about it: the sun gives light and warmth, the moon affects the tides, and the stars have guided travelers for millennia. These aren't random occurrences. They are God's handiwork, reflecting His power, wisdom, and faithfulness. When we observe them, we're meant to see Him and be moved to praise.
Why call out the sun and moon specifically? These heavenly bodies were wrongly worshipped by many ancient cultures.
From False Gods to Faithful Creatures
The ancient world often saw the sun and moon as deities themselves. People built temples and offered sacrifices to them. Psalm 148 flips this script entirely.
Instead of worshipping these celestial bodies, the psalm commands them to praise the One True God. They aren't gods; they are God's creatures, designed and appointed by Him to serve His purposes. This verse is a powerful statement: the very things people bowed down to are now called to bow down (metaphorically) to the Creator. It’s a reclamation, showing that true worship belongs only to Jehovah.
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Understand the original words
shamayim · Hebrew Noun
Used to describe the expanse or firmament above the earth. In Hebrew cosmology, it is the highest part of the created heavens.
shem · Hebrew Noun
The name represents the totality of God's character, reputation, authority, and presence. To praise His name is to honor all that He has revealed Himself to be.
tsavah · Hebrew Verb
The authoritative word of God that brings reality into existence. It highlights God's power as the Creator who speaks and the universe responds.
bara' · Hebrew Verb
The act of bringing something into existence out of nothing (ex nihilo), demonstrating God’s absolute sovereignty and creative power.
This passage directly parallels Psalm 148:3 by describing God's creation of the sun, moon, and stars, setting the stage for their role in declaring His glory.
Nehemiah 9:6This verse echoes the sentiment of Psalm 148, explicitly stating that the heavens, including the host of heaven (stars), were made by God and worship Him, reinforcing the idea of celestial bodies praising their Creator.
Isaiah 40:26This passage speaks to the immense power of God in creating and ordering the vastness of the cosmos, including the stars, highlighting His ability to call them forth and sustain them, a foundation for their praise.
Romans 1:20This verse presents a profound connection between God's invisible attributes and His visible creation, suggesting that the natural world, including celestial bodies, makes His eternal power and divine nature clearly discernible, thus testifying to Him.
clarkePsalms 148:3: "Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light."
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.
poolePsalms 148:3: "Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light."
Sun and moon; you which are adored by the blind heathens for gods, you are but his creatures, and therefore were obliged, if you were capable, to worship and praise him for your glorious light and powerful influences.
This verse pointedly calls out the sun and moon, precisely the celestial bodies often worshipped by ancient peoples as gods. It's a subtle but powerful declaration: these magnificent lights are not divine in themselves but are instead God's creation, obligated to praise their Maker just as we are.
This psalm is a grand invitation for all of creation to join in praising God. It begins by calling on the highest heavens and the angelic hosts, and now it addresses the celestial bodies, including the sun, moon, and stars. The psalmist calls upon these heavenly lights, which were even worshipped by many ancient peoples, to instead praise their Creator, highlighting how their very existence and purpose declare God's glory.
This psalm is a grand invitation for all of creation to join in praising God. It begins by calling on the highest heavens and the angelic hosts, and now it addresses the celestial bodies, including the sun, moon, and stars. The psalmist calls upon these heavenly lights, which were even worshipped by many ancient peoples, to instead praise their Creator, highlighting how their very existence and purpose declare God's glory.
"Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars! Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens! Let them praise the name of the LORD! For he commanded and they were created." — This verse pointedly calls out the sun and moon, precisely the celestial bodies often worshipped by ancient peoples as gods. It's a subtle but powerful declaration: these magnificent lights are not d…
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Last reviewed October 2026