Let everything praise the LORD! All creation–angels,sun,moon,stars,lightning,hail,mountains,trees,kings,princes…let all that He has made praise Him.
“Let them praise the name of Yahweh, for His name alone is exalted. His majesty covers heaven and earth” (Ps 148:13).
And then there’s this phrase that caused me pause (v. 14):
New International Version
And he has raised up for his people a horn, the praise of all his faithful servants, of Israel,
And he has raised up for his people a horn, the praise of all his faithful servants, of Israel,
King James Bible
He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; New King James Version
And He has exalted the horn of His people, The praise of all His saints—
New American Standard Bible
And He has lifted up a horn for His people, Praise for all His godly ones,
Holman Christian Standard Bible
He has raised up a horn for His people, resulting in praise to all His godly ones, American Standard Version
And he hath lifted up the horn of his people, The praise of all his saints;
He has raised up a horn for His people, resulting in praise to all His godly ones, American Standard Version
And he hath lifted up the horn of his people, The praise of all his saints;
Um…what does that mean? Obviously even those who have studied the Hebrew wonder as well.
If it’s it to mean he has lifted up a horn for his people, this is usually the way it would mean that he has installed a king. Perhaps king David. Horn=power most times in Scripture. Sometimes it is a specific person and sometimes it is generally just power.
If it’s about making the people strong, in particular Israel, then Israel is the horn or the place of power. Basically saying that he has raised Israel up to a place of power, which sort of fits other places and sort of doesn’t.
And then the second part. Is it the praise of all his saints? For all his saints? To all his saints? Contextually and thematically speaking in the psalms, it would better fit that Jehovah is the praise of all his saints.
Some would say that God has made His people strong and close to Him, resulting that they come to know His majesty and praise Him.
There are a number of different interpretation to this verse. That it could be David, a Messianic prophecy, Israel as a people and more. Honeslty in Hebrew it’s not clear and not being a Hebrew scholar, I’m not sure on this one.
But this verse does continue. It describes Israel as “the people close to Him” (v. 14). They are a covenant people special to God. We join in that special people by being grafted in. So let Israel, let us, and let all creation praise Him. At the end of the day that’s what this psalm is about. Let’s all praise Him together.
