An exhortation to praise God with all kinds of musical instruments.
1PRAISE ye the LORD. 1Praise God 2in hisa sanctuary: praise him 3in the firmamentb of his power.
1 This word here and in the following verses are in the plural number: Praise ye.
2 That is, in His holy place, namely, in heaven. Others understand by the sanctuary, the temple, as Psalm 20:2, or the tabernacle; not only the earthly temple or tabernacle, but much rather the temple above in the heavens. Other, by reason of His holiness.
a Isa. 6:3.
3 Hebr. in the expansion of his strength, that is, in His strong firmament, that is, because He stretcheth forth His power and might everywhere round about, as the firmament is over all His creatures. Other, by reason of the expansion which he made through his power or strength, having regard to what is written in Gen. 1:6. See likewise Psalm 19.
b sky; the vault or expanse of the heavens*
2Praise him for 4his mighty acts: praise him 5according to his excellent greatness.
4 That is, His mighty and powerful acts, as Psalm 145:4.
5 Or, according to the multitude of his glory, that is, by reason of His great and manifold power and glory.
3Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.
4Praise him with the timbrelc and 6dance: praise him with stringed instruments and 7organs.
c type of tambourine or drum*
6 As Psalm 149:3.
7 The Hebrew word is seldom found and therefore variously rendered. It signifies a pleasant instrument, invented by Jubal, Gen. 4:21. See Job 21:12; 30:31.
5Praise him upon the 8loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.
8 Or, sweet sounding. Hebr. hear-cymbals, that is, pleasant to hear. These instruments were of metal, as bells, etc.
69Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.
9 Hebr. all breath. Or, every breath. See the annotation Gen. 7 on verse 22. These words the apostle John declares more fully thus: And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever, Rev. 5:13.