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Psalm 148 · a question people ask

How can hail, mountains and sea creatures praise the LORD?

In the text

The psalm calls on them and doesn't say how. It does say one thing some of them do: "lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy wind, fulfilling his word" (148:8). In Hebrew fulfilling his word is osah devaro, and Psalm 103 has those two words of the angels: "Praise the LORD, you angels of his, who are mighty in strength, who fulfill his word" (Psalm 103:20). Other psalms call on the sea, the rivers and the mountains too: "Let heaven and earth praise him; the seas, and everything that moves therein!" (Psalm 69:34), and "Let the rivers clap their hands. Let the mountains sing for joy together" (Psalm 98:8). Psalm 19 says of the heavens, "There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard" (Psalm 19:3). None of these psalms explains how, and these notes don't either.

The verses

“lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy wind, fulfilling his word,”
Psalm 148:8 · World English Bible
“Praise the LORD, you angels of his, who are mighty in strength, who fulfill his word, obeying the voice of his word.”
Psalm 103:20 · World English Bible
“Let heaven and earth praise him; the seas, and everything that moves therein!”
Psalm 69:34 · World English Bible
“Let the rivers clap their hands. Let the mountains sing for joy together.”
Psalm 98:8 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of Psalm 148

Psalm 148: Praise the LORD from the heavens

Psalm 148 calls the heavens to praise, then the earth, and gives each a reason in the same Hebrew words: "Let them praise the LORD’s name, for" (148:5, 148:13). And its "lightning" (148:8) is esh, the Hebrew word for fire, doing what Psalm 103:20 says the angels do: fulfilling his word.

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions