What Does Psalm 148:13 Mean?
Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is lifted high; his majesty is above the earth and the heavens.
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven.THE KEY
The LORD’s name, his nature, is already above earth and heaven; praise gives voice to that height.
THE MEANING
The LORD’s nature stands above the whole created scale you can see and imagine: earth and heaven. Praise is your voice joining what is already true of that name. Its excellence does not depend on your ability to raise it.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
This undoes the belief that praise is what makes God worthy or great; the verse places the LORD’s exalted nature before any voice answers.
THE ROOT
נִשְׂגָּב
nishgav
GROWS FROM
שגב
sagav
To be high or exalted; to set on high.
“lifted high” in this verse is nishgav. The verse’s name (שֵׁם, shem, name as nature) is described as raised above all creation. This root also names a refuge that sets a person on high, so the name’s height carries both surpassing stature and shelter.
ALSO GROWS
yesagvekha: May he set you on high; defend you.
יְשַׂגֶּבְךָ
The same root appears in Psalm 20:1, where the name of the God of Jacob defends by setting the person in a high place.
misgav: High refuge; stronghold.
מִשְׂגָּב
This branch makes the root’s image of elevation a place of refuge, linking the LORD’s exalted name with protection.
יְהַלְלוּ
yehalelu
GROWS FROM
הלל
halal
To praise or celebrate.
“Let them praise” is yehalelu, from halal. תְּהִלָּה (tehillah, praise or song of praise) and הַלְלוּיָהּ (hallelu-yah, praise Yah) carry the same seed: the voices celebrate the one whose name is already lifted high.
ALSO GROWS
tehillah: Praise; a song of praise.
תְּהִלָּה
This branch shows praise taking shape as words or song that voice the LORD’s nature.
hallelu-yah: Praise Yah.
הַלְלוּיָהּ
The same praise-root is joined to Yah’s name, making explicit the connection between praise and the nature named.
THE PATTERN
The LORD’s name and glory stand above creation, and praise answers to that prior majesty.
The LORD is lifted high over all nations, and his weight above the heavens.And one called out to another, and said, Set apart, set apart, set apart is the LORD of hosts. The whole earth is filled with his weight.Who will not stand in awe of you, Lord, and give weight to your name? For you alone are set apart, and all the nations come and bow down before your face, for your judgments are made visible.THE THREAD
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. May the LORD answer you in the day of the narrow place; may the name of the God of Jacob set you on high.The word translated “defend” comes from the same root as “excellent”: שגב (sagav, to be high or set on high). The name exalted above earth and heaven is also the refuge that sets a person on high in trouble.
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