Summary

The direct imperative exhortation (praise) from Psalm 148:1–4 changes into an indirect exhortation: Let them praise in this verse. The fact that the psalmist talks about the name of the Lord shows the familiarity of the Name: it is the Name of this great God. It is the awesome Name. God’s Name is God himself and the mentioning of God’s Name in this context brings in an extra element of awe and so accentuates the awe that we ought to have for God. Compare this with the third commandment: You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

In Psalm 148:5b and Psalm 148:6 the reason for the call to praise is found, as Psalm 148:5b starts with for. This is how it becomes clear that the heavens, all who dwell therein, and heaven in the sense of the firmament, are there because God spoke. They are there because of him, and what the psalm is letting us know is that they are also there for him, namely, to praise him.

We see here the purpose of creation: to give God praise.