The Daily Office for October 21, 2012
Scripture Readings
Old Testament
Psalm
New Testament
Gospel
Reflection
It is unknown who the author of the Psalm 148 is. There seems to be little reason for ascribing it to Haggai and Zechariah, as the Septuagint does. The question of authorship matters little. More important is the beauty of the psalm. As Matthew Henry notes, this psalm is “a most solemn and earnest call to all creatures, according to their capacity, to praise their Creator, and to show forth His eternal power and Godhead.” The psalm reflects the unified view of nature, as it is a call to all of God’s creation to praise Him. This includes both animate and inanimate creation.
One might ask when all of God’s creation has praised Him, including the sun and moon, the stars, the hail, snow, mountains, and hills. To this most would answer that the psalm is poetic in nature and is not to be taken literally. Such may not be the case, however. Since all of creation was cursed with humanity’s fall, all of creation fell. But the day will come "when Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars! Beasts and all livestock, creeping things and flying birds!“ will once again praise the Lord. During the millennial reign of Jesus Christ on this earth, the prophecy of this psalm will be entirely fulfilled.
Collect for the Day
God, the giver of life, whose Holy Spirit wells up within your Church: by the Spirit’s gifts equip us to live the gospel of Christ and make us eager to do your will, that we may share with the whole creation the joys of eternal life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.