Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 148:4

Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that [be] above the heavens.

4. heavens of heavens ] i.e. the highest heavens. Cp. Psa 68:33; Deu 10:14; 1Ki 8:27 (= 2Ch 6:18); 1Ch 2:6; Neh 9:6; Sir 16:18 . It is doubtful whether the idea of a plurality of heavens, three (2Co 12:2) or seven, which is prominent in later Jewish literature, was already current. See however Salmond in Hastings’ Dict. of the Bible, 11. 321, who thinks that it is implied by this phrase.

ye waters that be above the heavens ] The great reservoir of waters supposed to exist above the ‘firmament,’ the source of rain. See Gen 1:6-7; Psa 104:3.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Praise him, ye heavens of heavens – Referring to the idea that there is one heaven rising above another. See the notes at Psa 68:33. See 1Ki 8:27 : Behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee. Compare 2Ch 2:6.

And ye waters that be above the heavens – Gen 1:7 : And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament. The allusion here is to the waters which seem to be above the lower heaven, that is, the air, and which seem to come from some higher region – some higher heaven. See the notes at Psa 104:3 : Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 4. Heavens of heavens] Heavens exceeding heavens. Systems of systems extending as far beyond the solar system, as it does beyond the lowest deeps. The endless systematic concatenation of worlds.

Ye waters that be above the heavens.] This refers to Ge 1:7, where see the notes. Clouds, vapours, air, exhalations, rain, snow, and meteors of every kind.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Ye heavens of heavens; ye highest and most glorious heavens, the place of Gods throne and glorious presence, as this phrase is used, Deu 10:14; 1Ki 8:27; Neh 9:6; Psa 115:16. Or, ye starry heavens, which also may well be so called, because they are above the air, which is oft. called heaven in Scripture.

Ye waters that be above the heavens; ye clouds, which are above a part of the heavens; of which See Poole “Gen 1:7“.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

4. heavens of heavensthe veryhighest.

watersclouds, restingabove the visible heavens (compare Ge1:7).

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Praise him, ye heaven of heavens,…. All the heavens, the airy and starry heavens; and the third heaven, the residence of God, angels and saints: these are made by the Lord, and declare the glory of his power, wisdom, and goodness, and show forth his handiwork,

Ps 19:1. A voice was heard from heaven, praising Jehovah the Son, when on earth in our nature; a cloud of the lower heavens received him when he went from hence, and in the clouds thereof he will come again: the highest heavens opened to receive him, and will retain him until the restitution of all things; and from hence he will descend to judge the world in righteousness, Mt 3:16;

and ye waters that [be] above the heavens; divided by the firmament from the waters below; and are no other than the thick clouds, in which the waters are bound up, and not rent, but at the pleasure of God, Ge 1:7; so Seneca d calls the clouds the celestial waters. And these give men occasion to praise the Lord, that those vast bodies of water that are over their heads are not let down in such large quantities upon them as would destroy them; and that are carried about from place to place, and let down and gentle showers, to water and refresh the earth, and make it fruitful, so that it brings forth food for man and beast. The Targum is,

“ye waters, that by the Word (of the Lord) hang above the heavens;”

in which is displayed the glory of amazing power, wisdom, and goodness. The most ancient Syrians and Arabians were thoroughly persuaded, that beyond the bounds of the visible heavens there was a great sea, without any limits; which some e suppose to be the waters here meant.

d Nat. Quaest. l. 3. c. 23. e Vid. Steeb. Coelum Sephirot. Heb. c. 7. s. 3. p. 126, 127. and Gregory’s Works, p. 110.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

(4) Heavens of heavens.See Psa. 68:33, and references. Before passing downwards to the earth the invocation pauses to combine all the heights, which have been before addressed in the expression which denotes their position relatively to the earth; the highest heaven of all, and then the world of water which, in the Hebrew conception of the Cosmos, was supposed to be the foundation, while itself rests on the firmament or heavenly vault. (See Psa. 104:3.)

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

Psa 148:4 Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that [be] above the heavens.

Ver. 4. Praise him, ye heavens of heavens ] Whereby he meaneth not the lowest heavens, the air whereon we breathe, and wherein birds fly, clouds swim, &c., as some would have it; but the highest heaven, called by St Paul the third heaven, the habitation of the crowned saints and glorious angels; called by philosophers coelum Empyreum, and here by the psalmist the heavens of heavens, as King of kings, Song of songs, &c., by an excellence. See Deu 10:14 .

And ye waters that be above the heavens ] i.e. Above the air, and that do distinguish between the air and the sky, as the Primmn Mobile doth between the sky and the highest heavens, Superius suspensae aquarum fornices.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)