Psalm 148: Laudate Dominum, de cælis

Psalm 148 chanted in the Sarum Use by Sarah James
Themes: The Psalmist calls on all the creation to praise the Lord: the angels and visible heavens, the earth and the sea, the meteors, mountains, hills, and trees, beasts, reptiles, and fowls, kings, princes, and mighty men, women, and children, and especially all the people of Israel. This psalm has no title: but in the Syriac it is attributed to Haggai and Zechariah, and the Septuagint and the Ethiopic follow it. As a hymn of praise, this is the most sublime in the whole book. (From the Adam Clarke Commentary, 1831)
In Judaism: Psalm 148 is recited in its entirety during Pesukei Dezimra (Morning Prayers), and verses 1-6 are recited at the opening to Kiddush Levanah (“Sanctification of the Moon,” which is a ritual, performed outside at night, in which a series of prayers are recited to bless the new moon) in the Ashkenazi and some Sephardic traditions. Verses 1-6 are also recited during Birkat Hachama, which is a rare blessing on the sun every 28 years on a Tuesday at sundown, at which time it is believed that the sun has returned to its position when the world was created. Verse 7 is said by the sea monsters in the ancient text of Perek Shirah. The first part of verse 13, beginning with the word "Yehallelu", is said by the Hazzan (cantor) as he returns the Torah scroll to the ark during morning services; the congregation recites the last part of this verse and continues with the recital of verse 14. (Wikipedia)
In Christianity: Psalm 148 is one of the Laudate psalms and was sung as one of a trio Psalms 148, 149, and 150 - during Lauds in the Roman rite. Around 530 A.D., St. Benedict of Nursia chose these three for the office of morning celebrated daily. In the current Liturgy of the Hours, Psalm 148 is recited for Sunday Lauds in the third week. (Wikipedia)
In the Arts: John Milton paraphrased some of the praises in this psalm in his epic poem Paradise Lost, Book 5. Church buildings have been decorated with creatures mentioned in Psalm 148, including the Irish Honan Chapel which refers to it in inscription and mosaics, and St John the Evangelist's Church, Crawshawbooth, Scotland, with carvings. The Riverside Church in Manhattan features elements mentioned in Psalm 148 carved in oak on the ends of the choir stalls.
Nine hundred years ago, the Cathedral of Salisbury, England developed a unique form of chant and liturgy known as the “Use of Salisbury,” or “Sarum Use.” Differences from the Roman rite are both melodic (more florid in the Sarum) and textual (Elizabethan English rather than Latin). The best repository of Sarum Use tones is the St. Dunstan's Plainsong Psalter, from which Sarah has sung this psalm. Additional resources on Sarum Use plainsong at canticasacra.org.
“Full moon in the evening in the dry paddy fields of Don Det, Si Phan Don, Laos,” an unchanged 2019 photo by Basile Morin, is made available at Wikimedia Commons under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license at: creativecommon....

[@wildmonastery]

Dear Tim and Sarah
Thank you so much for making the psalms available in this way. I can’t tell you how much I have appreciated the music, images and written information as part of my daily prayer over the last couple of years. This is a truly wonderful resource. Wishing you every blessing.

[@Fulano-de-Tal]

Thank you Sam, and may God bless you. Sarah is my daughter, and I'll pass your gracious words on to her.