Psalm 148 (Verses 1–6)
King James Version
The opening of a psalm calling all creation, from angels to stars, to praise the LORD.
Download the handwriting worksheet (PDF)Printable, ruled for handwriting: copy it by hand, then type it here.
About this text
Psalm 148 is one of the last psalms in the collection and belongs to a small group at the very end of the book (146-150) that are pure praise psalms, each opening and often closing with "Praise ye the LORD" (Hallelujah in the Hebrew). This excerpt covers the psalm's opening address to the heavens — angels, sun, moon, stars — before the full psalm goes on to call the earth itself to praise as well.
The passage builds a list that gets more specific as it goes: heavens, then angels, then sun and moon, then stars, then "heavens of heavens" and the waters above them — a widening and narrowing of scale in the same breath. Copying it carefully means paying attention to that list structure rather than letting the repeated word "praise" blur every line together.
What to watch for
- 5 colons: a colon points ahead to what explains or completes the first half of the sentence.
- Capital letters in the middle of a sentence: LORD. Ask why each one is capitalized before typing it.
- Old-fashioned words: ye, hath. These are easy to "correct" by accident into modern spelling, so copy them exactly as written.
- Longest word: "stablished" (10 letters). Try spelling it aloud once before reaching it.
- 6 lines averaging about 15 words each. A comfortable line length for a single sitting.
Full text (reference)
1Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights.
2Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts.
3Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light.
4Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens.
5Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created.
6He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass.