Bellarmine on Psalm 148 : Verses 11-13

 Verses 11 & 12

Kings of the earth and all people: princes and all judges of the earth: Young men and maidens: let the old with the younger, praise the name of the Lord: For his name alone is exalted.

reges terrae et omnes populi, principes et omnes judices terrae; juvenes et virgines, senes cum junioribus laudent nomen Domini, quia exaltatum est nomen ejus solius.

Finally, he calls upon humankind to praise God, and so that he includes all people, he enumerates three different categories of people, according to their power, their sex and their age. “Kings of the earth,” he says,  “and all people,” that is, they who rule and they who obey; and since those who rule are not all of the same rank, but some are over others, he adds : “ Princes,” namely the supreme rulers, “ and all judges,” who have their authority from the princes, and here there is a difference in power. “Young men and maidens,” that is, men and women who belong to the two sexes; “the old with the younger,” which refers to a difference in age. All people, therefore, whether princes or private individuals, men or women, old people or young people, are to praise the name of the Lord, since “his name alone is exalted,”  that is, since there is no name truly sublime and worthy of all praise, except the name of the Lord. For created things, even if they are great, are nothing when compared to the greatness of the Lord; and whatever greatness and excellence they possess, they get it from Him who alone is rightly named and is the Most High.

Verse 13

The praise of him is above heaven and earth: and he hath exalted the horn of his people.

Confessio ejus super caelum et terram; et exaltavit cornu populi sui.

He gives for having said : “His name alone is exalted,” for,he says, “The praise of him is above heaven and earth,” that is, because all things which are in heaven and on earth declare His praises : and so heaven and earth are full of His glory; or, as Habacuc says : “His glory covered the heavens, and the earth is full of his praise;”[1] and so “his name alone is exalted… and he hath exalted the horn of his people,” that is, He, through Himself alone, sublime and exalted, has exalted the power and glory of His people Israel, because he chose them to be His particular people, and he gave them divine laws written with His own finger, and took care of them with a special providence. 

[1] Habacuc iii 3.

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.