Psalms 135

1 Hallelujah! Praise the name of the LORD. Praise him, you servants of the LORD

2 who are standing in the house of the LORD, in the courtyards of the house of our God.

3 Praise the LORD because he is good. Make music to praise his name because his name is beautiful.

4 The LORD chose Jacob to be his own and chose Israel to be his own special treasure.

5 I know that the LORD is great, that our Lord is greater than all the false gods.

6 The LORD does whatever he wants in heaven or on earth, on the seas or in all the depths of the oceans.

7 He is the one who makes the clouds rise from the ends of the earth, who makes lightning for the thunderstorms, and who brings wind out of his storerooms.

8 He is the one who killed every firstborn male in Egypt. He killed humans and animals alike.

9 He sent miraculous signs and amazing things into the heart of Egypt against Pharaoh and all his officials.

10 He is the one who defeated many nations and killed mighty kings:

11 King Sihon of the Amorites, King Og of Bashan, and all the kingdoms in Canaan.

12 He gave their land as an inheritance, an inheritance to his people Israel.

13 O LORD, your name endures forever. O LORD, you will be remembered throughout every generation.

14 The LORD will provide justice for his people and have compassion on his servants.

15 The idols of the nations are made of silver and gold. They were made by human hands.

16 They have mouths, but they cannot speak. They have eyes, but they cannot see.

17 They have ears, but they cannot hear. They cannot breathe.

18 Those who make idols end up like them. So does everyone who trusts them.

19 Descendants of Israel, praise the LORD. Descendants of Aaron, praise the LORD.

20 Descendants of Levi, praise the LORD. You people who fear the LORD, praise the LORD.

21 Thank the LORD in Zion. Thank the one who lives in Jerusalem. Hallelujah!

Psalms 135 Commentary

Chapter 135

God to be praised for his mercy. (1-4) For his power and judgments. (5-14) The vanity of idols. (15-21)

Verses 1-4 The subject-matter of praise, is the blessings of grace flowing from the everlasting love of God. The name of God as a covenant God and Father in Christ, blessing us with all spiritual blessings in him, is to be loved and praised. The Lord chose a people to himself, that they might be unto him for a name and a praise. If they do not praise him for this distinguishing favour, they are the most unworthy and ungrateful of all people.

Verses 5-14 God is, and will be always, the same to his church, a gracious, faithful, wonder-working God. And his church is, and will be, the same to him, a thankful, praising people: thus his name endures for ever. He will return in ways of mercy to them, and will delight to do them good.

Verses 15-21 These verses arm believers against idolatry and all false worship, by showing what sort of gods the heathen worshipped. And the more deplorable the condition of the Gentile nations that worship idols, the more are we to be thankful that we know better. Let us pity, and pray for, and seek to benefit benighted heathens and deluded sinners. Let us endeavour to glorify his name, and recommend his truth, not only with our lips, but by holy lives, copying the example of Christ's goodness and truth.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 135

This psalm was written very probably by the same hand as the former. It begins in much the same manner; it has some likeness with Psalm 113 and 114. It begins and ends with "hallelujah"; and is throughout an exhortation of praise to God, on account of his name, nature, and perfections; and because of his works of creation, providence, and grace, many of which are enumerated. The Syriac interpreter says, there is an intimation in it of the conversion of the people of the Messiah unto the faith.