Psalms 135

1 Praise ye Jah! Praise ye the name of Jehovah, Praise, ye servants of Jehovah,

2 Who are standing in the house of Jehovah, In the courts of the house of our God.

3 Praise ye Jah! for Jehovah [is] good, Sing praise to His name, for [it is] pleasant.

4 For Jacob hath Jah chosen for Himself, Israel for His peculiar treasure.

5 For I have known that great [is] Jehovah, Yea, our Lord [is] above all gods.

6 All that Jehovah pleased He hath done, In the heavens and in earth, In the seas and all deep places,

7 Causing vapours to ascend from the end of the earth, Lightnings for the rain He hath made, Bringing forth wind from His treasures.

8 Who smote the first-born of Egypt, From man unto beast.

9 He sent tokens and wonders into thy midst, O Egypt, On Pharaoh and on all his servants.

10 Who smote many nations, and slew strong kings,

11 Even Sihon king of the Amorite, And Og king of Bashan, And all kingdoms of Canaan.

12 And He gave their land an inheritance, An inheritance to Israel His people,

13 O Jehovah, Thy name [is] to the age, O Jehovah, Thy memorial to all generations.

14 For Jehovah doth judge His people, And for His servants comforteth Himself.

15 The idols of the nations [are] silver and gold, Work of the hands of man.

16 A mouth they have, and they speak not, Eyes they have, and they see not,

17 Ears they have, and they give not ear, Nose -- there is no breath in their mouth!

18 Like them are their makers, Every one who is trusting in them.

19 O house of Israel, bless ye Jehovah, O house of Aaron, bless ye Jehovah,

20 O house of Levi, bless ye Jehovah, Those fearing Jehovah, bless ye Jehovah.

21 Blessed [is] Jehovah from Zion, Inhabiting Jerusalem -- praise ye Jah!

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.