Psalms 135

1 Hallelujah! Praise the name of Jehovah; praise, ye servants of Jehovah,

2 Ye that stand in the house of Jehovah, in the courts of the house of our God.

3 Praise ye Jah; for Jehovah is good: sing psalms unto his name; for it is pleasant.

4 For Jah hath chosen Jacob unto himself, Israel for his own possession.

5 For *I* know that Jehovah is great, and our Lord is above all gods.

6 Whatsoever Jehovah pleased, he hath done in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all deeps;

7 Who causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; who maketh lightnings for the rain; who bringeth the wind out of his treasuries:

8 Who smote the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and beast;

9 Who sent signs and miracles into the midst of thee, O Egypt, upon Pharaoh and upon all his servants;

10 Who smote great nations, and slew mighty kings,

11 Sihon king of the Amorites, and Og king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan;

12 And gave their land for an inheritance, an inheritance unto Israel his people.

13 Thy name, O Jehovah, is for ever; thy memorial, O Jehovah, from generation to generation.

14 For Jehovah will judge his people, and will repent in favour of his servants.

15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of men's hands:

16 They have a mouth, and they speak not; eyes have they, and they see not;

17 They have ears, and they hear not; neither is there any breath in their mouth.

18 They that make them are like unto them, -- every one that confideth in them.

19 House of Israel, bless ye Jehovah; house of Aaron, bless ye Jehovah;

20 House of Levi, bless ye Jehovah; ye that fear Jehovah, bless Jehovah.

21 Blessed be Jehovah out of Zion, who dwelleth at 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or 'this;' but see Ps. 147.1.
• [b]. Or 'peculiar treasure:' see Ex. 19.5.
• [c]. See Ex. 3.15; Ps. 102.12.
• [d]. Or 'vindicate.'
• [e]. See Deut. 32.36 and Note a.

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.