Unknown
Psalm 135
Scripture (KJV)
1Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the name of the Lord; praise him, O ye servants of the Lord.
2Ye that stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.
3Praise the Lord; for the Lord is good: sing praises unto his name; for it is pleasant.
4For the Lord hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure.
5For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.
6Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.
7He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain; he bringeth the wind out of his treasuries.
8Who smote the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and beast.
9Who sent tokens and wonders into the midst of thee, O Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his servants.
10Who smote great nations, and slew mighty kings;
11Sihon king of the Amorites, and Og king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan:
12And gave their land for an heritage, an heritage unto Israel his people.
13Thy name, O Lord, endureth for ever; and thy memorial, O Lord, throughout all generations.
14For the Lord will judge his people, and repent himself concerning his servants.
15The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.
16They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not;
17They have ears, but they hear not; neither is there any breath in their mouth.
18They that make them are like unto them: so is every one that trusteth in them.
19Bless the Lord, O house of Israel: bless the Lord, O house of Aaron:
20Bless the Lord, O house of Levi: ye that fear the Lord, bless the Lord.
21Blessed be the Lord out of Zion, which dwelleth at Jerusalem. Praise ye the Lord.
Summary
Psalm 135 is a call to praise that weaves together themes from Exodus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, and other psalms. It summons the servants of the Lord who stand in His house to praise His good name, because He has chosen Jacob as His peculiar treasure. The psalm grounds worship in God’s greatness as sovereign over heaven, earth, seas, and deeps, and in His mighty acts in history: the plagues of Egypt, the defeat of Sihon and Og, and the gift of Canaan as an inheritance. It then turns to satire of the lifeless idols of the nations—silver and gold, the work of men’s hands, with mouths that do not speak and eyes that do not see—and warns that those who make and trust them become as lifeless as the idols themselves.
The psalm closes with a litany of blessing: house of Israel, house of Aaron, house of Levi, and all who fear the Lord, bless the Lord, who dwells in Jerusalem. The major themes are praise, God’s sovereignty, His acts in history, the folly of idolatry, and covenant election. Practically, the psalm teaches that true worship is rooted in who God is and what He has done, and that what we worship we become. The great lesson is that the Lord who chose Jacob and acted in history is above all gods and worthy of all praise.
Key Themes
A Prayer from Psalm 135
I praise You, Lord, for Your name is good and pleasant to sing. You have chosen Your people as Your peculiar treasure, and You are great above all gods. Whatever pleases You, You do in heaven, in earth, in the seas, and in all deep places. You struck the firstborn of Egypt, defeated Sihon and Og, and gave the land as a heritage. Your name endures forever, and You will vindicate Your servants. Save me from the folly of idols—lifeless works of hands that make their makers as blind and deaf as themselves. Let me bless You, O house of Israel, house of Aaron, house of Levi, and all who fear You. Blessed be the Lord out of Zion, who dwells at Jerusalem. Praise the Lord! In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Reflection Questions
- 1What "mighty acts" of God in my own history can fuel my praise today?
- 2Which modern idols am I tempted to trust, and how do they make me like themselves?
- 3What does it mean that the Lord has chosen a people as His "peculiar treasure"?
- 4How can I join the litany of blessing—Israel, Aaron, Levi, and all who fear the Lord?
Related Psalms
Psalm 115
“Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake.”
Psalm 115 is a communal hymn that refuses to take glory for itself, directing all praise to the name of the Lord for His mercy and truth.
Read morePsalm 134
“Behold, bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord, which by night stand in the house of the Lord.”
Psalm 134 is the last of the Songs of Ascents and functions as a fitting doxology to the collection.
Read morePsalm 136
“O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
Psalm 136 is the great liturgical psalm of thanksgiving, built on a single refrain repeated twenty-six times: "for his mercy endureth for ever.
Read morePsalm 113
“Praise ye the Lord. Praise, O ye servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord.”
Psalm 113 is the first of the “Hallel” psalms (113-118) sung at Passover and other Jewish festivals.
Read morePsalm 105
“O give thanks unto the Lord; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people.”
Psalm 105 is a historical hymn that recounts God’s faithfulness to His covenant from Abraham to the conquest of Canaan.
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