Psalms 135
Psalm 135 is a vibrant, litany-style psalm of praise, often classified as a temple hymn or liturgical song. Positioned within the final movement of the Psalter alongside other 'Hallelujah' psalms, it serves as a mosaic of Israel's sacred memory and theological convictions. The psalm weaves together clear echoes from Deuteronomy, Exodus, and the prophetic tradition, drawing notably from Jeremiah and earlier psalms like Psalm 115 and Psalm 134. Its literary movement flows seamlessly from a temple call to worship, into an exalted declaration of God's cosmic sovereignty over creation, through a historical remembrance of His redemptive wonders in the Exodus and conquest, to a piercing satire on pagan idolatry, and finally concluding with a triumphant benediction from Zion.
Historically, this psalm was sung by the Levites and assembly of Israel during major pilgrimage festivals in the post-exilic temple. It reminded the worshipping community that their identity was rooted in Yahweh's sovereign grace—He chose Jacob for Himself and demonstrated His divine power over Egypt's deities and Canaanite monarchs. By contrasting the living, active God of Israel with the mute, impotent idols crafted by human hands, Psalm 135 challenges God's people in every era to turn from modern functional idols and render exclusive, joyful adoration to the Creator and Redeemer.
1. Call to Praise the Covenant Lord
Psalms 135:1-4
1 Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD ’s name! Praise him, you servants of the LORD, 2 you who stand in the LORD ’s house, in the courts of our God ’s house. 3 Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good. Sing praises to his name, for that is pleasant. 4 For the LORD has chosen Jacob for himself, Israel for his own possession.
Commentary
- The Direct Command to Exalt Yahweh: The psalm opens with an emphatic imperative: 'Praise the LORD!' (Hebrew: Hallelujah). The command is directed specifically to the 'servants of the LORD' who stand in the house of God. Worship is framed not as an optional suggestion, but as the fundamental obligation and privilege of God's covenant stewards. To praise the name of Yahweh is to honor His revealed character and reputation.
- The Goodness and Delight of Worship: Verse 3 highlights two key motivations for worship: God is inherently good, and singing praise to His name is 'pleasant' (Hebrew: na'im). True worship is satisfying to the human soul because it aligns the creature with its creator. Praising God is not a burdensome chore; it produces genuine spiritual delight and moral beauty within the worshipping community.
- Elected for Divine Possession: Verse 4 grounds Israel's imperative to praise in divine election: 'For the LORD has chosen Jacob for himself, Israel for his own possession.' The term 'possession' translates the Hebrew 'segullah', referring to a king's cherished, personal treasure (cf. Exodus 19:5). Israel's praise is their joyful response to unmerited grace—God chose them not because of their intrinsic greatness, but out of His sovereign love.
Insight: True worship springs from a deep awareness that we belong to God as His treasured possession, making our praise a joyful response to His sovereign goodness.
2. Sovereign Lord over Creation and Nature
Psalms 135:5-7
5 For I know that the LORD is great, that our Lord is above all gods. 6 Whatever the LORD pleased, that he has done, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps. 7 He causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightnings with the rain. He brings the wind out of his treasuries.
Commentary
- Personal Conviction of God's Greatness: The psalmist transitions from a corporate call to a personal confession: 'For I know that the LORD is great.' True corporate praise is built on personal, experiential knowledge of God's supremacy. Yahweh is declared to be above all 'gods'—the false deities and spiritual forces worshipped by surrounding nations.
- Unrestricted Divine Sovereignty: Verse 6 presents one of the clearest biblical statements of absolute divine sovereignty: 'Whatever the LORD pleased, that he has done.' God's freedom and authority are absolute across every realm of existence—heaven, earth, seas, and all deep places. Unlike pagan deities who were bound by territory or seasonal cycles, Yahweh exercises total rule over all creation.
- Mastery over Meteorological Forces: In verse 7, the psalmist illustrates God's sovereignty through nature: bringing clouds from the earth's ends, forming lightning with rain, and releasing wind from His 'treasuries.' In ancient Near Eastern culture, storm gods like Baal were believed to control weather. The psalmist refutes this myth by affirming that atmospheric phenomena are under Yahweh's complete control.
Insight: The God who rules the vast cosmos down to the lightning and the wind is the very same God who lovingly governs every detail of our daily lives.
3. Redeemer in History and Deliverer of Israel
Psalms 135:8-12
8 He struck the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and animal. 9 He sent signs and wonders into the middle of you, Egypt, on Pharaoh, and on all his servants. 10 He struck many nations, and killed mighty kings — 11 Sihon king of the Amorites, Og king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan — 12 and gave their land for a heritage, a heritage to Israel, his people.
Commentary
- Judgement upon Egypt's Oppression: The psalmist turns from creation to redemption, rehearsing the Exodus. God struck the firstborn of Egypt and unleashed 'signs and wonders' against Pharaoh and his officials. This historical recall highlights that God is not an indifferent distant observer; He actively intervenes in human history to judge tyrants and free the oppressed.
- Conquest over Formidable Monarchs: Verses 10-11 record God's victory over mighty Canaanite kings, specifically mentioning Sihon king of the Amorites and Og king of Bashan (cf. Numbers 21). These kings represented insurmountable obstacles to Israel's survival, yet they fell before the power of God, demonstrating that human military strength cannot thwart divine purposes.
- The Gift of the Promised Heritage: In verse 12, the land of Canaan was given as a 'heritage' (Hebrew: nachalah) to Israel. The conquest was not an act of human self-aggrandisement, but the fulfilment of God's covenant promise to Abraham. The land belonged to God, and He graciously granted it as an inheritance to His people.
Insight: Remembering God's past interventions in history fortifies our faith to trust Him through present struggles and formidable challenges.
4. An Enduring Name and Compassionate Care
Psalms 135:13-14
13 Your name, LORD, endures forever; your renown, LORD, throughout all generations. 14 For the LORD will judge his people and have compassion on his servants.
Commentary
- The Eternal Renown of Yahweh: Verse 13 praises God's enduring name throughout all generations. Human rulers come and go, empires fall, but Yahweh's character, reputation, and covenant promises remain unchanged forever. His name is the unshakeable foundation for every generation of believers.
- Divine Vindication and Compassion: Quoting Deuteronomy 32:36, verse 14 promises that 'the LORD will judge his people and have compassion on his servants.' The term 'judge' here implies vindication and defense. God will defend His people against accusers and show tender mercy (Hebrew: 'nicham', to feel comfort or relent) toward those who serve Him.
Insight: Though earthly kingdoms fall and leaders fail, the eternal God continuously guards, vindicates, and extends compassion to His humble servants.
5. The Folly of Idols and the Spiritual Transformation of Trusters
Psalms 135:15-18
15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. 16 They have mouths, but they can ’t speak. They have eyes, but they can ’t see. 17 They have ears, but they can ’t hear, neither is there any breath in their mouths. 18 Those who make them will be like them, yes, everyone who trusts in them.
Commentary
- The Human Origin of False Idols: Verses 15-17 deliver a sharp critique of idolatry, echoing Psalm 115:4-8. Idols are made of silver and gold, mere 'work of men's hands.' The psalmist exposes the absurdity of worshipping objects that humans created. Whatever human hands fashion can never possess life, authority, or saving power.
- Sensory Impotence of Modern and Ancient Idols: The psalmist systematically lists the deficiencies of idols: they have mouths that cannot speak, eyes that cannot see, ears that cannot hear, and no breath (ruach) in their mouths. They are lifeless statues, utterly incapable of hearing prayer, seeing distress, or speaking words of truth.
- Conformity to the Object of Worship: Verse 18 states a profound spiritual law: 'Those who make them will be like them, yes, everyone who trusts in them.' We inevitably become like what we worship. Trusting in spiritually dead, blind, and deaf idols renders human beings spiritually dead, blind, and insensitive to divine truth.
Insight: We are transformed into the image of what we value most; worshipping lifeless worldly idols deadens the soul, while worshipping the living God brings true life and spiritual vitality.
6. A Corporate Blessing from Zion
Psalms 135:19-21
19 House of Israel, praise the LORD! House of Aaron, praise the LORD! 20 House of Levi, praise the LORD! You who fear the LORD, praise the LORD! 21 Blessed be the LORD from Zion, who dwells in Jerusalem. Praise the LORD!
Commentary
- Inclusive Call to All Worship Groups: The psalm concludes with a litany calling various groups to praise Yahweh: the 'House of Israel' (the whole covenant community), the 'House of Aaron' (the priesthood), the 'House of Levi' (the temple assistants), and 'You who fear the LORD' (all devout worshippers, including god-fearing Gentiles). Everyone has a place in corporate praise.
- The Dwellings of Yahweh in Jerusalem: Verse 21 declares: 'Blessed be the LORD from Zion, who dwells in Jerusalem.' Zion was the earthly focal point of God's localized presence under the Old Covenant. From Jerusalem, God's glory and blessing radiate outward to the entire world, pointing forward to the ultimate temple—Jesus Christ—and the New Jerusalem.
- The Climax of Hallelujah: The psalm ends as it began, with the ringing declaration: 'Praise the LORD!' (Hallelujah). This creates an inclusion, wrapping all of history, creation, theology, and warning inside one grand, unending song of praise to the sovereign King.
Insight: Corporate worship unites every believer across all roles and backgrounds in a shared chorus of praise to the God who tabernacles among His people.
Theological Significance
- Absolute Sovereignty in Creation and Providence: Psalm 135 affirms that God does whatever He pleases in heaven, on earth, and in the deep seas. His authority is absolute, unforced, and unlimited by physical or regional boundaries. Natural phenomena like lightning, rain, and wind operate under His direct providential command.
- Sovereign Election and Covenant Grace: The passage highlights that Israel was chosen as God's special treasure ('segullah') purely by His grace. Divine election is not based on merit or human power, but on God's sovereign love and covenant faithfulness, designed to make His people a praise in the earth.
- God as the Active Deliverer in History: Unlike the static gods of the nations, Yahweh acts decisively in human history. His redemptive interventions during the Exodus and the conquest of Canaan demonstrate His power to crush earthly tyrants and preserve His redeemed people.
- The Spiritual Law of Worship and Idolatry: The psalm exposes idolatry as foolish and spiritually deadening. Idols are man-made and lifeless. Human beings inevitably conform to the character of the object they worship—worshipping mute, blind idols leads to spiritual death, whereas worshipping the living God imparts spiritual life and sight.
- The Typological Fulfilment in Jesus Christ: In light of the New Testament, Christ is the ultimate embodiment of God's presence who dwelt among us (John 1:14). Jesus exercised sovereign power over winds and waves (Mark 4:39), liberated believers from spiritual bondage, and forms the Church as God's chosen, royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9).
Major Themes
- Sovereign Creation and Providence
- Divine Election and Covenant Treasure
- Redemption in History
- Folly of Idolatry and Conformity to Idols
- The Eternal Renown and Name of God
- God's Compassion and Vindication of His Servants
- Universal Call to Corporate Worship
Practical Applications
- Examine Personal and Cultural Idols: Believers must audit their lives to identify modern functional idols such as wealth, status, career, or social approval. Recognizing that man-made security is lifeless and powerless helps Christians align their hearts exclusively with the living God.
- Cultivate Joyful and Intentional Corporate Worship: Attending church and engaging in congregational singing should not be viewed as a routine duty. Believers should enter worship with eager gratitude, knowing that praising the Lord is pleasant, beautiful, and spiritually invigorating.
- Rest in God's Sovereign Control during Life's Storms: When facing personal, economic, or societal instability, Christians can take comfort in knowing that God commands the clouds, winds, and rains. Nothing occurs outside His sovereign providential care.
- Recount God's Past Faithfulness to Build Present Courage: Families, churches, and individuals should regularly testify about past deliverances and answer to prayer. Remembering how God brought us through past trials builds steadfast faith for current difficulties.
- Foster Unity across All Roles in the Church Community: Just as Psalm 135 calls priests, Levites, and lay worshippers together, church leaders and members must embrace unity in worship, acknowledging that every believer stands on equal ground at the foot of the cross.
Final Insight
Psalm 135 provides an enduring portrait of Yahweh as the incomparable Creator, Redeemer, and Ruler of all reality. By contrasting God's mighty acts in history with the utter helplessness of humanly crafted idols, the psalmist summons us to place our unreserved trust in the living God. As New Covenant believers, our ultimate reason for praise is found in Jesus Christ, who chose us, redeemed us from sin, and made us His cherished heritage. May our lives continually echo the joyous cry of this psalm: Hallelujah, praise the Lord!
