Psalms 135 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

Psalm 135

Your Name, O Lord, Endures Forever

135:1   Praise the LORD!
  Praise the name of the LORD,
    give praise, O servants of the LORD,
2   who stand in the house of the LORD,
    in the courts of the house of our God!
3   Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good;
    sing to his name, for it is pleasant!¹
4   For the LORD has chosen Jacob for himself,
    Israel as his own possession.
5   For I know that the LORD is great,
    and that our Lord is above all gods.
6   Whatever the LORD pleases, he does,
    in heaven and on earth,
    in the seas and all deeps.
7   He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth,
    who makes lightnings for the rain
    and brings forth the wind from his storehouses.
8   He it was who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
    both of man and of beast;
9   who in your midst, O Egypt,
    sent signs and wonders
    against Pharaoh and all his servants;
10   who struck down many nations
    and killed mighty kings,
11   Sihon, king of the Amorites,
    and Og, king of Bashan,
    and all the kingdoms of Canaan,
12   and gave their land as a heritage,
    a heritage to his people Israel.
13   Your name, O LORD, endures forever,
    your renown,² O LORD, throughout all ages.
14   For the LORD will vindicate his people
    and have compassion on his servants.
15   The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
    the work of human hands.
16   They have mouths, but do not speak;
    they have eyes, but do not see;
17   they have ears, but do not hear,
    nor is there any breath in their mouths.
18   Those who make them become like them,
    so do all who trust in them.
19   O house of Israel, bless the LORD!
    O house of Aaron, bless the LORD!
20   O house of Levi, bless the LORD!
    You who fear the LORD, bless the LORD!
21   Blessed be the LORD from Zion,
    he who dwells in Jerusalem!
  Praise the LORD!

Footnotes

[1] 135:3 Or for he is beautiful
[2] 135:13 Or remembrance

Commentary

Praise to God for His glory and power, similar to Ps 115.

v1-3: Our duty is to praise God. Praise from His servants, as in Ps 134.1; praise in and around the house of God, as in Ps 134.2; praise with singing. It is pleasant, a good thing to do, Ps 92.1. There is a blessing in praising God.

v4-12: Reasons for praise, for He is worthy.

v4: God has chosen Israel as His special treasure. Israel bore the joyful responsibility of praising God; the proper response to His choosing the nation as His people.

v5-7: Power in creation, Ps 115.3. He is omnipotent, doing whatever He pleases; He is answerable to no one else, whether "god" or man. We have confidence that His works always reflect His character.

v8-12: Power on behalf of Israel, Ps 105. The great and mighty, kings and nations, all destroyed and defeated that God might give the land to Israel.

v13-14: The eternal God, who works on behalf of His people; who judges and has compassion, making a distinction and demonstrating His righteousness.

v15-18: Ps 115.4-8; idolatry contrasts sharply with true religion; we note that idolatry corrupts and disappoints. True religion liberates and brings integrity. Thus the people of God are different from idolaters. And true religion is true because it trusts in the only true God.

Judah had learned, by the time of their return from Babylon, not to worship idols. Since that time, they have never fallen into that sin.

v19-21: Ps 115.9-13; all join together to bless the Lord, as in Ps 134. There is a two-way blessing; although we recognise that we receive much more from God than we give to Him.