Psalms 135
AI Bible study · KJV · Grammatical-historical hermeneutics
Summary
Psalm 135 is a hymnic call for the servants of the Lord to praise Him, anchored in His sovereign acts in both creation and the history of Israel, while distinguishing Him from the impotent idols of the nations.
- The Psalmist issues a call to worship, summoning the servants of the Lord who stand in the courts of the house of the Lord to praise His name.
- The Psalmist establishes the theological basis for praise: the Lord's unique election of Israel and His absolute sovereignty over nature (heavens, earth, and deeps).
- The argument shifts to historical recollection, citing God's mighty acts in Egypt and the conquest of the Transjordan kings (Sihon and Og).
- The text presents a polemic against idols, contrasting the 'work of men's hands' with the 'Living God' who judges and sustains.
- The psalm concludes by summoning the houses of Israel, Aaron, and Levi to bless the Lord from Zion.
- Repetition of the imperative 'Praise' (הָלַל [H1984]) to open and close the psalm.
- The selection of 'Jacob' and 'Israel' as a 'peculiar treasure' (סְגֻלָּה [H5459]).
- The juxtaposition of the God who makes 'lightnings' and 'wind' (רוּחַ [H7307]) with idols that have mouths but do not speak.
- Specific mention of the defeat of Sihon and Og.
It defines the identity of God's people as those who exist specifically to 'name' and 'praise' their Covenant God in contrast to the gods of the world, anchoring their worship in objective, historical acts of deliverance.
The reality of God's sovereign works in creation and history demands that His people abandon the empty idols of the world to offer Him exclusive, active praise.
Themes
A liturgical call-to-worship structure that frames a recital of God’s power; the structure mirrors a temple ceremony, setting God’s authority against the nothingness of idols.
The psalm begins and ends with an imperative call to 'praise' (הָלַל [H1984]) and 'bless' the Lord.
The text draws a sharp distinction between the 'Living God' who does what He pleases (vv. 6, 14) and idols that are merely 'works of men's hands' (vv. 15-18).
A specific, itemized listing of God's victories in the wilderness and the conquest of Canaan (vv. 8-12).
God is depicted as the sole, active agent who dictates the functions of the natural world, including the weather and atmospheric phenomena.
- He 'does' (עָשָׂה [H6213]) whatever he pleases in heaven and earth.
- He makes the lightnings (בָּרָק [H1300]) and brings forth the wind (רוּחַ [H7307]).
The Lord deliberately chose Jacob and Israel to be His own special treasure, a distinct status that forms the basis of their praise.
- The Lord 'chose' (בָּחַר [H977]) Jacob.
- Israel is His 'peculiar treasure' (סְגֻלָּה [H5459]), which Matthew Henry observes signifies a people closely guarded and cherished by God.
Idol worship is portrayed as inherently irrational because the idol is crafted by man and lacks the essential capacities of life.
- Idols are the 'work of men's hands' (עָשָׂה [H6213]).
- Contrast between the living God and idols that have 'mouths' but cannot speak or breathe (רוּחַ [H7307]).
- For the Lord hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure (v. 4).
- For the Lord will judge his people, and he will repent himself concerning his servants (v. 14).
- Praise ye the Lord (v. 1, 3, 21).
- Bless the Lord, O house of Israel: bless the Lord, O house of Aaron: bless the Lord, O house of Levi (v. 19-20).
- They that make them are like unto them: so is every one that trusteth in them (v. 18).
Context
- The mention of Egypt, Sihon, and Og places the historical reflection in the context of the Exodus and the Transjordan conquest, standard themes in Hebrew liturgical recitation.
- Temple worship practices involving the levitical priesthood ('house of Levi') are in view, as the psalmist addresses the different orders of the community.
- The psalm draws heavily from the language of Exodus and Deuteronomy, functioning as a 'psalm of remembrance' common in the post-exilic temple liturgy.
- It functions as an answer to the idolatry of the surrounding Canaanite and Near Eastern cultures, echoing the polemics found in Deuteronomy 4:28 and Jeremiah 10:3-5.
- The description of idols in verses 15-18 is essentially an excerpt or parallel to Psalm 115:4-8, demonstrating a shared liturgical tradition regarding the mockery of idols.
- The Hebrew word for praise (הָלַל [H1984]) implies a clamorous, vocal celebration rather than a quiet internal attitude.
- The term 'peculiar treasure' (סְגֻלָּה [H5459]) denotes wealth that is locked away or protected, emphasizing Israel's unique status.
- The term 'Lord' (אָדוֹן [H113]) emphasizes sovereignty as 'controller.'
- Matthew Henry observes that God's name, as a covenant God, is the fundamental ground for this praise.
- The transition from the cosmic (heaven/earth) to the local/historical (Egypt/Israel) is seamless, suggesting the God of the universe is the same God who acts in the history of His people.
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