Psalm 135 is a jubilant call to praise the LORD, emphasizing His sovereign power over all creation and His special relationship with Israel. The psalmist invites the servants of the LORD to worship Go...
21
Verses
~3 min
Read Time
David and others
Author
c. 1000-900 BC - Period of United Monarchy and Early Temple Worship
Timeline
Timeline
c. 1000-900 BC - Period of United Monarchy and Early Temple Worship
Psalm 135 is a jubilant call to praise the LORD, emphasizing His sovereign power over all creation and His special relationship with Israel. The psalmist invites the servants of the LORD to worship God in His temple, celebrating His goodness and mighty acts, especially His deliverance of Israel from Egypt and His judgment over nations. The chapter contrasts the living God with lifeless idols, affirming the LORD’s eternal name and justice. This psalm serves as a reminder of God's faithfulness and supremacy, encouraging believers to bless and worship Him continually. It highlights the themes of divine sovereignty, covenant faithfulness, and the futility of idolatry, placing it firmly within the worship tradition of the Psalter.
Verses 1-4: Call to Praise and God's Choice of Israel. The psalm opens with an exhortation to praise the LORD, specifically addressing His servants and those who stand in His temple courts. It highlights God's goodness and His special selection of Jacob and Israel as His treasured possession.
Verses 5-7: God's Sovereignty Over Creation. These verses declare the LORD’s greatness above all gods and describe His control over natural elements like clouds, lightning, and wind, demonstrating His power over the earth and heavens.
Verses 8-12: God's Mighty Acts in History. The psalm recounts God’s mighty deeds, including the plagues on Egypt, the defeat of powerful kings, and the granting of their lands to Israel, underscoring His role as protector and provider for His people.
Verses 13-14: God's Eternal Name and Justice. The psalmist affirms the eternal nature of God's name and His role as judge over Israel, emphasizing His care and repentance toward His servants.
Verses 15-18: The Futility of Idols. A sharp contrast is drawn between the living God and the lifeless idols made by human hands, highlighting their inability to see, hear, or speak, and warning against trusting in them.
Verses 19-21: Final Call to Bless the LORD. The psalm concludes with a universal call for Israel, the priestly families, and all who fear the LORD to bless Him, celebrating His dwelling in Zion and Jerusalem.
The sovereign God of Israel, creator and ruler over all creation, who performs mighty acts on behalf of His people and judges nations. He is the central figure of praise and worship throughout the psalm.
God’s chosen people, described as His peculiar treasure. They are the recipients of His covenant blessings and the focus of His mighty acts and protection.
Man-made objects of worship that are lifeless and powerless. They serve as a foil to the living God, illustrating the futility of trusting in anything other than the LORD.
Representations of earthly powers defeated by God’s hand, including Pharaoh of Egypt and kings like Sihon and Og. Their defeat demonstrates God’s sovereignty and protection of Israel.
The psalmist invites the LORD’s servants to praise Him, highlighting God’s goodness and His special selection of Jacob and Israel as His treasured people.
These verses declare the LORD’s greatness above all gods and describe His control over natural phenomena, demonstrating His supreme power.
A recounting of God’s mighty deeds including the plagues on Egypt and the defeat of powerful kings, emphasizing His protection and provision for Israel.
Affirms the everlasting nature of God’s name and His role as judge over His people, highlighting His care and justice.
Contrasts the living God with lifeless idols, warning against trusting in them and illustrating their impotence.
A universal summons for Israel, priests, Levites, and all who fear God to bless Him, celebrating His presence in Zion and Jerusalem.
“Praise the LORD; for the LORD is good: sing praises unto his name; for it is pleasant.”
“For I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.”
“Thy name, O LORD, endureth for ever; and thy memorial, O LORD, throughout all generations.”
“They that make them are like unto them: so is every one that trusteth in them.”
“Blessed be the LORD out of Zion, which dwelleth at Jerusalem. Praise ye the LORD.”
How well do you know Psalms 135?
Take the QuizRegularly offer heartfelt praise to God, recognizing His goodness and sovereignty in all circumstances.
Trust solely in the living God rather than any idols or worldly substitutes.
Remember and meditate on God’s past faithfulness as encouragement for present faith.
Participate faithfully in corporate worship, acknowledging God’s presence in the community of believers.
Confess and reject any form of idolatry in personal life, committing to worship God alone.
Rejoice in God’s eternal name and His justice, trusting that He judges rightly and cares for His servants.
Psalm 135 repeatedly emphasizes God’s supreme authority over nature, nations, and history, affirming that all things happen according to His will, a foundational truth in biblical theology.
The psalm highlights God’s special relationship with Israel, chosen as His treasured possession, underscoring His ongoing commitment to His covenant promises.
The psalm contrasts the living God with powerless idols, warning against trusting in anything made by human hands and affirming the exclusive worship due to God alone.
The entire chapter is a call to worship, demonstrating that recognizing God’s character and deeds naturally leads to heartfelt praise, a central aspect of the Psalter.
Psalm 135 was likely composed during or after the period of Israel’s monarchy, reflecting a time when temple worship was well established in Jerusalem. The references to the defeat of kings like Sihon and Og and the exodus from Egypt situate the psalm within the historical memory of Israel’s deliverance and conquest of the Promised Land. The psalm reflects the religious customs of temple worship, where priests and Levites led the people in praising God. Politically, Israel was surrounded by pagan nations with their own gods, making the affirmation of Yahweh’s supremacy over all gods particularly significant. The psalm would have served to reinforce national identity and faithfulness to the covenant in the face of external threats and internal challenges.
Reformed theology emphasizes God’s absolute sovereignty as portrayed in this psalm, seeing the historical acts of God as demonstrations of His providential control and covenant faithfulness. The rejection of idols aligns with the Reformed emphasis on sola Deo gloria—glory to God alone.
Dispensational interpreters see Psalm 135 as highlighting God’s ongoing plan for Israel, with the historical references pointing to God’s faithfulness to His earthly covenant people. The psalm’s focus on temple worship is seen as a foreshadowing of future millennial worship.
The Church Fathers often interpreted this psalm typologically, viewing the temple and Israel as types of the Church and Christ. They emphasized the call to praise as an invitation to spiritual worship and recognized the defeat of idols as a symbol of Christ’s victory over sin and false gods.
This passage describes the LORD striking the firstborn of Egypt, referenced in Psalm 135:8 as a demonstration of God's power over Egypt.
God’s choice of Israel as a peculiar treasure is echoed here, reinforcing the theme of covenant election found in Psalm 135:4.
This verse affirms the LORD’s greatness above all gods, paralleling Psalm 135:5’s declaration of God’s supremacy.
Jeremiah’s description of idols as lifeless objects that cannot speak or see aligns with Psalm 135:15-18’s critique of idols.
The call to praise God for His mighty acts in Psalm 135 resonates with the heavenly praise described in Revelation, affirming God’s eternal sovereignty.
Psalm 135 stands as a timeless call to worship the LORD, celebrating His unmatched greatness, covenant faithfulness, and mighty acts on behalf of His people. By contrasting the living God with powerless idols, the psalm reinforces the exclusive devotion due to God. Its vivid recounting of God’s historical deeds encourages believers to trust in His sovereign control and to praise Him continually. For Christians today, this psalm invites a renewed commitment to worship, a deeper trust in God’s providence, and a rejection of all false gods, reminding us that true blessing and security come only from the LORD who reigns forever.
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