Psalms — Chapter 135

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1Hallelujah! Praise the name of the LORD. Give praise, O servants of the LORD,

2who stand in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our God.

3Hallelujah, for the LORD is good; sing praises to His name, for it is lovely.

4For the LORD has chosen Jacob as His own, Israel as His treasured possession.

5For I know that the LORD is great; our Lord is above all gods.

6The LORD does all that pleases Him in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and in all their depths.

7He causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth. He generates the lightning with the rain and brings forth the wind from His storehouses.

8He struck down the firstborn of Egypt, of both man and beast.

9He sent signs and wonders into your midst, O Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants.

10He struck down many nations and slaughtered mighty kings:

11Sihon king of the Amorites, Og king of Bashan, and all the kings of Canaan.

12He gave their land as an inheritance, as a heritage to His people Israel.

13Your name, O LORD, endures forever, Your renown, O LORD, through all generations.

14For the LORD will vindicate His people and will have compassion on His servants.

15The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by the hands of men.

16They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see;

17they have ears, but cannot hear; nor is there breath in their mouths.

18Those who make them become like them, as do all who trust in them.

19O house of Israel, bless the LORD; O house of Aaron, bless the LORD;

20O house of Levi, bless the LORD; you who fear the LORD, bless the LORD!

21Blessed be the LORD from Zion—He who dwells in Jerusalem. Hallelujah!

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 he will 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 mouths.

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.

1Praise ye Jehovah. Praise ye the name of Jehovah; Praise [him], O ye servants of Jehovah,

2Ye that stand in the house of Jehovah, In the courts of the house of our God.

3Praise ye Jehovah; for Jehovah is good: Sing praises unto his name; for it is pleasant.

4For Jehovah hath chosen Jacob unto himself, [And] Israel for his own possession.

5For I know that Jehovah is great, And that our Lord is above all gods.

6Whatsoever Jehovah pleased, that hath he done, In heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps;

7Who causeth the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; Who maketh lightnings for the rain; Who bringeth forth the wind out of his treasuries;

8Who smote the first-born of Egypt, Both of man and beast;

9Who sent signs and wonders into the midst of thee, O Egypt, Upon Pharaoh, and upon all his servants;

10Who smote many 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 a heritage, A heritage unto Israel his people.

13Thy name, O Jehovah, [endureth] for ever; Thy memorial [name], O Jehovah, throughout all generations.

14For Jehovah will judge his people, And repent himself concerning his servants.

15The idols of the nations 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 mouths.

18They that make them shall be like unto them; Yea, every one that trusteth in them.

19O house of Israel, bless ye Jehovah: O house of Aaron, bless ye Jehovah:

20O house of Levi, bless ye Jehovah: Ye that fear Jehovah, bless ye Jehovah.

21Blessed be Jehovah out of Zion, Who dwelleth at Jerusalem. Praise ye Jehovah. Psalm 136

1Praise the Lord. Praise the name of the Lord. Offer praise, you servants of the Lord,

2who serve in the Lord’s temple, in the courts of the temple of our God.

3Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good. Sing praises to his name, for it is pleasant.

4Indeed, the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself, Israel to be his special possession.

5Yes, I know the Lord is great, and our Lord is superior to all gods.

6He does whatever he pleases in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all the ocean depths.

7He causes the clouds to arise from the end of the earth, makes lightning bolts accompany the rain, and brings the wind out of his storehouses.

8He struck down the firstborn of Egypt, including both men and animals.

9He performed awesome deeds and acts of judgment in your midst, O Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants.

10He defeated many nations, and killed mighty kings—

11Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan.

12He gave their land as an inheritance, as an inheritance to Israel his people.

13O Lord, your name endures, your reputation, O Lord, lasts.

14For the Lord vindicates his people and has compassion on his servants.

15The nations’ idols are made of silver and gold; they are man-made.

16They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see,

17and ears, but cannot hear. Indeed, they cannot breathe.

18Those who make them will end up like them, as will everyone who trusts in them.

19O family of Israel, praise the Lord. O family of Aaron, praise the Lord.

20O family of Levi, praise the Lord. You loyal followers of the Lord, praise the Lord.

21The Lord deserves praise in Zion— he who dwells in Jerusalem. Praise the Lord.

1Praise Yah! Praise Yahweh’s name! Praise him, you servants of Yahweh,

2you who stand in Yahweh’s house, in the courts of our God’s house.

3Praise Yah, for Yahweh is good. Sing praises to his name, for that is pleasant.

4For Yah has chosen Jacob for himself; Israel for his own possession.

5For I know that Yahweh is great, that our Lord is above all gods.

6Whatever Yahweh pleased, that he has done, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps;

7who causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth; who makes lightnings with the rain; who brings the wind out of his treasuries;

8Who struck the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and animal;

9Who sent signs and wonders into the middle of you, Egypt, on Pharaoh, and on all his servants;

10who struck many nations, and killed mighty kings,

11Sihon king of the Amorites, Og king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan,

12and gave their land for a heritage, a heritage to Israel, his people.

13Your name, Yahweh, endures forever; your renown, Yahweh, throughout all generations.

14For Yahweh will judge his people, and have compassion on his servants.

15The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.

16They have mouths, but they can’t speak. They have eyes, but they can’t see.

17They have ears, but they can’t hear; neither is there any breath in their mouths.

18Those who make them will be like them; yes, everyone who trusts in them.

19House of Israel, praise Yahweh! House of Aaron, praise Yahweh!

20House of Levi, praise Yahweh! You who fear Yahweh, praise Yahweh!

21Blessed be Yahweh from Zion, Who dwells at Jerusalem. Praise Yah!

Summary
Authorship & Background
Map & Geography
Commentary
Videos
Articles
Reflection

Summary

This Hallel psalm calls the LORD's servants who stand in his house to praise his name, because he is good and it is pleasant to sing to him (vv. 1-3). It celebrates his choice of Israel as his own treasured possession and his sovereign power over creation, commanding clouds, lightning, and wind (vv. 4-7). The psalm recounts his mighty acts in the exodus, striking Egypt's firstborn and defeating the kings Sihon and Og to give Israel their land (vv. 8-12). It contrasts the LORD's enduring name with the lifeless idols of the nations, which have mouths, eyes, and ears but cannot speak, see, or hear (vv. 13-18), closing with a call for Israel, Aaron, and Levi to bless the LORD from Zion (vv. 19-21).

Authorship & Background

Author: Multiple authors — primarily David (73 psalms attributed), plus Asaph (12), Sons of Korah (11), Solomon (2), Moses (1), Heman (1), Ethan (1), and anonymous. The Psalter was compiled over approximately 1000 years and served as Israel's hymnal and prayer book. The book is divided into five 'books' (1-41, 42-72, 73-89, 90-106, 107-150), paralleling the five books of Moses.
Classification: Hymn of Praise / Liturgical Psalm
Attributed Author: Anonymous
Key Themes: God's sovereignty over nature and nations, the superiority of the LORD over idols, God's covenant name, praise as the calling of His servants, the futility of idolatry
Historical Context: Psalm 135 is a compilation psalm — drawing from many earlier texts (Psalms 113, 115, 134, Exodus, Deuteronomy) to create a comprehensive liturgical praise. It combines creation theology, Exodus history, and anti-idol polemic into one hymn for temple worship. Positioned between the Songs of Ascents (120-134) and the Great Hallel (136), it serves as a transitional praise that summarizes major themes: God's election of Israel (v.4), His power over nature (vv.6-7), His deliverance from Egypt (vv.8-12), and the emptiness of idols (vv.15-18).
Israel for His Peculiar Treasure (vv.1-4): Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the name of the LORD; praise him, O ye servants of the LORD. The psalm is assembled largely out of other scriptures, and the opening borrows from Psalm 134's address to the servants on duty, ye that stand in the house of the LORD. The reason given for praise is election, for the LORD hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure, where peculiar renders segullah, a king's private property as distinct from the treasury of the realm.
He Bringeth the Wind out of His Treasuries (vv.5-7): For I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods. Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, so the greatness is defined as freedom to act. Then a weather report taken almost word for word from Jeremiah 10:13, he 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. In Jeremiah the same lines sit in a passage mocking idols, which is where this psalm is also heading.
Sihon King of the Amorites, and Og King of Bashan (vv.8-12): Who smote the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and beast. The history is compressed to two events, the plagues and the defeat of the two kings east of the Jordan, and both are told in the words Psalm 136 uses, which is one of several signs that these two psalms were used together. Sihon king of the Amorites, and Og king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan. The point of the pair is that they were the first territory actually taken, and gave their land for an heritage, an heritage unto Israel his people.
Thy Name, O LORD, Endureth for Ever (vv.13-14): Thy name, O LORD, endureth for ever; and thy memorial, O LORD, throughout all generations. Set against the kings just listed, the claim is about what outlasts a conquest. Then a verse quoted from the song of Moses in Deuteronomy 32:36, for the LORD will judge his people, and he will repent himself concerning his servants, where judging his people means giving them justice and repenting means changing course, not confessing fault.
They That Make Them Are like unto Them (vv.15-18): The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. Four verses lifted from Psalm 115 with one change: the list of useless organs is shorter here and ends with something the earlier psalm did not say, neither is there any breath in their mouths. Breath is what Genesis 2 gives to the man, so the statue lacks the one thing that makes a maker. And the warning is repeated unaltered, they that make them are like unto them: so is every one that trusteth in them.
Bless the LORD, O House of Israel (vv.19-21): Bless the LORD, O house of Israel: bless the LORD, O house of Aaron. Psalm 115 called on three groups; this one adds the house of Levi, which suits a psalm written for temple staff. Blessed be the LORD out of Zion, which dwelleth at Jerusalem. The last line locates the God who was just said to do whatever he pleases in heaven and earth at one address, and the psalm sees no difficulty in that.

Map & Geography

  • Egypt (v.8, v.9): Land to the southwest; place of Israel's bondage and exodus.
  • Bashan (v.11): Fertile region east of the Sea of Galilee.
  • Jerusalem (v.21): Capital of Judah; the holy city where the Temple stood.
  • Zion (v.21): The hill on which Jerusalem/the Temple stood; often used poetically for God's dwelling.

Places on this map

  • EgyptEgyptA ribbon of irrigated land along the Nile, ending in the Delta where Israel settled in Goshen. Rain-fed Canaan depended on weather; Egypt depended on a river that flooded on schedule, which made it the place everyone went when the harvest failed. Wikipedia
  • BashanGolan and Hauran, SyriaThe volcanic tableland north-east of the Sea of Galilee, deep in basalt soil and famous for cattle and oak. The bulls of Bashan in the Psalms are a compliment to the pasture before they are an insult to anyone. Wikipedia
  • Sea of GalileeLake Kinneret, IsraelA freshwater lake 13 miles by 8, sunk 700 feet below sea level in a bowl of hills. Cold air spilling over the rim onto warm water is what produces the sudden violent squalls the Gospels keep describing. Wikipedia
  • JerusalemJerusalemA hill town about 2,500 feet up in the central spine of Judah, roughly 35 miles inland from the Mediterranean and 15 miles west of the Jordan. It sits on no trade route and has no river, which is why it mattered as a fortress and a sanctuary rather than as a market. Wikipedia

Towns sit on their excavated or traditional site. Regions, rivers and seas are ringed rather than dotted, because for those a single point is only an anchor. Coastlines from Natural Earth.

Commentary

  • Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com Verse-by-verse commentary on this chapter, written for the everyday reader and freely available online.
  • Jamieson-Fausset-Brown (1871): blueletterbible.org A critical and explanatory commentary on the whole Bible, more concise than Matthew Henry and closer to the Hebrew and Greek, with attention to historical and geographical detail. Public domain.
  • Matthew Henry's Exposition (1710): blueletterbible.org A devotional verse-by-verse commentary in the Puritan tradition, still among the most widely read three centuries on. Public domain.

Videos

Psalm 135 - Praise for the Creator and the Redeemer
David Guzik

Psalms 135-136 | His Love Endures Forever | Bible Study
Spoken Gospel

Articles

  • GotQuestions.org: gotquestions.org On the whole book: an overview of Psalms -- who wrote it, when, why, and how it fits the rest of Scripture.

Links open on the publisher's own site. Nothing here is reproduced on this page.

Reflection

  • Praise as Pleasant, Not a Duty (vv.1-4) — The psalm calls worship "pleasant" and grounds it in the fact that God chose Israel as His own treasured possession. Does worship feel like a genuine delight to you, rooted in the reality that God has chosen you, or like an obligation to check off?
  • A God Who Does Whatever He Pleases (vv.5-7) — The psalmist declares that the Lord does whatever He wills in heaven, earth, and the seas, with total command over creation. Is there an area of your life where you're still trying to control an outcome that actually belongs to His sovereignty?
  • Remembering God's Acts in History (vv.8-12) — The psalm recounts specific, concrete acts — striking Egypt's firstborn, defeating kings, giving the land as an inheritance. What specific things has God actually done in your own history that you should be recounting instead of just generally believing in Him?
  • An Eternal Name and Compassion on His People (vv.13-14) — God's name and renown endure through every generation, and He has compassion on His servants. When you feel forgotten or overlooked, do you remember that God's compassion for you doesn't expire with time?
  • The Emptiness of Idols (vv.15-18) — Idols made by human hands have mouths, eyes, and ears that cannot speak, see, or hear, and those who trust them become just as lifeless. What modern idol — money, approval, control — have you been trusting even though it can't actually see or help you?