Psalm 135
Jehovah Praised for His Greatness Above Other Gods
Jehovah Praised for His Greatness Above Other Gods
Psalm 135. Israel praising the Lord for His restoration and deliverance of the nation. It contains a reflection on the deliverance of Israel from Egypt, as well as the foolishness of confidence in idols.
PSALM 135
1 Hallelujah! Praise the name of Jehovah; praise, ye servants of Jehovah,
2 Ye that stand in the house of Jehovah, in the courts of the house of our God.
3 Praise ye Jah; for Jehovah is good: sing psalms unto his name; for it is pleasant.
4 For Jah hath chosen Jacob unto himself, Israel for his own possession.
5 For I know that Jehovah is great, and our Lord is above all gods.
6 Whatsoever Jehovah pleased, he hath done in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all deeps;
7 Who causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; who maketh lightnings for the rain; who bringeth the wind out of his treasuries:
8 Who smote the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and beast;
9 Who sent signs and miracles into the midst of thee, O Egypt, upon Pharaoh and upon all his servants;
10 Who smote great nations, and slew mighty kings,
11 Sihon king of the Amorites, and Og king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan;
12 And gave their land for an inheritance, an inheritance unto Israel his people.
vv.1-12 Deliverance. These verses give us the theme of Israel’s praise, as they “stand in the house of Jehovah, in the courts of the house of our God”. They review their deliverance from Egypt, from the plagues of Egypt through to the possession of Canaan. The great lesson is that Jehovah is great is above all gods!
13 Thy name, O Jehovah, is for ever; thy memorial, O Jehovah, from generation to generation.
14 For Jehovah will judge his people, and will repent in favour of his servants.
15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands:
16 They have a mouth, and they speak not; eyes have they, and they see not;
17 They have ears, and they hear not; neither is there any breath in their mouth.
18 They that make them are like unto them, — every one that confideth in them.
vv.13-18 Contrast with Idols. These verses give us the greatness of Jehovah in contrast to the idols of the nations. In vv.15-18 we have a repetition of Psa 115:4-8. The confidence of the nations is foolishly placed in false idols; “silver and gold, the work of men’s hands”. How foolish to confide in a god of one’s own making! These idols are unable to really do anything. They have all the external features of a man; “a mouth”, “eyes”, “ears”, a nose”, “hands”, and “feet”. Yet none of these can function, because they are inanimate objects! The idols fashioned by men’s hands are remarkably similar to men; “They that make them are like unto them”. Paul remarks on this same thing in Romans 1; they “changed the glory of the incorruptible God into the likeness of an image of corruptible man”. A god that arises from the mind of man cannot rise above the level of a man. A moral stream cannot rise higher than its source. But it can drop lower! Thus man progressed to worship images of “birds and quadrupeds and reptiles”.
19 House of Israel, bless ye Jehovah; house of Aaron, bless ye Jehovah;
20 House of Levi, bless ye Jehovah; ye that fear Jehovah, bless Jehovah.
21 Blessed be Jehovah out of Zion, who dwelleth at Jerusalem! Hallelujah!
vv.19-21 Millennial Worship. Israel, the house of Aaron (priests), the Levites, and all who fear Jehovah (includes the Gentiles), are called on to bless Jehovah. In v.21 we have the voice of Messiah Himself on earth, functioning as the Melchisedec priest, leading the Millennial worship.