The Lord Will

Psalms

Psalm 135

KJV

1

Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the name of the Lord; praise him, O ye servants of the Lord.

2

Ye that 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 praises unto his name; for it is pleasant.

4

For the Lord hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure.

5

For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.

6

Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.

7

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.

8

Who smote the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and beast.

9

Who sent tokens and wonders 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 heritage, an heritage unto Israel his people.

13

Thy name, O Lord, endureth for ever; and thy memorial, O Lord, throughout all generations.

14

For the Lord will judge his people, and he will repent himself concerning his servants.

15

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

16

They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not;

17

They have ears, but they hear not; neither is there any breath in their mouths.

18

They that make them are like unto them: so is every one that trusteth in them.

19

Bless the Lord, O house of Israel: bless the Lord, O house of Aaron:

20

Bless the Lord, O house of Levi: ye that fear the Lord, bless the Lord.

21

Blessed be the Lord out of Zion, which dwelleth at Jerusalem. Praise ye the Lord.

Overview

Psalm 135 is a communal hymn of praise that moves from temple worship to God’s choice of Israel, sovereignty over creation, memories of the Exodus and conquest, enduring covenant compassion, a polemic against lifeless idols, and a closing call for every worshiping group to bless the LORD.

Setting and context

The psalm combines worship, election, creation theology, judgment traditions, land inheritance, compassion, and anti-idol satire. These themes must remain in their biblical context: election is not ethnic supremacy, conquest memory is not a modern mandate for violence, land language does not by itself settle contemporary territorial disputes, and idol polemic must not become contempt for living people or religious communities.

Themes

Praise and covenant identity · Sovereignty over creation · Exodus and conquest memory · Judgment with compassion · Living God versus manufactured idols · A widening chorus of blessing

Reflection

Praise God with humility, remember liberation without reproducing violence, hold accountability together with compassion, examine the things people manufacture and then absolutize, and let shared worship resist superiority, coercion, and dehumanization.

Reading notes

Election in this psalm is covenantal identity and responsibility, not a doctrine of racial or ethnic superiority. The conquest memories belong to Israel’s ancient narrative and are not a transferable mandate for modern violence. The psalm critiques manufactured gods and misplaced trust; it does not cancel the dignity of living people.

Key passages

Psalm 135:3: The LORD is praised because he is good and his name is pleasant. Let worship arise from remembered goodness rather than emotional coercion. Psalm 135:6: The LORD does whatever he pleases in heaven, earth, seas, and depths. Trust God’s sovereignty without using it to excuse human wrongdoing. Psalm 135:13-14: The LORD’s name and memorial endure through generations. Pair accountability with mercy rather than choosing one against the other. Psalm 135:15-18: Idols are described as silver and gold made by human hands. Notice how repeated trust shapes character and perception.

Questions readers ask

Why does Psalm 135 praise God for choosing Israel? The psalm places election within covenant worship and responsibility. It is not a license for ethnic superiority or contempt toward other peoples. How should the conquest verses be read today? They belong to Israel’s ancient covenant narrative. They do not give modern states, churches, or individuals a mandate for expansionist violence. What is the point of the idol satire? The psalm contrasts the living God with manufactured objects and warns about misplaced trust. The critique should not become dehumanization of living people.