Psalms 135 Explained and Commentary

1. v1-4: The Call to the Servants to Praise the Name
2. v5-7: God's Sovereignty over the Natural Elements
3. v8-12: God's Sovereignty over Human History (Egypt and Canaan)
4. v13-18: The Eternal Name vs. The Lifeless Idols
5. v19-21: The Final House-by-House Call to Bless the Lord

psalms 135 explained

In this study of Psalm 135, we are entering a cathedral of sound and memory. This isn’t just a song; it is a tactical manual of liturgical warfare. As we navigate these twenty-one verses, we will find that the Psalmist is not just "feeling" worship—he is systematically dismantling the legal claims of every other "god" in the Ancient Near East (ANE) and establishing the unique, cosmic sovereignty of Yahweh. We are looking at a text that functions like a legal brief for the Divine Council, proving that only the One who chose Jacob is fit to hold the scepter of reality.

This chapter vibrates with the frequency of Segullah—the treasured possession. It is a high-density "anthology" psalm, pulling from the Torah, the Prophets, and previous hymns to construct an airtight argument for God's supremacy over nature, history, and the pathetic impotence of human-made idols.

Psalm 135 Context

Psalm 135 serves as a "Great Hallel" introductory hymn, likely composed for the post-exilic community or utilized during the massive pilgrimage festivals (Passover, Shavuot, Sukkot). Historically, it sits in the shadow of the Second Temple, providing a theological anchor for a people who had seen the "gods" of Babylon and Persia but were now reclaiming their identity as the Segullah (Treasured Possession) of Yahweh. Geopolitically, it references the defeat of Sihon and Og, two kings synonymous with the "giant" lineages (Rephaim), functioning as a direct polemic against the territorial spirits of the Levant. The covenantal framework is both Mosaic (referencing the Exodus) and Land-based (the heritage of Israel), emphasizing that Yahweh’s choice of Israel is not merely ethnic but cosmic.

Psalm 135 Summary

Psalm 135 is a rhythmic call to the "servants of the Lord" to erupt in praise based on three pillars of evidence: God’s goodness in election (He chose Jacob), God’s supremacy in the cosmos (He controls the clouds and lightning), and God’s victory in history (He smashed the great kings and the Egyptian firstborn). It concludes by contrasting the living, breathing, acting God with the "breathless," mute, and deaf idols of the nations, warning that humans eventually transform into the likeness of whatever they worship. It is a journey from the courts of the Temple to the clouds of heaven, back down to the dust of the battlefield, and finally to a unified blessing from Zion.

Psalm 135:1-4: The Call to the Segullah

"Praise the Lord! Praise the name of the Lord; Praise Him, O you servants of the Lord! You who stand in the house of the Lord, In the courts of the house of our God, Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; Sing praises to His name, for it is pleasant. For the Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself, Israel for His special treasure."

The Divine Summons

• The Hallelujah Imperative: The psalm opens with Hallelujah (Praise Jah). Linguistically, Halal (Strong's H1984) implies more than singing; it suggests to "shine," to "boast," and even to "act clamorously." This is a public, exuberant display, not a private meditation.
• The "Name" (Shem) Protocol: In verse 1, the repetition of "Praise the Name" refers to the Shem (Strong’s H8034). In the Ancient Near East, a "name" was a repository of essence and authority. To praise the Name is to invoke the legal authority of the Deity over the space he occupies.
• Priestly Orientation: "You who stand" refers to the Amadim (those standing), a technical term for the priests and Levites (Deut 10:8) performing their liturgia. The "courts" (Chatzer) denote the transition between the profane world and the sacred sanctuary.
• The Segullah Archetype: In verse 4, we find the word Segullah (Strong's H5459). This isn't just "treasure." It was a royal term for a king’s private stash—gems and gold that were his personal property, separate from the national treasury. Yahweh claims Israel as his "private stash," a concept that echoes the Divine Council worldview of Deuteronomy 32:8-9, where the nations were divided among the lesser elohim, but Israel was reserved for Yahweh alone.
• Structural Parallelism: The text uses a synonymous parallelism between "Jacob" and "Israel," bridging the gap between the man (flesh/struggle) and the prince (divine identity).

Bible references

• Deut 7:6: "For you are a holy people to the LORD... He has chosen you to be a people for His treasured possession." (Defines the Segullah status).
• Psalm 134:1: "Behold, bless the LORD, all you servants... who stand by night in the house of the LORD." (Parallel setting of the temple watch).
• Exodus 19:5: "If you will indeed obey... then you shall be a special treasure to Me." (The conditional foundation of Segullah).

Cross references

Deut 32:9 (Jacob is his inheritance), Ps 33:12 (blessed the nation), 1 Pet 2:9 (royal priesthood, special people), Mal 3:17 (My jewels/treasure).

Psalm 135:5-7: The Meteorological Monarch

"For I know that the Lord is great, and our Lord is above all gods. Whatever the Lord pleases He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deep places. He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; He makes lightning for the rain; He brings the wind out of His treasuries."

Mastering the Elements

• Subjective Knowledge: The shift to "For I know" (Ani Yadati) signals a personal, forensic testimony. The Psalmist is acting as a witness in a courtroom of the gods (elohim).
• Jurisdictional Supremacy: "Above all gods" (mikkol elohim). This is a direct challenge to the Divine Council of the nations. While pagan religions believed deities were restricted by their domains (e.g., Poseidon over the sea), Yahweh operates in all four spheres mentioned: Shamayim (heavens), Eretz (earth), Yamim (seas), and Tehomot (deep places/abysses).
• Sod Analysis - The Treasuries of Ruach: Verse 7 mentions "treasuries" (Otzarot). In Jewish mystical thought (Sod), these are not physical barns but metaphysical dimensions from which the Ruach (wind/spirit) is dispatched. This is a quantum view of reality—God "fetching" potential energy and converting it into kinetic weather patterns.
• Pagan Polemic (Anti-Baal): The Canaanite god Baal was known as "The Rider of the Clouds." By stating Yahweh makes lightning and rain, the Psalmist is "trolling" the Canaanite pantheon, asserting that the controls for the weather system are in Jerusalem, not Mt. Saphon.
• Lightning/Rain Paradox: Science shows that lightning helps produce nitrates for plants. The Psalmist connects lightning "for the rain" (v7), implying an advanced understanding of the interdependency of cosmic forces.

Bible references

• Jeremiah 10:13: "When He utters His voice, there is a multitude of waters... He makes lightnings for the rain." (Verbatim linguistic overlap).
• Psalm 29: "The voice of the LORD is over the waters... the LORD thunders." (Nature as the expression of divine speech).
• Job 38:22: "Have you entered the treasury of snow?" (Divine interrogation of human limitations regarding the storehouses of weather).

Cross references

Amos 9:6 (He calls the water of the sea), Job 28:25-26 (a law for the rain), Matt 8:27 (even the winds obey).

Psalm 135:8-14: The Scourge of Giants and the God of History

"He destroyed the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and beast. He sent signs and wonders into the midst of you, O Egypt, upon Pharaoh and all his servants. He defeated many nations and slew mighty kings—Sihon king of the Amorites, Og king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan—And gave their land as a heritage, a heritage to Israel His people. Your name, O Lord, endures forever, Your fame, O Lord, throughout all generations. For the Lord will judge His people, and He will have compassion on His servants."

The Anatomy of Conquest

• The Strike on Primogeniture: Destroying the "firstborn" (v8) was a judgment on the future and the legal succession of the Egyptian state. It proved that Yahweh is the Lord of Time and Life.
• Sihon and Og (The Nephilim Context): Modern readers skip Sihon and Og, but to the ANE ear, these names were terrifying. According to Deut 3:11, Og was the last of the Rephaim (Giants associated with the underworld/dead elohim). By highlighting their defeat (v11), the Psalmist is claiming Yahweh’s power over the supernatural genetic corruptions of the Nephilim lines. Sihon and Og were the "gatekeepers" of the Promised Land.
• Inheritance (Nachalah): The land is not just a gift; it is a Nachalah (Strong's H5159), a legal "inheritance" or "allotment." It is the territorial counter-offensive against the rebel gods.
• Zeker (Memorial/Fame): In verse 13, "Your fame" (Zikreka) literally means your "remembrance." God’s reputation is tied to His historical interventions. If He doesn't act in history, He has no Zeker.
• The Divine Courtroom: Verse 14 is a direct quote from Deuteronomy 32:36. "The Lord will judge His people" here does not mean "punish," but "vindicate." When the nations oppress them, Yahweh steps in as the Divine Advocate.

Bible references

• Numbers 21: (The account of the defeat of Sihon and Og).
• Deuteronomy 3:11: "For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of the giants..." (Archaeological anchor).
• Exodus 12:12: "Against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment." (The "Signs and Wonders" connection).

Cross references

Psalm 136:17-20 (repetition of Sihon/Og), Josh 12:1-6 (listing of defeated kings), Heb 10:30 (Vengeance is mine... The Lord will judge his people).

Psalm 135:15-21: The Vanity of Vain things and the Final Hallel

"The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. They have mouths, but they do not speak; eyes they have, but they do not see; they have ears, but they do not hear; nor is there any breath in their mouths. Those who make them are like them; so is everyone who trusts in them. Bless the Lord, O house of Israel! Bless the Lord, O house of Aaron! Bless the Lord, O house of Levi! You who fear the Lord, bless the Lord! Blessed be the Lord out of Zion, Who dwells in Jerusalem! Praise the Lord!"

The Polemic of Silence

• The Technology of Idolatry: The idols are "silver and gold" (v15). The Hebrew word for idols here often relates to Atzab (pain/labors). Humans work hard to create something that can't work for them.
• Anthropomorphic Impotence: This section mirrors Psalm 115. It mocks the pagan practice of the "Opening of the Mouth" ceremony, where priests tried to "vivify" an idol so the god would inhabit it. The Psalmist says, "Forget it—there is no Ruach (breath) in their mouths" (v17).
• The Mimetic Curse: "Those who make them are like them" (v18). This is a spiritual law: You become what you behold. Worship an idol that is deaf and blind, and your spiritual senses will atrophy until you are spiritually deaf and blind to the reality of the Living God.
• Ecclesiological Convergence: The final verses call on four groups: The "House of Israel" (The People), "House of Aaron" (The Priests), "House of Levi" (The Workers/Levites), and "You who fear the Lord" (The God-fearers/Gentiles). This creates a 360-degree circle of praise.
• Geographic Culmination: "Out of Zion." The presence of God is localized in space and time (Jerusalem), providing a "Homebase" for the cosmic monarch.

Bible references

• Isaiah 44:9-20: (A scathing, humorous critique of those who craft idols).
• Habakkuk 2:19: "Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Awake!’ To silent stone, ‘Arise! It shall teach!’"
• 1 Corinthians 8:4: "An idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one."

Cross references

Psalm 115:4-8 (Parallel analysis), Jeremiah 10:3-5 (idols are like scarecrows), Revelation 9:20 (idols of gold and silver cannot see/hear).

Key Entities, Themes, and Concepts in Psalm 135

Psalm 135 Overall Analysis

The Mathematics of Divine Praise

Psalm 135 consists of 21 verses (3 x 7). In biblical numerology, 3 represents divine intensity/perfect testimony, and 7 represents completion or the sabbath rest. Therefore, Psalm 135 is a "Perfect Testimony of Total Rest" in God's power. It begins with "Hallelujah" and ends with "Hallelujah," an inclusio that seals the content within a bubble of praise.

The "Sod" (Secret) Meaning of the Treasuries

In verse 7, the concept of God bringing wind out of "treasuries" connects to a deeper apocalyptic understanding. Ancient sages suggested that there are different Otzarot—one for souls, one for wind, and one for the dew of resurrection. By invoking the "treasury of wind," the Psalmist is not just talking about a breeze; he is talking about the Ruach HaKodesh (The Holy Spirit) breaking into the natural order to bring order out of chaos.

The Refutation of Chaos (Tiamat/Yam)

When the text mentions "in the seas and in all deep places" (v6), it uses the word Tehomot (Deep places). This is a polemic against the ANE myth of Tiamat, the chaos monster. While other nations lived in fear that the sea monsters would rise and destroy them, the Hebrew Psalmist mocks this by saying God treats the deepest, most chaotic parts of the ocean like His own living room, doing whatever "pleases Him" there.

The Prophetic Fractal: From Egypt to the New Jerusalem

Notice the flow:

1. Election (He chose us)
2. Creation (He rules the sky)
3. Deliverance (He killed Pharaoh)
4. Victory (He killed Og)
5. Inheritance (He gave the Land)
6. Vindication (He judges His people)
7. Separation (He is not an idol).

This fractal mirrors the entire Bible. The believer is chosen in Christ (1), sees God as Creator (2), is delivered from the "Egypt" of sin (3), defeats the "giants" of the flesh (4), enters the inheritance of the Spirit (5), awaits the final judgment/vindication (6), and finally turns away from the idols of this age (7).

Additional High-Level Synthesis

The Irony of Creation: An incredible nuance found in the Hebrew text of verse 15-18 is the contrast between Work and Creation. The idols are the "work of men’s hands" (Ma'aseh yede adam). God, however, created man with His own hands. Therefore, an idolater is someone who tries to "father" his god, whereas a believer is "fathered" by his God. This is the ultimate inversion of the biological and spiritual hierarchy.

The Staggered Hierarchy of Blessing (v. 19-21): Why call out Israel, then Aaron, then Levi, then God-fearers separately? This represents the concentric circles of holiness found in the Tabernacle layout.

• Israel: The camp/Outer Court.
• Levi: The Service area.
• Aaron: The Holy Place/Sanctuary.
• God-Fearers: The international expansion (The "House of Prayer for all nations"). This psalm "moves" from the outskirts of the camp right into the Holy of Holies (Zion).

Final Thought on OG and SIHON: Many scholars (such as Michael Heiser) point out that Og and Sihon reigned in the territory of Bashan. In ANE culture, Bashan was known as the "Place of the Serpent" and was considered the literal entrance to the underworld. By claiming that God slew the kings of Bashan, the Psalmist is declaring that Yahweh has the "keys to death and Hades" centuries before Revelation was written. The geographical mention of Og isn't a history lesson; it's a victory shout over the domain of the demonic.

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