Jehovah is great indeed, who knows no limits of time or place, who works in all the universe as He pleases. His name should endure forever in the constant and everlasting praises of His people.
Psalm 135
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.
Psalm 135 – J. Vernon McGee
Psalm 135:1-12 – God’s Wonderful Power
This psalm begins and ends with Hallelujah (Hebrew for “Praise ye the LORD”). It contains choice extracts from various psalms, which have been culled as the flowers of a garden are gathered for one bouquet. The arguments for praise are threefold: God’s glory in nature, Psalm 135:5-7; His dealings with Israel, Psalm 135:8-14; the contrast of His glorious nature with idols, Psalm 135:15-21.
Notice the arguments adduced to stimulate our praise: that God is good; that praise-giving is pleasant; that He has chosen His people to be His peculiar treasure; that He is as great as He is good; that He will take our part against our foes, etc. The moral of it all is that if we would praise God aright and with zest, we must carefully gather our materials and meditate on all His dealings with us. These are fuel for the flame. But how many more reasons than the psalmist had are there for us to praise Him, who have been adopted into His family and made joint-heirs with Christ! —Through the Bible Day by Day
Psalm 135:1—Praise Him, O ye servants of the LORD.
Here is an appeal to all of us. Ye are his servants, ye stand in his courts; let us praise Him. There is a distinction between thanksgiving and praise. In that, we render thanks for the great benefits that we have received at his hands; in this, we adore God for all that He is in Himself. Forgetting our own petty interests and concerns, our me and my and mine, we take our stand with angels and archangels and all the host of heaven in crying, Thou art worthy, O holy, holy, holy Lord! Heaven and earth are full of thy great glory. Glory be unto Thee, O God Most High!
We praise Him with our ascriptions of loyal affection, but we praise Him no less when we suffer silently according to the will of God; when we do his commandments, hearkening to the voice of his word; and when we wait for Him to indicate his will, or lead us by a right way.
Oh that life might be one long psalm of praise! Awake my soul, awake psaltery and harp, awake all that is within me! Shall angels praise Thee, my God, and shall I be dumb! Shall song awake to Thee from every copse and bower, from woodland and grove, from the heart of awakening nature, and shall I hold my peace! I praise Thee, I bless Thee, I worship Thee, I magnify Thee, most loving, most holy, most blessed God; my Father, my Redeemer, my Comforter! Every whit of my nature cries, Glory! That thy hand seems to lie heavily on me, and that my soul is pressed and straitened from without, shall not stay me. Yea, if it should be my lot to go from the courts of thy house to the nethermost abyss, I would still ask for grace to fill its unaccustomed spaces with adoring songs! —Our Daily Homily
Psalm 135:13-21 – Men become like the Gods They Serve
What a contrast between our God and idols! His mouth speaks words of grace; His eyes follow our every movement and watch our sleep; His ears are open to the faintest call. Let us who love and adore Him resemble Him, as the idolater resembles his stony idol.
The fourfold division of the chosen race deserves our thought, Psalm 135:19-21. Some belonged to the great commonwealth of Israel, some to the priestly family of Aaron, some to the meaner and humbler ranks of Levi, and some were proselytes who just feared the Lord; but none could be excused from the offering of praise. Whoever and whatever we may be, let us never fail to add our quota of adoration to that song which John tells us he heard arising from all in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and on the sea, Revelation 5:13. —Through the Bible Day by Day