1 Praise Yah! Praise the name of Yahweh! Praise him, you servants of Yahweh, 2 you who stand in the house of Yahweh, in the courts of our God's house. 3 Praise Yah, for Yahweh is good. Sing praises to his name, for that is pleasant. 4 For Yah has chosen Jacob for himself; Israel for his own possession. 5 For I know that Yahweh is great, that our Lord is above all gods. 6 Whatever Yahweh pleased, that he has done, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps; 7 who causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth; who makes lightnings with the rain; who brings forth the wind out of his treasuries; 8 Who struck the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and animal; 9 Who sent signs and wonders into the midst of you, Egypt, on Pharaoh, and on all his servants; 10 who struck many nations, and killed mighty kings, 11 Sihon king of the Amorites, Og king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan, 12 and gave their land for a heritage, a heritage to Israel, his people. 13 Your name, Yahweh, endures forever; your renown, Yahweh, throughout all generations. 14 For Yahweh will judge his people, and have compassion on his servants. 15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. 16 They have mouths, but they can't speak. They have eyes, but they can't see. 17 They have ears, but they can't hear; neither is there any breath in their mouths. 18 Those who make them will be like them; yes, everyone who trusts in them. 19 House of Israel, praise Yahweh! House of Aaron, praise Yahweh! 20 House of Levi, praise Yahweh! You who fear Yahweh, praise Yahweh! 21 Blessed be Yahweh from Zion, Who dwells at Jerusalem. Praise Yah!
This psalm has no title in Hebrew; and the author, and the occasion on which it was written, are alike unknown. It is general in its character, though its imagery is taken mostly from Hebrew history.
The sole design of the psalm is to excite to the praise of God; or to show reasons for that praise. As grounds or reasons for this, the psalmist refers to the fact that God is good, Psalm 135:3; to the fact that he had chosen Jacob for himself, Psalm 135:4; to the greatness of God as seen in the works of nature, Psalm 135:5-7; to the history of the Hebrew people, Psalm 135:8-12; to the inability of idols to aid, Psalm 135:13-18; and, in view of all this, he calls on all classes of the people to praise the Lord, Psalm 135:19-21.
An exhortation to praise God for his goodness and greatness, Psalm 135:1-5; for his wonders in nature, Psalm 135:6, Psalm 135:7; his wonders done in Egypt, Psalm 135:8, Psalm 135:9; in the wilderness, Psalm 135:10-12; for his goodness to his people, Psalm 135:13, Psalm 135:14. The vanity of idols, Psalm 135:15-18. Israel, with its priests and Levites, exhorted to praise the Lord, Psalm 135:19-21.
This Psalm is intimately connected with the preceding. It is an exhortation addressed to the priests and Levites, and to all Israel, to publish the praises of the Lord. The conclusion of this Psalm is nearly the same with Psalm 115; and what is said about idols, and the effects of the power of God, seems to be taken from it and the tenth chapter of Jeremiah; and from these and other circumstances it appears the Psalm was written after the captivity; and might as Calmet conjectures, have been used at the dedication of the second temple.
INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 135
This psalm was written very probably by the same hand as the former. It begins in much the same manner; it has some likeness with Psalm 113 and 114. It begins and ends with "hallelujah"; and is throughout an exhortation of praise to God, on account of his name, nature, and perfections; and because of his works of creation, providence, and grace, many of which are enumerated. The Syriac interpreter says, there is an intimation in it of the conversion of the people of the Messiah unto the faith.
(Psalm 135:1-4) God to be praised for his mercy.
(Psalm 135:5-14) For his power and judgments.
(Psalm 135:15-21) The vanity of idols.
Four-Voiced Hallelujah to the God of Israel, the God of Gods
Psalm 135 is here and there (vid., Tsefth Pesachim 117a) taken together with Psalm 134:1-3 as one Psalm. The combining of Ps 115 with Psalm 114:1-8 is a misapprehension caused by the inscriptionless character of Ps 115, whereas Ps 135 and Psalm 134:1-3 certainly stand in connection with one another. For the Hallelujah Psalm 135 is, as the mutual relation between the beginning and close of Psalm 134:1-3 shows, a Psalm-song expanded out of this shorter hymn, that is in part drawn from Ps 115.
It is a Psalm in the mosaic style. Even the Latin poet Lucilius transfers the figure of mosaic-work to style, when he says: quam lepide lexeis compostae ut tesserulae omnes... In the case of Psalm 135 it is not the first time that we have met with this kind of style. We have already had a glimpse of it in Psalm 97:1-12 and Psalm 98:1-9. These Psalm were composed more especially of deutero-Isaianic passages, whereas Psalm 135 takes its tesserulae out of the Law, Prophets, and Psalm.
*More commentary available by clicking individual verses.