An exhortation to praise God for his mercy, 1-4; for his power, 5-7; for his judgments, 8-14. The vanity of idols, 15-18. An exhortation to bless God, 19-21.
1 Praise the LORD./
Praise the name of the LORD./
Praise him, O servants of the LORD.
2 You who 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 to his name, for it is pleasant.
4 For the LORD has chosen Jacob for himself,/
Israel for his peculiar treasure.
5 For I know that the LORD is great/
and that our Lord is above all gods.
6 Whatever the LORD pleased, he did/
in heaven and in earth,/
in the seas and all deep places.
7 He causes the vapors to ascend/
from the ends of the earth./
He makes lightnings for the rain./
He brings the wind out of his treasuries.
8 He smote the first-born of Egypt,/
both of man and beast.
9 He sent tokens and wonders/
into the midst of you, O Egypt,/
upon Pharaoh and upon all his servants.
10 He smote great nations/
and slew mighty kings:
11 Sihon king of the Amorites,/
Og king of Bashan,/
and all the kingdoms of Canaan.
12 He gave their land for a heritage,/
a heritage to Israel his people.
13 Your name, O LORD, endures forever,/
and your memorial, O LORD,/
throughout all generations.
14 For the LORD will judge his people/
and have compassion on his servants.
15 The idols of the heathen are silver and gold,/
the work of men's hands.
16 They have mouths, but they do not speak./
They have eyes, but they do not see.
17 They have ears, but they do not hear,/
neither is there any breath in their mouths.
18 Those who make them are like them,/
and so is everyone who trusts 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./
You who fear the LORD, bless the LORD.
21 Blessed be the LORD out of Zion,/
who dwells at Jerusalem./
Praise the LORD.
Matthew Henry Commentary - Psalms, Chapter 135[➚]
John Calvin's Chapter Summary:
An exhortation to praise God, both for his goodness specially shown to his chosen people, and for his power and glory apparent in the world at large. A contrast is drawn between idols, which had but a vain show of divinity, and the God of Israel, who had established his claim to be considered the only true God by clear and indubitable proofs, and this with the view of leading his people the more cheerfully to praise him, and submit to his government.