Psalms in Book 5 affirm that God does answer prayer, God’s promises are valid, and they include a long love song for God’s laws. The Great Hallel is a name given to Psalm 136, but sometimes extended to include Psalms 135 and 137. These three songs link the songs of ascents (songs to be sung on pilgrimage to the Jerusalem temple) to a section of songs attributed to David.
Some psalms point out that God is for everyone, all people, male and female, from all countries. Others are about the nation of Israel as the good guys and delight in the bad things that happened to their enemies. This is one of the latter ones. I find these songs difficult.
The books of Psalms are roughly themed like this:
Book 1: Psalms 1 – 41: God is beside us.
Book 2: Psalms 42 – 72: God goes before us
Book 3: Psalms 73 – 89: God is all around us.
Book 4: Psalms 90 – 106: God is above us.
Book 5: Psalms 107 – 150: God is among us.
135 Praise the Lord!
Praise the name of the Lord,
give praise, O servants of the Lord,
2 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 to his name, for it is pleasant!
4 For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself,
Israel as his own possession.5 For I know that the Lord is great,
and that our Lord is above all gods.
6 Whatever the Lord pleases, he does,
in heaven and on earth,
in the seas and all deeps.
7 He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth,
who makes lightnings for the rain
and brings forth the wind from his storehouses.8 He it was who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
both of man and of beast;
9 who in your midst, O Egypt,
sent signs and wonders
against Pharaoh and all his servants;
10 who struck down many nations
and killed mighty kings,
11 Sihon, king of the Amorites,
and Og, king of Bashan,
and all the kingdoms of Canaan,12 and gave their land as a heritage,
a heritage to his people Israel.
13 Your name, O Lord, endures for ever,
your renown, O Lord, throughout all ages.
14 For the Lord will vindicate his people
and have compassion on his servants.15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
16 They have mouths, but do not speak;
they have eyes, but do not see;
17 they have ears, but do not hear,
nor is there any breath in their mouths.
18 Those who make them become like them,
so do all who trust in them!19 O house of Israel, bless the Lord!
O house of Aaron, bless the Lord!
20 O house of Levi, bless the Lord!
You who fear the Lord, bless the Lord!
21 Blessed be the Lord from Zion,
he who dwells in Jerusalem!
Praise the Lord!Psalm 135 ESVUK
A reworking of another song
“I know this song,” I thought to myself on reading Psalm 135, and I was right. It was the words “Those who make them become like them,” that drew my attention. I remember interpreting them as “You become what you worship,” when looking at Psalm 115.
Verses 15-21 of Psalm 135 are based on Psalm 115: 4-11. The end of Psalm 135 is taken from the beginning of Psalm 115. The Psalmist has taken those words and created a chiasm. Chiasm, meaning crossing over, is a form used in nearly all Psalms and is a repetition of similar ideas in the reverse sequence. In Psalm 135, the development of Psalm 115 comes first.
So as I reflect on Psalm 135, I can see how verses 15 to 17 illustrate the properties of idols, and they are echoed in verses 8 to 11, which describe how God opposed the people who worshipped idols and opposed God’s people. I find it important to notice this parallelism and understand that there is no justification for striking our enemies here; it is God who does the striking, within the context of idolatry. Nevertheless, I can’t help but find it unsettling.
Psalm 135:18 delves into verses 5 to 7, conveying the message that while men can only create powerless idols, it is God who created the heavens and the earth. The reference to Psalm 115, specifically verse 3, is employed in verse 6, stating “Whatever the Lord pleases, he does.” Unlike verses 8 to 11, which reflect on what God has done, the portrayal of God as the creator here is emphasized in the present tense, highlighting God’s current immense power and ongoing act of creation.
Verses 19-21 beautifully unfold in verses 1 to 4, showcasing a captivating reverse order in their development. It’s fascinating to see how the last section becomes the first. In verses 19-20, various groups are called upon to joyously praise God: The house of Israel, the house of Aaron, the house of Levi, and those who fear God (often interpreted to mean non-Jews). This compelling list originates from Psalm 115, with the repeated line about God being a help and protector removed. What’s noteworthy is that it features 4 groups, as opposed to Psalm 115’s 3, with the additional group being the house of Levi, distinct from the house of Aaron.
The inclusion of the house of Levi as well as the mention of Zion/Jerusalem in verse 21 beautifully connects to a different set of psalms, the Songs of Ascents, Psalms 112 to 134. Verse 1 of this psalm also echoes Psalm 134, the last of the Songs of Ascents, by repeating that psalm’s opening, “all you servants of the Lord, who stand by night in the house of the Lord!” But verses 1 to 4 are not about the people who praise God but about the reasons to praise God: The Lord is good and his name is pleasant. Those reasons also link this song to the next one, Psalm 136.
A community song
But Psalm 135 is more than a development of Psalm 115. There are three verses in the middle that say something different, that this is a community song. The outer verses, 12 and 14, talk about God’s people first in the past tense, leading on from the previous historical section, then in the future tense.
It’s really important to look at the centre of a psalm in chiastic form, as these are the verses on which the narrative pivots. I’ve noticed that the commentaries of the psalms I’ve read tend to start at verse 1 and move to the last verse with little thought for the poetic structure. As someone who values structure, I understand how crucial it is to prioritize this aspect; it truly helps in uncovering the essence of what the psalmists were trying to convey. What I gather from this is a message that during the Egyptian Exodus, it was God who orchestrated everything, and it wasn’t solely due to the actions of the Israelites. Now, as people are returning from Babylon, God is once again poised to achieve victory. It’s a beautiful affirmation that His people are beloved and will ultimately be vindicated.
It is all down to our eternal God. His name lasts forever, and his renown through the ages. This, in verse 13, is the central message of Psalm 135, a song written for people who were having a hard time resettling their historic homeland.
“You who fear the Lord, bless the Lord!” serves as a reminder for those who are not part of God’s nation of Israel. It’s important to remember that we are not meant to act as gatekeepers of God’s kingdom, but to open our arms to everyone who is willing to come. We could unknowingly reject someone whom Jesus welcomes. After all, Jesus assured us that “Whoever comes to me I will never cast out.”
< Psalm 134 | Psalm 135 | Psalm 136 >
Making an ass of myself 