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Psalms 135:1
Verse
Context
Sermons
Chuck Smith
Jim CymbalaJim Cymbala
St. Augustine
St. Benedict of NursiaSummary
Commentary
- Keil-Delitzsch
- John Gill
- Matthew Henry
- Tyndale
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary
The beginning is taken from Psa 134:1; Psa 135:2 recalls Psa 116:19 (cf. Psa 92:14); and Psa 135:4 is an echo of Deu 7:6. The servants of Jahve to whom the summons is addressed, are not, as in Psa 134:1., His official servants in particular, but according to Psa 135:2, where the courts, in the plural, are allotted to them as their standing-place, and according to Psa 135:19-20, those who fear Him as a body. The threefold Jahve at the beginning is then repeated in Jāh (הללוּ־יהּ, cf. note 1 to PsPsa 104:35), Jahve, and Jāh. The subject of כּי נעים is by no means Jahve (Hupfeld), whom they did not dare to call נעים in the Old Testament, but either the Name, according to Ps 54:8 (Luther, Hitzig), or, which is favoured by Psa 147:1 (cf. Pro 22:18), the praising of His Name (Appolinaris: ἐπεὶ τόδε καλὸν ἀείδειν): His Name to praise is a delightful employ, which is incumbent on Israel as the people of His choice and of His possession.
John Gill Bible Commentary
Praise ye the Lord,.... Or hallelujah; which may be considered as the title of the psalm; as in the Targum, Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Ethiopic, and Arabic versions: praise ye the name of the Lord; that is, the Lord himself, and the perfections of his nature; his greatness, goodness, grace, and mercy; his holiness, justice, power, truth, and faithfulness; and also his word, by which he makes known himself, and is a distinguishing blessing to his people, and to be praised for it; see Psa 48:1; praise him, O ye servants of the Lord; priests and Levites, and ministers of the word, and all the people of God; who once were the servants of sin, Satan, and the world, but now by the grace of God become his servants; see Rom 6:17. Some observe that the word praise is here used three times, which is thought not to be without a mystery; and may have regard to the three divine Persons in the Godhead, who are each to be praised; the Father for electing grace, the Son for redeeming grace, and the Spirit for regenerating and sanctifying grace.
Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
Here is, 1. The duty we are called to - to praise the Lord, to praise his name; praise him, and again praise him. We must not only thank him for what he has done for us, but praise him for what he is in himself and has done for others; take all occasions to speak well of God and to give his truths and ways a good word. 2. The persons that are called upon to do this - the servants of the Lord, the priests and Levites that stand in his house, and all the devout and pious Israelites that stand in the courts of his house to worship there, Psa 135:2. Those that have most reason to praise God who are admitted to the privileges of his house, and those see most reason who there behold his beauty and taste his bounty; from them it is expected, for to that end they enjoy their places. Who should praise him if they do not? 3. The reasons why we should praise God. (1.) Because he whom we are to praise is good, and goodness is that which every body will speak well of. He is good to all, and we must give him the praise of that. His goodness is his glory, and we must make mention of it to his glory. (2.) Because the work is its own wages: Sing praises to his name, for it is pleasant. It is best done with a cheerful spirit, and we shall have the pleasure of having done our duty. It is a heaven upon earth to be praising God; and the pleasure of that should quite put our mouths out of taste for the pleasures of sin. (3.) Because of the peculiar privileges of God's people (Psa 135:4): The Lord hath chosen Jacob to himself, and therefore Jacob is bound to praise him; for therefore God chose a people to himself that they might be unto him for a name and a praise (Jer 13:11), and therefore Jacob has abundant matter for praise, being thus dignified and distinguished. Israel is God's peculiar treasure above all people (Exo 19:5); they are his Segullah, a people appropriated to him, and that he has a delight in, precious in his sight and honourable. For this distinguishing surprising favour, if the seed of Jacob do not praise him, they are the most unworthy ungrateful people under the sun.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
Ps 135 God, the Creator and the Lord of history, “made heaven and earth” (134:3). He deserves praise because, unlike idols, he redeems his people.
Psalms 135:1
Give Praise, O Servants of the LORD
1Hallelujah! Praise the name of the LORD. Give praise, O servants of the LORD, 2who stand in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our God.
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
Man-Made Gods
By Chuck Smith1.7K34:17IdolatryPSA 135:1MAT 6:33HEB 10:31REV 16:9In this sermon, the speaker discusses the concept of understanding life one day at a time, comparing it to solving a puzzle. He emphasizes that while we may not always understand the whole picture, God knows exactly how each piece fits into His plan. The speaker encourages listeners to trust that all things are working together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. He also highlights the importance of having a meaningful relationship with God to satisfy the longing within our hearts. The sermon concludes by contrasting the degrading experience of worshiping false gods with the elevating experience of yielding our lives to Jesus Christ.
Praise Him
By Jim Cymbala99714:45PraiseEXO 3:14JOS 1:11CH 16:34PSA 100:4PSA 135:1PSA 147:1MAT 6:33In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of praising and worshiping God. He warns those who serve in the ministry to not become mechanical or regimented in their worship, but to approach it with a heart of praise. The speaker encourages everyone, whether they have been serving God for years or are new believers, to join in praising the Lord. He highlights the goodness of God and the pleasantness of praising Him. The speaker also mentions the importance of praising God for what He has done in the past, what He is doing in the present, and what He will do in the future. He urges the congregation to praise the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and to lift up the name of the Lord in worship. The speaker notes that when others praise God, it draws people in and inspires them to join in praising Him as well. He encourages everyone to praise God with their whole being and to recognize that praise is beautiful.
Praise Him Always
By Jim Cymbala88914:44PraiseEXO 3:14JOS 1:11CH 16:34PSA 100:4PSA 135:1PSA 147:1MAT 6:33In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of praising and worshiping God. He warns those who serve in the ministry to not become mechanical or regimented in their worship, but to approach it with a heart of praise. The speaker encourages everyone, whether they have been serving God for years or are new believers, to join in praising the Lord. He highlights the goodness of God and the pleasantness of praising Him. The speaker also emphasizes the power of praise in drawing people closer to God and creating a sense of unity among believers.
Exposition on Psalm 136
By St. Augustine0PSA 135:1PSA 135:11ISA 53:1MAT 25:46JHN 10:341CO 8:41CO 10:20COL 2:3St. Augustine preaches on the importance of giving thanks to the Lord for His enduring mercy, emphasizing that His mercy is eternal and bestowed upon His saints and faithful ones. He delves into the concept of God being the God of gods and Lord of lords, explaining that even men are called gods in Scripture, not because they are all good, but because the word of God came to them. Augustine also explores the idea of angels being called gods and the distinction between the gods mentioned in the Bible. He concludes by highlighting God's wondrous works, His deliverance of His people, and His provision for all flesh, urging gratitude to the God of Heaven and the Lord of lords.
From Holy Easter Until Pentecost Without Interruption
By St. Benedict of Nursia0PSA 30:4PSA 113:3PSA 135:1PSA 147:1PSA 150:6St. Benedict of Nursia instructs that from holy Easter until Pentecost without interruption, 'Alleluia' should be said in the Psalms and responsories. From Pentecost to the beginning of Lent, 'Alleluia' should be said every night with the last six Psalms of the Night Office only. On every Sunday outside of Lent, the canticles, Morning Office, Prime, Terce, Sext, and None should be said with 'Alleluia,' while Vespers should be said with antiphons. The responsories are never to be said with 'Alleluia' except from Easter to Pentecost.
- Keil-Delitzsch
- John Gill
- Matthew Henry
- Tyndale
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary
The beginning is taken from Psa 134:1; Psa 135:2 recalls Psa 116:19 (cf. Psa 92:14); and Psa 135:4 is an echo of Deu 7:6. The servants of Jahve to whom the summons is addressed, are not, as in Psa 134:1., His official servants in particular, but according to Psa 135:2, where the courts, in the plural, are allotted to them as their standing-place, and according to Psa 135:19-20, those who fear Him as a body. The threefold Jahve at the beginning is then repeated in Jāh (הלל וּ־יהּ, cf. note 1 to PsPsa 104:35), Jahve, and Jāh. The subject of כּי נעים is by no means Jahve (Hupfeld), whom they did not dare to call נעים in the Old Testament, but either the Name, according to Ps 54:8 (Luther, Hitzig), or, which is favoured by Psa 147:1 (cf. Pro 22:18), the praising of His Name (Appolinaris: ἐπεὶ τόδε καλὸν ἀείδειν): His Name to praise is a delightful employ, which is incumbent on Israel as the people of His choice and of His possession.
John Gill Bible Commentary
Praise ye the Lord,.... Or hallelujah; which may be considered as the title of the psalm; as in the Targum, Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Ethiopic, and Arabic versions: praise ye the name of the Lord; that is, the Lord himself, and the perfections of his nature; his greatness, goodness, grace, and mercy; his holiness, justice, power, truth, and faithfulness; and also his word, by which he makes known himself, and is a distinguishing blessing to his people, and to be praised for it; see Psa 48:1; praise him, O ye servants of the Lord; priests and Levites, and ministers of the word, and all the people of God; who once were the servants of sin, Satan, and the world, but now by the grace of God become his servants; see Rom 6:17. Some observe that the word praise is here used three times, which is thought not to be without a mystery; and may have regard to the three divine Persons in the Godhead, who are each to be praised; the Father for electing grace, the Son for redeeming grace, and the Spirit for regenerating and sanctifying grace.
Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
Here is, 1. The duty we are called to - to praise the Lord, to praise his name; praise him, and again praise him. We must not only thank him for what he has done for us, but praise him for what he is in himself and has done for others; take all occasions to speak well of God and to give his truths and ways a good word. 2. The persons that are called upon to do this - the servants of the Lord, the priests and Levites that stand in his house, and all the devout and pious Israelites that stand in the courts of his house to worship there, Psa 135:2. Those that have most reason to praise God who are admitted to the privileges of his house, and those see most reason who there behold his beauty and taste his bounty; from them it is expected, for to that end they enjoy their places. Who should praise him if they do not? 3. The reasons why we should praise God. (1.) Because he whom we are to praise is good, and goodness is that which every body will speak well of. He is good to all, and we must give him the praise of that. His goodness is his glory, and we must make mention of it to his glory. (2.) Because the work is its own wages: Sing praises to his name, for it is pleasant. It is best done with a cheerful spirit, and we shall have the pleasure of having done our duty. It is a heaven upon earth to be praising God; and the pleasure of that should quite put our mouths out of taste for the pleasures of sin. (3.) Because of the peculiar privileges of God's people (Psa 135:4): The Lord hath chosen Jacob to himself, and therefore Jacob is bound to praise him; for therefore God chose a people to himself that they might be unto him for a name and a praise (Jer 13:11), and therefore Jacob has abundant matter for praise, being thus dignified and distinguished. Israel is God's peculiar treasure above all people (Exo 19:5); they are his Segullah, a people appropriated to him, and that he has a delight in, precious in his sight and honourable. For this distinguishing surprising favour, if the seed of Jacob do not praise him, they are the most unworthy ungrateful people under the sun.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
Ps 135 God, the Creator and the Lord of history, “made heaven and earth” (134:3). He deserves praise because, unlike idols, he redeems his people.