Psalm 135 is a call to praise. It invites God’s people to worship the LORD because he is good, because he has chosen Israel, and because he is greater than every false god. People read this psalm to understand why praise is a reasonable response to God’s character, and to see how Israel’s history of deliverance and the futility of idols fit together in one song of worship.
Psalm 135 Summary
The psalm opens with a double summons to praise, addressed to the servants who serve in the temple courts. The writer gives two reasons for the praise: the LORD is good, and he has chosen Israel as his own possession. From there the psalm surveys God’s power over creation, from the clouds and rain to the wind, and over history, especially in the deliverance from Egypt and the defeat of kings who opposed Israel.
Next the psalm turns to the nations’ idols. They are made of silver and gold, they have mouths and eyes and ears, yet they cannot speak, see, hear, or breathe, and those who trust in them become like them. The psalm closes by calling on the whole household of Israel, including the priests and the Levites and all who fear the LORD, to bless him from Zion.
Background and Setting
Psalm 135 belongs to the Psalter, the collection of songs in the Old Testament book of Psalms. It is one of the hallelujah psalms, which begin and end with the call “Praise Yah.” Psalm 135 is traditionally associated with David, though many scholars date its final form to the post-exilic period, when the community gathered for worship in and around the restored temple in Jerusalem. The psalm draws heavily on older traditions of the exodus and the conquest, which is why it recalls Egypt, Sihon, Og and the land of Canaan.
The psalm was written for worshipers gathered in the temple courts and, in the same way, for the wider house of Israel, including Aaron’s line and the Levites who served there. Its place in the Psalter sits among the songs of praise that frame the Hebrew worship life, reminding the congregation that their gathering is itself an act of remembering who God has been to them.
Psalm 135 Section by Section
Verses 1-4: The Call to Praise and the Reason for It
1 Praise Yah! Praise the LORD’s name! Praise him, you servants of the LORD, 2 you who stand in the LORD’s house, in the courts of our God’s house. 3 Praise Yah, for the LORD is good. Sing praises to his name, for that is pleasant.
Psalm 135:1-3 (WEB)
The psalm begins with a summons directed to “servants of the LORD” who stand in the house of God. The repetition of the name Yah, a short form of the divine name, makes the call feel urgent and personal. The writer does not simply tell people to praise. He tells them why: “the LORD is good,” and singing his name is pleasant work, not a chore.
Verse 4 explains the basis for this confidence. God has chosen Jacob and Israel for his own possession. That choosing is not something Israel earned, but a gift of grace that shapes everything else the psalm will describe. Praise here grows out of being known and claimed by God.
Verses 5-7: God Greater Than All Gods and Lord Over Creation
5 For I know that the LORD is great, that our Lord is above all gods. 6 Whatever the LORD 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 the wind out of his treasuries…
Psalm 135:5-7 (WEB)
The writer states his personal conviction that the LORD is great and above all gods. This is a confession that Israel’s God has no rival in heaven or on earth. Verses 6 and 7 then show what that greatness looks like in practice: God does whatever pleases him across the sky, the land and the deep waters, and he commands the clouds, lightning, rain and wind from his storehouses.
These images would have been familiar to people who depended on rain for harvests and who feared storms at sea. The psalm points them to the one who controls those forces, so that their daily dependence on weather becomes a reminder of God’s sovereignty.
Verses 8-12: God’s Acts in Egypt and the Conquest of the Land
8 Who struck the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and animal; 9 Who sent signs and wonders into the middle of you, Egypt, on Pharaoh, and on all his servants…
Psalm 135:8-9 (WEB)
Here the psalm recounts the plagues against Egypt, including the death of the firstborn, and the signs and wonders sent against Pharaoh and his servants. These verses recall the exodus, the moment when Israel was delivered from slavery. The memory is told in a way that places the victory squarely in God’s hands rather than in Israel’s strength.
Verses 10-12 move to the defeat of mighty kings, including Sihon and Og, and the gift of their land to Israel as a heritage. The psalm presents these events as evidence that God acts in history on behalf of his people, and that possessing the land is a gift from him, not a matter of national pride.
Verses 13-18: God’s Enduring Name and the Emptiness of Idols
13 Your name, the LORD, endures forever; your renown, the LORD, throughout all generations. 14 For the LORD will judge his people, and have compassion on his servants.
Psalm 135:13-14 (WEB)
Verse 13 declares that God’s name and renown endure through every generation. Verse 14 promises that the LORD will judge his people and show compassion to his servants. The contrast is gentle but firm: what God is known for is steady justice and mercy, which outlasts anything that rises and falls in the nations.
Verses 15-18 mock the idols of the nations. They are made of silver and gold, shaped by human hands, and they cannot speak, see, hear or breathe. The psalm’s point is not to ridicule the people who worshiped them, but to show that anything which cannot act on behalf of its worshipers will leave them empty. Those who trust such things become like them, numb and powerless.
Verses 19-21: The Call to Every Level of God’s People
19 House of Israel, praise the LORD! House of Aaron, praise the LORD! 20 House of Levi, praise the LORD! You who fear the LORD, praise the LORD! 21 Blessed be the LORD from Zion, Who dwells at Jerusalem. Praise Yah!
Psalm 135:19-21 (WEB)
The psalm closes by addressing the house of Israel, the house of Aaron, the house of Levi, and all who fear the LORD. Each group is named so that every part of the worshiping community joins in the praise. The final verse blesses the LORD from Zion and from Jerusalem, tying the praise back to the place where God dwells among his people.
The ending turns the psalm into a communal act. The song began with a few servants in the courts and ends with the whole people of God, gathered under the same conviction that the LORD is good and worthy of worship.
Key Themes in Psalm 135
- God’s goodness and chosen people: The psalm grounds praise in the fact that the LORD is good and has chosen Israel as his own possession.
- God’s sovereignty over creation: The LORD commands the clouds, lightning, rain and wind, showing that nature answers to him.
- Deliverance in history: The plagues on Egypt and the defeat of kings like Sihon and Og display God acting to save his people.
- The emptiness of idols: Lifeless images cannot speak, see, hear or breathe, and their worshipers become like them.
- Praise across the whole community: Israel, Aaron, Levi and all who fear the LORD are all called to bless him.
Lessons From Psalm 135 for Today
Many people today do not worship carved idols, but the psalm’s warning still applies to anything we rely on more than God. A career, a bank balance, a reputation or a relationship can quietly take the place of God in our hearts. The psalm asks what we trust, and it suggests that whatever we trust will shape us, for good or ill.
The psalm also offers a practical pattern for hard seasons. When a diagnosis arrives, a job is lost, or a family conflict drags on, you can begin by remembering who God has been in the past and what his character is. Verses 13 and 14 remind you that his name endures and that he judges and shows compassion. That memory can steady your prayers when you cannot yet see a way forward.
Questions for Reflection
- What reasons for praise come to mind when you read that the LORD is good and has chosen you?
- Where in your daily life do you notice God’s power over ordinary things like weather, work or health?
- What do you tend to trust when you feel anxious, and how does the psalm’s view of idols speak to that?
- How can your church or small group become more like the whole house of Israel, joining together in praise?
- Which past act of God’s faithfulness can you name this week to strengthen your trust in him?
A Prayer From Psalm 135
Lord, you are good, and your name is worth singing. Thank you for choosing me and for keeping me as your own when I did nothing to earn it. You rule over the skies, the sea and every season of my life, and nothing is beyond your reach. Teach me to see my fears for what they are and to put my trust in you rather than in things that cannot save. Let my life be a quiet song of praise, joined with your people, as we bless you from wherever you have placed us. Amen.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main message of Psalm 135?
Psalm 135 calls God’s people to praise the LORD because he is good, has chosen Israel, rules over all creation, and acts in history to save his people. It also contrasts the living God with lifeless idols that cannot help those who trust them.
Who wrote Psalm 135?
The psalm is traditionally linked to David, though its author is not named in the text itself. Many scholars think its final form came later, in the post-exilic period, when the community worshiped in the restored temple.
Why does Psalm 135 mention the plagues on Egypt?
The psalm recalls the exodus to show that God delivered Israel from slavery by his own power. Remembering that deliverance gives the worshiping community reasons to trust God in their present circumstances.
