Psalm 135 is a call to praise. It summarizes why God deserves worship: he chose Israel, he acts with power over creation and history, and idols are empty while the LORD is living and faithful. People read it to find a clear, confident reason to worship and to see how God’s past deeds shape present trust.
Psalm 135 Summary
The psalm opens with a strong command. Worshippers, especially those who serve in the temple courts, are told to praise the LORD’s name, and the reason is given right away: he is good, and praising him is pleasant. The writer then points to God’s choice of Israel as his own treasured people, grounding worship in a relationship rather than in a vague sense of religious duty.
From there the psalm surveys God’s works. He rules over heaven, earth, the seas and the deep places. He brings up clouds, sends lightning with rain, and moves the wind from his storehouses. The writer then recalls the Exodus, when God struck Egypt and its firstborn, and the conquest, when he overthrew powerful kings and gave their land to Israel. These acts are presented as evidence that the LORD is greater than all other gods.
The psalm closes by contrasting the living God with idols. Made of silver and gold, idols have mouths, eyes and ears, yet cannot speak, see or hear, and those who trust in them become like them. The psalm ends where it began, calling the whole household of Israel, Aaron, Levi and all who fear the LORD to bless him from Zion.
Background and Setting
Psalm 135 belongs to the Psalter, the collection of songs and prayers in the Old Testament book of Psalms. Like many psalms, it is anonymous, and the book as a whole is traditionally linked to David, though scholars generally date the individual psalms over several centuries of Israel’s worship. Psalm 135 is often grouped with the “Hallelujah” psalms, which open and close with a call to praise, and it draws heavily on older traditions of Israel’s history, such as the Exodus and the conquest of Canaan.
The psalm was written for the worshipping community of Israel, especially those who gathered at the temple in Jerusalem. Its references to the house of Israel, the house of Aaron and the house of Levi suggest a liturgical setting in which priests, Levites and lay people were called together to praise. Within the book of Psalms it sits among songs that remember God’s faithfulness and call the people back to trust him.
Psalm 135 Section by Section
Verses 1-4: The Lord Who Chose Israel
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 to praise, addressed to the servants of the LORD and to those who stand in his house. The call is grounded in the character of God, who is good, and in the pleasure that comes from singing his name. Praise here is not a performance but a response to who God is and what he has done.
Verse 4 explains the choice behind this worship: the LORD has chosen Jacob and Israel as his own possession. This is a statement of grace before it is a statement of duty. Israel praises because it has been set apart, not because it earned God’s favor.
Verses 5-7: The Greatness of the Creator
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)
Here the writer states personal confidence that the LORD is great and above all gods. The reason is what God does: whatever he pleases he accomplishes, across heaven, earth and the seas. The sweep of these verses moves from the sky to the depths, showing that God’s authority reaches everywhere.
The imagery of clouds rising from the ends of the earth, lightning in the rain and wind drawn from storehouses presents the weather as the active work of a king who controls his resources. Creation is not left to chance, and the one who governs it is the one Israel worships.
Verses 8-12: The God Who Acts in History
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)
The psalm now recalls events from Israel’s story. God struck the firstborn of Egypt and sent signs and wonders against Pharaoh and his servants, a reference to the plagues and the release of Israel from slavery. The writer remembers these events as acts of judgment and deliverance, not as distant history.
Verses 10 to 12 move to the conquest, when God struck mighty kings, including Sihon and Og, and gave their land as an inheritance to his people. The psalm treats this inheritance as a gift from God, reminding the community that their place in the land rests on his faithfulness.
Verses 13-18: The Living God and the Empty Idols
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.
Psalm 135:15-18 (WEB)
Verses 13 and 14 declare that God’s name and renown endure through all generations, and that he will judge his people and have compassion on his servants. The psalm then turns to the nations’ idols. They are made of silver and gold by human hands, and though they have mouths, eyes and ears, they cannot speak, see or hear.
The sharp point is that those who make and trust idols become like them, unable to respond to real need. The contrast is meant to move the worshipper toward the living God, who acts, speaks and saves.
Verses 19-21: The Call to Bless the LORD
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 closing verses repeat the call to praise, now addressed to every group within Israel: the house of Israel, the house of Aaron, the house of Levi, and all who fear the LORD. The repetition gathers the whole community into one act of worship.
The psalm finishes by blessing the LORD from Zion, the place where he dwells in Jerusalem. The final word, “Praise Yah,” returns to the opening command, so the psalm closes the way it began, with the community lifting its voice in praise.
Key Themes in Psalm 135
- God’s goodness: The psalm grounds worship in the fact that the LORD is good and that praising him is pleasant.
- Sovereign power: God’s authority reaches across heaven, earth and the deep places, and he does whatever he pleases.
- Election and inheritance: Israel is chosen as God’s possession and given the land as a gift, not as something earned.
- The emptiness of idols: Human-made gods cannot speak, see or hear, and those who trust them become like them.
- Communal worship: Every group within Israel is called to praise, binding the whole people into one act of worship.
Lessons From Psalm 135 for Today
Many people find that praise feels forced on the days when life is hard. Psalm 135 gives a reason to praise that does not depend on how you feel: God is good, and he has shown his power and faithfulness across history. When you are tired or discouraged, you can begin with what you know about his character and let that shape your words, even before your emotions catch up.
The psalm also warns against placing your trust in things that cannot respond. Modern idols are rarely made of silver and gold. They might be money, approval, a career or a screen that promises comfort but leaves you empty. Psalm 135 invites you to examine what you trust and to turn toward the living God who speaks and acts.
Finally, the psalm calls the whole community to praise, from leaders to ordinary believers. In a church meeting, a family dinner or a small group, you can invite others to share what God has done. Worship grows stronger when people remember God’s works together and bless him in one voice.
Questions for Reflection
- What does it mean to you that praising God is described as “pleasant” in verse 3?
- Where have you seen God’s power in the ordinary weather or nature around you?
- What things do you trust in that seem valuable but cannot truly respond to your deepest needs?
- How does remembering God’s past acts, such as the Exodus or the gift of land, shape how you pray today?
- Who in your community could you invite to praise God with you this week?
A Prayer From Psalm 135
Lord, you are good, and it is good to sing your name. Thank you for choosing me and for keeping your promises across every generation. When I look at the sky, the rain and the wind, help me remember that you hold them all in your hand. Teach me to trust you more than anything I can make or buy.
Where I have put my hope in things that cannot speak or help, turn my heart back to you. Gather me with your people so that I can praise you with others, and let my life bless you from wherever you have placed me. Amen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote Psalm 135?
The psalm is anonymous, so no author is named in the text. It is part of the Psalter, which is traditionally associated with David, though most scholars believe individual psalms were composed and collected over a long period.
Why does Psalm 135 mention idols so strongly?
The psalm contrasts the living LORD with the lifeless idols of the nations to show that only God acts, speaks and saves. It warns that those who trust in idols become unable to respond to real need.
How is Psalm 135 related to other psalms?
Psalm 135 is one of the “Hallelujah” psalms, opening and closing with a call to praise. It shares themes with Psalm 136, which also recalls God’s acts in creation and history.
