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The Bible · 613 of 1189

Psalms 135

1.Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the name of the LORD; praise him, O ye servants of the LORD.

2.Ye that 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 unto his name; for it is pleasant.

4.For the LORD hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure.

5.For I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.

6.Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.

7.He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain; he bringeth the wind out of his treasuries.

8.Who smote the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and beast.

9.Who sent tokens and wonders into the midst of thee, O Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his servants.

10.Who smote great nations, and slew mighty kings;

11.Sihon king of the Amorites, and Og king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan:

12.And gave their land for an heritage, an heritage unto Israel his people.

13.Thy name, O LORD, endureth for ever; and thy memorial, O LORD, throughout all generations.

14.For the LORD will judge his people, and he will repent himself concerning his servants.

15.The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.

16.They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not;

17.They have ears, but they hear not; neither is there any breath in their mouths.

18.They that make them are like unto them: so is every one that trusteth 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: ye that fear the LORD, bless the LORD.

21.Blessed be the LORD out of Zion, which dwelleth at Jerusalem. Praise ye the LORD.

Asked of Guide

Why does the psalm keep shifting between praising God’s deeds and mocking idols?

The chapter alternates to show two sides of worship: praise for what the LORD has done—“He smote the firstborn of Egypt” and “gave their land…unto Israel”—and a clear description of idols as lifeless, “They have mouths, but they speak not.” That contrast names what deserves trust: historical acts of God and living relation, not human-made objects.

By listing God’s mighty works (creation, storms, victories) and then the uselessness of idols, the psalm closes its argument with a corporate call to bless God—“Bless the LORD, O house of Israel” and “Praise ye the LORD.” This pattern is similar to Psalm 115, which also pairs God’s acts with the impotence of idols to insist on wholehearted worship.

Guide is the guide inside the Gnosis app, where every book on these shelves is free to read. Guide is the part you pay for — your guide has read all of them, and answers about the passage you’re actually on. Ask your guide your own question.