Old Testament · Poetry

Psalm 135

Praise His Name

The Lord chose Israel as His treasured possession. A hymn that celebrates divine choice and power with borrowed phrases from across the Psalter.

Berean Standard Bible BSB KJV

Tap any verse number for what that verse means.

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.

3Hallelujah, for the LORD is good; sing praises to His name, for it is lovely.

4For the LORD has chosen Jacob as His own, Israel as His treasured possession.

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

6The LORD does all that pleases Him in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and in all their depths.

7He causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth. He generates the lightning with the rain and brings forth the wind from His storehouses.

8He struck down the firstborn of Egypt, of both man and beast.

9He sent signs and wonders into your midst, O Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants.

10He struck down many nations and slaughtered mighty kings:

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

12He gave their land as an inheritance, as a heritage to His people Israel.

13Your name, O LORD, endures forever, Your renown, O LORD, through all generations.

14For the LORD will vindicate His people and will have compassion on His servants.

15The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by the hands of men.

16They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see;

17they have ears, but cannot hear; nor is there breath in their mouths.

18Those who make them become like them, as do all who trust in them.

19O house of Israel, bless the LORD; O house of Aaron, bless the LORD;

20O house of Levi, bless the LORD; you who fear the LORD, bless the LORD!

21Blessed be the LORD from Zion— He who dwells in Jerusalem. Hallelujah!

Understand This

Psalm 135, explained

What Psalm 135 is saying

Psalm 135 is a composite hymn of praise that draws extensively on other scriptural texts—Psalms 115, 136, Deuteronomy, and Exodus—to celebrate God's sovereignty over nature and history. The psalm recounts the Exodus, the defeat of Sihon and Og, and the gift of the land, then contrasts the living God with lifeless idols. The call to praise encompasses the house of Israel, Aaron, Levi, and all who fear the LORD.

The background behind it

The psalm's heavy dependence on earlier texts suggests a late composition, possibly for Second Temple worship. Its function as a 'scripture anthology' reflects the growing centrality of written Torah in post-exilic worship and the practice of intertextual composition.

Themes running underneath

The psalm asserts divine freedom—'The LORD does whatever pleases Him'—as the foundation for praise. This sovereignty extends over creation (weather), history (Exodus, conquest), and religion (exposure of idols). The anti-idol polemic reinforces that worship of the living God is grounded in His active, sovereign deeds.

Why it still matters

This psalm models worship that is richly informed by Scripture itself—praise built on the accumulated witness of God's words and deeds. It demonstrates that the best fuel for worship is remembering what God has revealed and accomplished.

This is one chapter. BibleKey does all 1,189.

Tap any verse for its meaning, any word for its Hebrew or Greek root, and follow every cross-reference without losing your place.

Get BibleKey

All 150 chapters of Psalms · Every book of the Bible · Browse by topic

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible — used by permission, Bible Hub.