Click here to read PSALM 135 in poetic form.
Click here to read PSALM 136 in poetic form.
Background
Psalm 135 is in the Deuteronomy Book of the Psalms (Psalms 107-150). These 44 Psalms, like the Book of Deuteronomy in the Old Testament, show God’s Word as the source of salvation, deliverance, and healing. This would be fully carried out in the life of the coming Messiah, the living Word, Jesus Christ. Psalms 135 and 136 both offer praise to God for His greatness. They both have a similar structure. Each verse of Psalm 136 includes a chorus “For His mercy endureth for ever,” which shows the musical nature of this Psalm.
Structure of Psalm 135
(Verses 1-5) Praise the Lord who is above all gods
(Verses 6,7) God’s creation: heaven, earth, seas, the deep
(Verses 8,9) God rescues Israel from Egypt
(Verses 10,11) God’s protection from enemy rulers (Sihon of the Amorites, Og of Bashan)
(Verses 12,13) God gave the land as a heritage to His people Israel
(Verse 14) God does good: judges and vindicates to His servants
(Verses 15-18) Idols give nothing to those who trust in them
(Verses 19-21) Praise the Lord and bless Him out of Zion
Structure of Psalm 136
(Verses 1-3) Give thanks to the Lord, the God of gods and Lord of lords
(Verses 4-9) God’s creation: the heavens, the waters, great lights (sun, moon, stars)
(Verses 10-15) God rescues Israel from Egypt
(Verses 16-20) God’s protection from enemy rulers (Sihon of the Amorites, Og of Bashan)
(Verses 21,22) God gave the land as a heritage to His servant Israel
(Verses 23,24) God does good: remembers and redeems from their enemies
(Verse 25) God supplies food to all living things
(Verse 26) Give thanks to the God of heaven
Key Scriptures—Psalm 135
Verse 5—“For I know that the Lord [Jehovah] is great, and that our Lord [adon] is above all gods.” This shows the greatness of God and His Son, the Messiah, Jesus Christ. God is Lord, Jehovah. His Son is also a lord, adon. This is similar to the Hebrew usage in Psalm 110.
Psalms 110:1:
A Psalm of David. The Lord [Hebrew, Jehovah, referring to God] said unto my Lord [Hebrew, adon, referring to Jesus Christ], Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
This prophecy in Psalms 110:1 is one of the great truths in the Bible about the coming Messiah. It shows the authority and position of power that Jesus Christ now has being seated at the right hand of God. It also indicates some of what Jesus Christ will still do in the future.
Philippians 2:9,10:
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth.
I Corinthians 15:27,28:
For he [God] hath put all things under his [Christ’s] feet. But when he [God] saith all things are put under him [Christ], it is manifest that he [God] is excepted, which did put all things under him [Christ].
And when all things shall be subdued unto him [Christ], then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him [God] that put all things under him [Christ], that God may be all in all.
God is called our Savior, and He sent His Son to be our savior. God is our loving Lord, who supplies all things. His Son is our lord now over all things, and our access to the Father (Ephesians 3:12). I Corinthians 8:6 explains this truth beautifully: “But to us there is but one God, the Father, of [the Greek word ek, meaning the Source] whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by [the Greek word dia, meaning by means of] whom are all things, and we by him.”
Psalm 135:5 says that Jehovah is great, and our lord (Jesus Christ) is above all “gods.” This Hebrew word for “gods” is used in the Bible to refer to earthly rulers. Jesus Christ is now lord over all.
Verses 15-18—“The idols of the heathen…So is every one that trusteth in them.” This is similar to the description of idols in Psalm 115. Both show how helpless man is without the “living God” Who made heaven and earth. The true God is the living God. The term “living God” is used in contrast to dead idols (see notes on Psalm 42 for more details on the “living God”).
Key Scriptures—Psalm 136
Verse 6—“To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever.” Some Bible teachers believe the earth “above the waters” could refer to Genesis 1:1 and II Peter 3:5. Genesis 1:2 says the earth “became” without form and void. By that time, earth became a ruin and was “overflowed” (II Peter 3:6), and was covered with “the deep” (Genesis 1:2).
Verse 24—“And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever.” The Hebrew word translated “redeemed” means to break off. The Lord “broke off” their bondage and rescued them from their enemies. It is not the word more commonly translated “redeem” that means to buy back a next of kin (as Boaz did in Ruth).
FOR FURTHER STUDY
All 150 of The Psalms in Poetic Form are available from Amazon in a book, either Large Print or a smaller Bedside Reader.
The Background, Structure, and Key Scriptures for all 150 Psalms are available from Amazon in a book The Psalms: Background & Structure with Key Scriptures Explained.
