Beloved, I am glad to share with you today the above theme from Ps 135:1 and following. Indeed, Psalm 134:1-3 showed us the servants of Jehovah standing in His House to celebrate Him. Psalm 135 teaches us what the theme of their praise is: the great name of the Lord. In Psalm 133, what was good and pleasant was that brothers lived united together. Here in verse 3, it is Jehovah Himself who is found good and pleasant. The worshipper “tasted that the Lord is good” (1 Peter 2:1-5). As precious as fraternal communion is, nothing replaces for the soul the flavor of the Lord’s love. Is it only to meet other Christians that we go to the gathering? Or because we enjoy the Blessed Presence of the Lord there?
God chose Israel – as did every redeemed person – “for its particular treasure” (verse 4; Matthew 13:44-46) and He used the most powerful means to acquire His soul (verses 5–12). Mentioned after such a God how vain and ridiculous the idols of the world appear! And how many are to be pityed “those who confide in them”! (verse 18). To bless Jehovah, who for us became the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, is the privilege of all who fear Him (verse 20; Ephesians 1:3-14).
This psalm has the same character as the previous one. It is a kind of appendix to the previous psalm. For the congregation is always in the house of God, that sanctuary of praise that they have just reached, as we have seen. From Zion, God always shines his splendor. Jehovah himself is celebrated, and his name is celebrated-his name, as distinct from himself, designating those varied glories and dignities that he acquired for himself through his powerful deeds.
And the Lord of Israel is here magnified as the only true God who acts at will in heaven and on earth, and who has also gained victory and honor in Egypt, and over the Amorites, and in Basan, and over all the kingdoms of Canaan – all for the love and for the benefit of his people. And what a grace in this association! The Lord who formed and extended the heavens – none other and none less than him – is the same one who divided Canaan by fate among the tribes. He who measures the waters in the palm of his hand is the same one who gathers the lambs in his womb and carries them in his arms (Isaiah 40).
It is with good reason that this psalm of the captives returned to their country, this psalm composed by those who stand in the forecourts of the Lord, proclaims the vanity of idols; for this vanity had just been manifested by the fall of Babylon, and the decree of the Persian monarch authorizing Israel to leave this fortress of idolatry. The name of the one true God, the God of Israel, thus remains forever, while the memory of all that opposes him perishes forever (v. 14 and Deut. 32:36).
It is the celebration of Jehovah who delivered Israel: for Ps. 135 and 136 celebrate the Lord who delivered Israel and now dwells in Jerusalem; they give thanks to the One whose mercy dwells forever, the Creator of all things, in goodness, who first delivered the people and remembered him to redeem them when they were fallen and lowered. Ps. 135 has a very marked character, for it gives a remarkable key for the interpretation of the entire book, which it links to the ancient declarations of the Lord concerning his relationship with Israel, so as to make the history of the people one whole. Its subject is: “Praise the Lord. Praise the name of the Lord! ” for He is good; it’s a nice thing to celebrate. He chose Jacob and Israel for his particular treasure. Then in verse 6, Jehovah is celebrated as the Almighty God who does all that pleases him and disposes of creation every day; second, as the one who carried out the judgment on the oppressors of Israel, who delivered the people and gave them the land of the nations they drove out.
The following verses have been compiled for your edification and grouped together for your better understanding.
I know that the Lord is great:
- House of God, general references
Ps 134:1 Song of degrees. Behold, bless The Lord, all of you servants of Jehovah, Who you hold in the house of Jehovah during the nights! Isa 60:7 The flocks of Kedar shall all gather in your home; The rams of Nebajoth will be at your service; They will ascend to my altar and be pleasing to me, and I will glorify the house of my glory. Lk 19:46 telling them: It is written: My house will be a house of prayer. But you have turned it into a cave of thieves. John 2:16 and he said to the pigeon sellers: Take this from here, do not make my Father’s house a house of traffic.
- God’s Goodness
Ps 25:8 The Lord is good and righteous: That is why He shows sinners the way. Ps 33:5 He loves righteousness and righteousness; The goodness of Jehovah fills the earth. Ps 43:5 Why do you fall down, my soul, and groan within me? Hope in God, for I will praise Him again; He is my salvation and my God. Mt 19:17 He answered him: Why do you ask me about what is good? Only one is the right one. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments. Which? he said to her. Rom 2:4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, patience, and long-suffering, not recognizing that God’s goodness drives you to repentance?
- Divine Protector, God of Battles
Ex 14:14 The Lord will fight for you; and you remain silent. Ex 15:3 The Lord is a valiant warrior; The Lord is his name. 2 Sam 5:24 When you hear a sound of footsteps in the tops of the mulberry trees, then hurry, for it is the Lord who walks before you to defeat the army of the Philistines. 2 Ch 32:8 With him is an arm of flesh, and with us the Lord, our God, who will help us and fight for us. The people trusted the words of Hezekiah, king of Judah.
- God as Judge
Gen 18:25 To make the righteous die with the wicked, so that it is the just as the wicked, far from you this way of acting! far from you! Won’t he who judges the whole earth exercise justice? Ps 58.12 And men will say: Yes, he is a reward for the righteous; Yes, he is a God who judges on earth. Ps 96:13 Before the Lord! For he comes, for he comes to judge the earth; He will judge the world justly, and the people according to his faithfulness. Hb 12:23 of the assembly of the firstborn inscribed in heaven, of the judge who is the God of all, of the spirits of the righteous who have come to perfection,
- False gods and goddesses, general references
1 Ch 16:26 For all the gods of the people are idols, and jehovah has made heaven. Esa 2:8 The land is filled with idols; They prostrate themselves before the work of their hands, before what their fingers have made. Jer 2:11 Is there a nation that changes its gods, though they are not Gods? And my people have changed their glory for what is of no help! Jer 11:12 The cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will invoke the gods to whom they offer incense, but they will not save them in the time of their misfortune. Dn 5:4 They drank wine, and they praised the gods with gold, silver, brass, iron, wood, and stone. 1 Cor 8:5 For if there are beings who are called gods, either in heaven or on earth, as there really are several gods and several lords, 1 Cor 12:2 For if there are beings who are called gods, either in heaven or on earth, as there really are several gods and several lords, Gal 4:8 In the past, not knowing God, you served gods who are not gods of their nature;
From all the above, we note that comes the name of jehovah in relation to Israel and in contrast with idols; then in verses 13 and 14, two passages that are recorded from Exodus 3:15 and Deut. 32:36. In one of these passages we see that God took over Israel forever, under the name of Jehovah, and the other prophetically announces the deliverance of the people after they have totally and completely failed. In the first, when God sends Moses to deliver them, God takes the name of Jehovah, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and declares that this is His name eternally, and His memorial in all ages (Ex. 3:15). He then promises to deliver Israel and bring it into the land (Ex. 3:17). The second passage is in the prophetic hymn of Moses, after he placed before the eyes of the children of Israel the picture of their apostasy, of their task which is not a task of children of God; for they left the God who had made them and moved him to jealousy by the foreign gods (Deut. 32:15-16); then the Lord hid his face from them (Deut. 32:20), and would have decided to abolish their memory of men, had it not been for the fear that man, in his pride, would take the opportunity to exalt himself (Deut. 32:27). The Psalm ends with a solemn invitation to bless Jehovah, addressed to the various classes already mentioned: the house of Israel, the house of Aaron, the house of Levi, and all those who fear Jehovah (Ps 135:21). It is now from Zion that the Lord is praised, who could now be said to have dwelt in Jerusalem. Our prayers are with you all.
PRAYER OF ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS CHRIST AS LORD AND PERSONAL SAVIOR
I now invite every person who wants to become a new creation by walking in the truth, to pray with me the following prayer:
Lord Jesus, I have long walked in the lusts of the world ignoring your love for humans. I admit to having sinned against you and ask your forgiveness for all my sins, because today I have decided to give you my life by taking you as Lord and personal Savior. I recognize that you died on the cross of Calvary and rose from the dead for me.
I am now saved and born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. Lead me every day to the eternal life that you give to all who obey your Word. Reveal yourself to me and strengthen my heart and faith, so that your light may shine in my life right now.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for accepting me into your divine family, so that I may also contemplate the wonders of your kingdom.
I will now choose a nearby waterpoint to baptize myself by immersion, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
All adoration, power and glory are yours, now and forever and ever. Amen!
I would be happy to respond to any questions and comments you may have, before sharing with you tomorrow “Celebrate the Lord!… for his goodness is forever. “
May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you abundantly.
David Feze, Servant of the Almighty God.