Psalm 135 – God deserves to be praised

One of life’s all consuming passion must be to praise God. There is nothing more important, more uplifting and more exhilarating than to bring constant praise to our great and wonderful God! Psalm 135 echoes this theme.

In verses 1-3 the call to praise God is issued. The priests and the Levites are specifically called to praise Him. They are referred here as the servants of the Lord who stand in His house. God had specially chosen them to serve in His presence. He had chosen Jacob and the people of Israel for Himself. In the New Testament, we know that we are chosen through Christ for adoption as children of God. We are now a member of His larger family. Hence, in his first letter, Peter tells us that we are a kingdom priest. We are God’s peculiar people summoned to declare His praise.  

In verses 4-18, the Psalmist gives three specific reasons why God should be praised:-

1.       In verses 5-7, the Psalmist tells us that He is a great God, the Lord above all so called gods. He is the One who sovereignly controls heaven and earth and has the right to do whatever He pleases. The nature and the elements are created to serve His purpose.

2.    In verses 8-14, the author tells us that He had a particular concern for Israel. From verse 4, we know that Israel as a nation has been specially chosen to be His people. Here we are told how He had delivered them from their bondage in Egypt in the smiting of the first born of Egypt. God also dealt with all their oppressors in their journey and those in the Promised Land as well. He gave them a great heritage in the rich land of Canaan. Today, we know that in Christ, we believers have become members of His larger family. His great promises for us are now found in Christ. Hence this call is also issued to us. And as He had delivered Israel in history, He will also deliver us from all our oppressors, so that like them, we may be free to serve Him too.

3.   In verses 15-18, the Psalmist gives the third reason for why God is worthy of praise. It is because He is infinitely greater than worthless idols that are just products of the human hands. In contrast to the Sovereign Lord, idols are lifeless. They are made with eyes that cannot see. They have noses but cannot breathe. They are just lifeless idols.  What’s worst is that everyone who worships them are like them – dumb and lifeless.   

In the concluding verses 19-21, the Psalmist exhorts all to honor and bless the Lord. Beginning from Israel, to Aaron, and the Levites and all who fear the Lord, the Psalmist urges all to bless the Lord. In Christ this exhortation to them is also an exhortation to us, members of God’s larger family. Hence like them, we who fear God must also honor and praise Him. So let us bring unceasing praise to Him. Let them flow continually and constantly out of our lips and our lives. For we serve the True and Living God!