Salmos 135
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
Salmos 135
CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS This Psalm starts and concludes with praise ‒ BDB 237, KB 248, Piel IMPERATIVE, Ps. 135:1 (thrice), 3a, 21c sing ‒ BDB 274, KB 273, Piel IMPERATIVE, Ps. 135:3b bless ‒ BDB 138, KB 159, Piel IMPERATIVE, Ps. 135:19 (twice), 20 (twice) YHWH is praised/blessed/sung about because character He is good, Ps. 135:3 (cf. Ps. 147:1) He is lovely, Ps. 135:3 (cf. Ps. 27:4; 147:1) He is great, Ps. 135:5 (cf. Ps. 48:1; 145:3) He is above all gods, Ps. 135:5 (see SPECIAL TOPIC: MONOTHEISM) His name is everlasting, Ps. 135:13a (cf. Exod. 3:15) His memory of His promises is sure, Ps. 135:13b acts for Israel chose Jacob/Israel, Ps. 135:4 (cf. Deut. 7:6; 10:15) sovereign, Ps. 135:6 (cf. Ps. 115:3; Eccl. 8:3; Isa. 46:8-10) controls water, Ps. 135:7 (see SPECIAL TOPIC: WATERS) delivered Israel from Egypt, Ps. 135:8-9 (cf. Ps. 136:10-15) protected Israel in the wandering period, Ps. 135:10-11 (cf. Ps. 136:16-22) His acts toward Israel chose them, Ps. 135:4 (see SPECIAL TOPIC: HE CHOSE US) judged them, Ps. 135:14 (1) for their sin (cf. Heb. 10:26-31) (2) or on their behalf against the nations (cf. Ps. 50:4) but will forgive (cf. Ps. 134:14b) This Psalm includes a strophe on the folly of idolatry (cf. Ps. 135:14-18). He and He alone is God (see SPECIAL TOPIC: MONOTHEISM). This strophe is similar to Ps. 115:4-8 (also note Exod. 20:23; Deut. 4:28; 29:17). Many/most of the phrasing of this Psalm is found in other Scripture texts. The date of the Psalm is uncertain (i.e., did it quote or was it quoted?).
Salmos 135:1-4
135:1c-2 These phrases refer to priests. See fuller note at Ps. 134:1. 135:1 "Praise" This is the Hebrew term "Hallelujah." Notice the name for Israel's Deity is the abbreviated YHWH—Yah (Ps. 135:1,3,4,21), which forms the end of praise (lit. Praise the Lord). ▣ "the name of the Lord" See SPECIAL TOPIC: "THE NAME" of YHWH. 135:4 "Israel for His own possession" Israel was YHWH's special choice (cf. Exod. 19:5-6; Deut. 7:6; 14:2; 26:18; Isa. 43:21; Mal. 3:17; 1 Pet. 2:9) to reveal Himself to the nations. SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH'S ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN
Salmos 135:5-7
135:5 "I know" See SPECIAL TOPIC: KNOW ▣ "Lord" See SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY, D. 135:5b "Lord" This is the Hebrew Adon, which means "master," "owner," "husband," or "Lord." SPECIAL TOPIC: LORD (Adon and Kurios) ▣ "our Lord is above all gods" YHWH is the only God (cf. Exod. 18:11; Ps. 95:3; 96:4; 97:9). This is where the exclusivisim of Israel is very obvious! She was the only monotheistic nation of the ANE. SPECIAL TOPIC: MONOTHEISM 135:6 "Whatever the Lord please, He does" This is a strong statement on the sovereignty and complete freedom of YHWH to control and act in His Creation. A good example would be Isa. 55:9-11. ▣ "In heaven and in earth, in the seas" This is typical language for creation (i.e., this planet, cf. Exod. 20:11; Neh. 9:6; Ps. 69:34; 96:11; 146:6; Hag. 2:6). SPECIAL TOPIC: HEAVEN ▣ "the seas. . .all deeps" These may be synonymous or the first of YHWH's control of (1) agricultural water (i.e., rain, dew in their season) and (2) water as a weapon (i.e., lightning, floods, plagues, etc.). The second may refer to the imagery of ANE mythology of YHWH defeating watery chaos (cf. Ps 65:5-7; 89:9-10; Job 26:12-13; Isa. 51:9-10). SPECIAL TOPIC: THE WATERS 135:7 "His treasuries" This Hebrew NOUN can mean "treasury" or "storehouse." The OT often uses the imagery of weather phenomena (i.e., hail, snow, wind, lightning, rain/flood) kept in heavenly storehouses to be used by YHWH, not Ba'al. Deut. 28:12 Job 38:22 Ps. 33:7 Jer. 10:13; 51:16 YHWH controls the forces of nature for His purposes (cf. Lev. 26:4-5,9,16,19,22,26; Deut. 27:3; 28:4-5,8,11,12,17-18,22,24,38-42).
Salmos 135:8-18
135:8 "He smote" This VERB (BDB 645, KB 697, Hiphil PERFECT) denotes a complete destruction sent and accomplished by God. Ps. 135:8 ‒ YHWH's promised deliverance from Egypt (cf. Gen. 15:12-15; Exod. 3:20; 7:25; 9:15; 12:13; Ps. 87:4; Isa. 30:7) Ps. 135:10 ‒ YHWH's defeat of the nations of Canaan (cf. Gen. 15:16-21) 135:9 "signs and wonders" See SPECIAL TOPIC: SIGNS 135:11 Lists of the nations YHWH defeated in the Exodus, Wilderness Wandering, and Conquest of Canaan follow. Amorites ‒ Num. 21:2126; Deut. 29:7; SPECIAL TOPIC: AMORITE Bashan ‒ Num. 21:33-35 Canaanite tribes ‒ SPECIAL TOPIC: PRE-ISRAELITE INHABITANTS OF PALESTINE 135:12 "He gave their land as a heritage" This is mentioned in YHWH's vision to Abraham in Gen. 15:12-21. 135:13 "Your name, O Lord" See SPECIAL TOPIC: "'THE NAME" OF YHWH ▣ "everlasting" See SPECIAL TOPIC: FOREVER ('olam). This may be a play on the root meaning of YHWH from the Hebrew VERB "to be." YHWH is the only living, ever living Being. All life comes from Him and is sustained by Him. SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY, D. ▣ "Your remembrance" NKJV, JPSOA "Your fame" NRSV, REB, LXX "Your renown" "Your memory" The Hebrew NOUN (BDB 271) means "remembrance" or "memorial." human's memory ‒ Prov. 10:7; Eccl. 9:5 Israel ‒ Hos.14:7 YHWH ‒ Exod. 3:15; Ps. 6:6; 30:4; 97:12; 102:12; Isa. 26:8; Hosea 12:5 135:14 For a good parallel passage, see Deuteronomy 32:36. 135:15-18 Those who make the idols and then worship them will be like them. cannot speak cannot see cannot hear cannot breathe They are lifeless imaginations of fallen, false human hearts and hands. Idols cannot help or know, so too, the worshipers (cf. Ps. 97:7; Isa. 42:17; 44:5-17; 45:16; 46:7; Jer. 10:2-16; Hab. 2:18)!
Salmos 135:19-21
135:19 This refers to all the tribes of Israel the special tribe of Levi, family of Aaron, YHWH's choice for His temple servants to come from In a sense, this tribe replaced the firstborn children of all the tribes as YHWH's servants (cf. Exodus 13). 135:20 "house of Levi" Not all Levites were priests but all priests were of the tribe of Levi. Some Levites served in the temple (see note at Ps. 134:1) served locally as teachers of the Law of Moses SPECIAL TOPIC: LEVITICAL PRIESTS ▣ "revere the Lord" See SPECIAL TOPIC: FEAR and SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY, D. 135:21 "Zion" See SPECIAL TOPIC: MORIAH, JEBUS, SALEM, JERUSALEM, ZION. ▣ "Who dwells in Jerusalem" See note at Ps. 132:14.