Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 135:5
For I know that the LORD [is] great, and [that] our Lord [is] above all gods.
5. For I know ] A further reason for praising Jehovah. I is emphatic. Though the nations are ignorant of it, Israel in whose name the Psalmist speaks, knows the supreme greatness of Jehovah.
above all gods ] It is clear from Psa 135:15 ff. that the Psalmist does not intend by this comparison to imply that the gods of the heathen have any real existence.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
5 7. Jehovah’s greatness and sovereignty exhibited in Nature.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
For I know – I, as the representative of Israel, and speaking in the, name of the people. This is said as the foundation or the reason for praise. It was the thorough conviction of the psalmist that God was great above all who were claimed to be gods, and that he only was worthy of worship.
That the Lord is great – See the notes at Psa 95:3.
And that our Lord is above all gods – All that are worshipped as gods.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 135:5
I know that the Lord is great.
A great God
Right views of God lie at the foundation of all right religion. If our views of God are spiritual, scriptural–if they have a sanctifying tendency in our souls–we are right in other things. If we are wrong in this, we are wrong in all things: like the error in the proof-sheet, all goes through wrong. If we are right here, we are at the foundation of all that is right.
I. The greatness of God. God is great. If I look at Him in His being, He is great; if I look at Him in His perfections, He is great; if I look at Him in creation, He is great; if I look at Him in His providence, He is great; if I look at Him in His law, He is great; and still more gloriously does He appear great in the greatness of His Gospel.
II. The certainty which David seemed to feel of this being the truth. I know it, he says. There was a special inspiration, I doubt not; but he was led into the school of holy experience; he knew that God was great; and so does every child of God. He knows that He is great in His regenerating grace. Equally great is the work of revealing Christ. He has given you His Son, He has given you His Spirit, He has given you Himself, He has given you His Word, He has given you His promises, He has given you the foretastes of heaven; and He expects from you the very best that you have, to be given up to Him to be His own, because He is a great God. (J. H. Evans, M. A.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 5. The Lord is great] Unlimited in his power: another reason.
Is above all gods.] Every class of being, whether idolized or not; because he is the Fountain of existence. This is a fifth reason.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Above all that are called
gods, or worshipped as gods by the heathen people. And therefore seeing they commonly praise and extol their idols, it becometh you not to be silent as to the praises of your God.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
For I know that the Lord [is] great,…. Jehovah the Father is great in his perfections; in his power, wisdom, faithfulness, grace, and goodness; and in his works of creation, providence, and grace: and so is Jehovah the Son, who seems chiefly designed, who is called “our Lord” or “Adon” in the next clause; he is great, having the same perfections his Father has; and doing the same works, besides the miracles he wrought here on earth, and the great work of our redemption: he is the great God and our Saviour, and a great Saviour he is; and indeed he is great in all his offices of Prophet, Priest, and King: and so is the blessed Spirit, who is equal to the Father and Son, and greater than he that is in the world. Now all this the psalmist could say from his own knowledge; he knew the Lord was great, from the consideration and meditation of his wondrous works; he knew the greatness of Christ, from the revelation made to him of his person, offices, and grace; he knew the greatness of the divine Spirit, from the inward experience of his upon his heart, as well as from his being divinely inspired by him; and because of this greatness of the Lord, as well as his goodness, he is to be praised; it is mentioned as a reason of it;
and [that] our Lord [is] above all gods; the Lord our righteousness; Immanuel, God with us: our Lord, not only by right of creation, but of redemption; he is above all that the Heathens called gods, even the greatest of them; not the idols their hands made only, but the heavens and all the host of them, the sun, moon, and stars; his glory is above them, being the Maker of them, as God; and he is made higher than they, as man and Mediator: he is above civil magistrates, princes, and kings of the earth, called gods, Ps 82:5; he is King of kings, and Lord of lords, he is higher than they; by him they reign, and to him they are accountable; and he is above the angels, sometimes called “Elohim”, or gods, Ps 8:5; he has a more excellent name and nature than they; he is the Creator of them, the object of their worship, to whom they minister, whose servants they are; and he is now exalted above them in the human nature, at the right hand of God; see Heb 1:4.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The praise itself now begins. in Psa 135:4 set forth the ground of the pleasant duty, and the that begins this strophe confirms that which warrants the summons out of the riches of the material existing for such a hymn of praise. Worthy is He to be praised, for Israel knows full well that He who hath chosen it is the God of gods. The beginning is taken from Psa 115:3, and Psa 135:7 from Jer 10:13 (Psa 51:16). Heaven, earth, and water are the three kingdoms of created things, as in Exo 20:4. signifies that which is lifted up, ascended; here, as in Jeremiah, a cloud. The meaning of is not: He makes lightnings into rain, i.e., resolves them as it were into rain, which is unnatural; but either according to Zec 10:1: He produces lightnings in behalf of rain, in order that the rain may pour down in consequence of the thunder and lightning, or poetically: He makes lightnings for the rain, so that the rain is announced (Apollinaris) and accompanied by them. Instead of (cf. Psa 78:16; Psa 105:43), which does not admit of the retreating of the tone, the expression is , the ground-form of the part. Hiph. for plurals like , , , perhaps not without being influenced by the in Jeremiah, for it is not from that signifies “producing,” but = . The metaphor of the treasuries is like Job 38:22. What is intended is the fulness of divine power, in which lie the grounds of the origin and the impulses of all things in nature.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
| Majesty and Goodness of God. | |
5 For I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods. 6 Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places. 7 He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain; he bringeth the wind out of his treasuries. 8 Who smote the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and beast. 9 Who sent tokens and wonders into the midst of thee, O Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his servants. 10 Who smote great nations, and slew mighty kings; 11 Sihon king of the Amorites, and Og king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan: 12 And gave their land for a heritage, a heritage unto Israel his people. 13 Thy name, O LORD, endureth for ever; and thy memorial, O LORD, throughout all generations. 14 For the LORD will judge his people, and he will repent himself concerning his servants.
The psalmist had suggested to us the goodness of God, as the proper matter of our cheerful praises; here he suggests to us the greatness of God as the proper matter of our awful praises; and on this he is most copious, because this we are less forward to consider.
I. He asserts the doctrine of God’s greatness (v. 5): The Lord is great, great indeed, who knows no limits of time or place. He asserts it with assurance, “I know that he is so; know it not only by observation of the proofs of it, but by belief of the revelation of it. I know it; I am sure of it; I know it by my own experience of the divine greatness working on my soul.” He asserts it with a holy defiance of all pretenders, though they should join in confederacy against him. He is not only above any god, but above all gods, infinitely above them, between him and them there is no comparison.
II. He proves him to be a great God by the greatness of his power, v. 6. 1. He has an absolute power, and may do what he will: Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he, and none could control him, or say unto him, What doest thou? He does what he pleases, because he pleases, and gives not an account of any of his matters. 2. He has an almighty power and can do what he will; if he will work, none shall hinder. 3. This absolute almighty power is of universal extent; he does what he will in heaven, in earth, in the seas, and in all the deep places that are in the bottom of the sea or the bowels of the earth. The gods of the heathen can do nothing; but our God can do any thing and does do every thing.
III. He gives instances of his great power,
1. In the kingdom of nature, v. 7. All the powers of nature prove the greatness of the God of nature, from whom they are derived and on whom they depend. The chain of natural causes was not only framed by him at first, but is still preserved by him. (1.) It is by his power that exhalations are drawn up from the terraqueous globe. The heat of the sun raises them, but it has that power from God, and therefore it is given as an instance of the glory of God that nothing is hidden from the heat of the sun, Ps. xix. 6. He causes the vapours to ascend (not only unhelped, but unseen, by us) from the earth, from the ends of the earth, that is, from the seas, by which the earth is surrounded. (2.) It is he who, out of those vapours so raised, forms the rain, so that the earth is no loser by the vapours it sends up, for they are returned with advantage in fruitful showers. (3.) Out of the same vapours (such is his wonderful power) he makes lightnings or the rain; by them he opens the bottles of heaven, and shakes the clouds, that they may water the earth. Here are fire and water thoroughly reconciled by divine omnipotence. They come together, and yet the water does not quench the fire, nor the fire lick up the water, as fire from heaven did when God pleased, 1 Kings xviii. 38. (4.) The same exhalations, to serve another purpose, are converted into winds, which blow where they list, from what point of the compass they will, and we are so far from directing them that we cannot tell whence they come nor whither they go, but God brings them out of his treasuries with as much exactness and design as a prudent prince orders money to issue out of his exchequer.
2. In the kingdoms of men; and here he mentions the great things God had formerly done for his people Israel, which were proofs of God’s greatness as well as of his goodness, and confirmations of the truth of the scriptures of the Old Testament, which began to be written by Moses, the person employed in working those miracles. Observe God’s sovereign dominion and irresistible power, (1.) In bringing Israel out of Egypt, humbling Pharaoh by many plagues, and so forcing him to let them go. These plagues are called tokens and wonders, because they came not in the common course of providence, but there was something miraculous in each of them. They were sent upon Pharaoh and all his servants, his subjects; but the Israelites, whom God claimed for his servants, his son, his first-born, his free-born, were exempted from them, and no plague came nigh their dwelling. The death of the first-born both of men and cattle was the heaviest of all the plagues, and that which gained the point. (2.) In destroying the kingdoms of Canaan before them, v. 10. Those that were in possession of the land designed for Israel had all possible advantages for keeping possession. The people were numerous, and warlike, and confederate against Israel. They were great nations. Yet, if a great nation has a meek and mean-spirited prince, it lies exposed; but these great nations had mighty kings, and yet they were all smitten and slain–Sihon and Og, and all the kingdoms of Canaan,Psa 135:10; Psa 135:11. No power of hell or earth can prevent the accomplishment of the promise of God when the time, the set time, for it has come. (3.) In settling them in the land of promise. He that gives kingdoms to whomsoever he pleases gave Canaan to be a heritage to Israel his people. It came to them by inheritance, for their ancestors had the promise of it, though not the possession; and it descended as an inheritance to their seed. This was done long before, yet God is now praised for it; and with good reason, for the children were now enjoying the benefit of it.
IV. He triumphs in the perpetuity of God’s glory and grace. 1. Of his glory (v. 13): Thy name, O God! endures for ever. God’s manifestations of himself to his people have everlasting fruits and consequences. What God doeth it shall be for ever, Eccl. iii. 14. His name endures for ever in the constant and everlasting praises of his people; his memorial endures, has endured hitherto, and shall still endure throughout all generations of the church. This seems to refer to Exod. iii. 15, where, when God had called himself the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, he adds, This is my name for ever and this is my memorial unto all generations. God is, and will be, always the same to his church, a gracious, faithful, wonder-working God; and his church is, and will be, the same to him, a thankful praising people; and thus his name endures for ever. 2. Of his grace. He will be kind to his people. (1.) He will plead their cause against others that contend with them. He will judge his people, that is, he will judge for them, and will not suffer them to be run down. (2.) He will not himself contend for ever with them, but will repent himself concerning his servants, and not proceed in his controversy with them; he will be entreated for them, or he will be comforted concerning them; he will return in ways of mercy to them and will delight to do them good. Psa 135:14; Deu 32:36 is taken from the song of Moses, Deut. xxxii. 36.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
5. For I know that Jehovah is great We have here a general description of the power of God, to show the Israelites that the God they worshipped was the same who made the world, and rules over all according to his will, neither is there any other besides him. He would not exclude others when he speaks of having known himself the greatness of God, but is rather to be considered as taking occasion from his own experience to stir up men generally to attend to this subject, and awake to the recognition of what lies abundantly open to observation. The immensity of God is what none can comprehend; still his glory, so far as was seen fit, has been sufficiently manifested to leave all the world without excuse for ignorance. How can one who has enjoyed a sight of the heavens and of the earth shut his eyes so as to overlook the Author of them without sin of the deepest dye? It is with the view, then, of stirring us up more effectually, — that the Psalmist makes reference to himself in inviting us to the knowledge of God’s glory; or rather he reprehends our carelessness in not being alive enough to the consideration of it. The second part of the verse makes the truth of the observation which I have already stated still more apparent, — that the Psalmist’s design was to retain the Israelites in the service and fear of the one true God, by a declaration to the effect that the God who covenanted with their Fathers was the same who created heaven and earth, No sooner had he made mention of Jehovah than he adds his being the God of Israel. It follows as a necessary consequence, that all who depart from this God prefer a god who has no claim to the title, and that Jews and Turks, for example, in our own day, are guilty of mere trifling when they pretend to worship God the Creator of the world. Where persons have diverged from the law and from the gospel, any show of piety they may have amounts to a renunciation of the true God. The Psalmist had, therefore, in his eye when he clothed God with a specific title,, to limit the Israelites to that.God who was set forth in the doctrine of the Law. If by אלהים, Elohim, we understand the false gods of the Gentiles — the title is given them only by concession, for it could not be properly assigned to what are mere lying’ vanities; and the meaning is, that God’s greatness altogether eclipses any pretended deity. But the expression would seem to include the angels, as has been already observed, in whom there is some reflection of divinity, as being heavenly principalities and powers, but who are exalted by God, and assigned such a subordinate place as may not interfere with his glory. (160)
(160) “ Tellement qu’il les embrasse et range en leur ordre, afin que sa grandeur ne soit nullement obscurcie par eux.” — Fr.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(5, 6) Adapted from Psa. 115:3.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
5. For I know that the Lord is great The word “great,” means absolutely supreme, as Psa 135:6 and the whole following argument show. This is advanced as the ground and reason of all praise and adoration. The confident knowledge of this greatness is the language of experience, and is sustained by what follows.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 135:5. Above all gods That is, “Infinitely superior to all those imagined deities which other nations worship as their gods.” Mudge renders the first clause, yes, I myself have experienced that the Lord, &c. and he observes, that ani, seems to have an emphasis, to shew that the author had experienced the divine power, perhaps in arming or controuling the elements in his favour.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
The Psalmist here praises the Lord in the contemplation of the blessings of his providence, whose power is absolute, and admits of no control.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 135:5 For I know that the LORD [is] great, and [that] our Lord [is] above all gods.
Ver. 5. For I know that the Lord is great ] As well as good, Psa 135:3 . This I believe and know, Joh 6:69 saith the psalmist; and do therefore make it my practice to praise him.
And that our Lord is above all gods
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Psa 135:5-7
5For I know that the Lord is great
And that our Lord is above all gods.
6Whatever the Lord pleases, He does,
In heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps.
7He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth;
Who makes lightnings for the rain,
Who brings forth the wind from His treasuries.
Psa 135:5 I know See Special Topic: Know.
Lord This is the Hebrew Adon, which means master, owner, husband, or Lord. See Special Topic: Names for Deity.
our Lord is above all gods YHWH is the only God (cf. Exo 18:11; Psa 95:3; Psa 96:4; Psa 97:9, see Special Topic: Monotheism). This is where the exclusivisim of Israel is very obvious! She was the only monotheistic nation of the ANE.
Psa 135:6 In heaven and in earth, in the seas This is typical language for creation (i.e., this planet, cf. Exo 20:11; Neh 9:6; Psa 69:34; Psa 96:11; Psa 146:6; Hag 2:6). See SPECIAL TOPIC: HEAVEN .
the seas. . .all deeps These may be synonymous or the first of YHWH’s control of (1) agricultural water 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. Psa 65:5-7; Psa 89:9-10; Job 26:12-13; Isa 51:9-10).
Psa 137:7 His treasures 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.
1. Deu 28:12
2. Job 38:22
3. Psa 33:7
4. Jer 10:13; Jer 51:16
YHWH controls the forces of nature for His purposes (cf. Lev 26:4-5; Lev 26:9; Lev 26:16; Lev 26:19; Lev 26:22; Lev 26:26; Deu 27:3; Deu 28:4-5; Deu 28:8; Deu 28:11-12; Deu 28:17-18; Deu 28:22; Deu 28:24; Deu 28:38-42).
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
our LORD = Adonim. App-4.
gods. Hebrew. ‘elohim. App-4. Used here of earthly rulers (Psa 82:6), as representing God. See note on Exo 22:9, and compare Rom 13:1-7.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Psa 135:5
Psa 135:5
III.
“For I know that Jehovah is great,
And that our Lord is above all gods.”
The eternal and almighty God, omnipotent, ubiquitous and omniscient is surely entitled to praise and adoration on the part of men. All nature sings the glory of God, why shouldn’t I?
“Above all gods.” This is not a reference to idols, but to earthly rulers, as in Psalms 82. (See chapter introduction there). Idols are mentioned in Psa 135:15-18, but not in this passage. The meaning of this phrase is, “Above all that is worshipped as gods.
E.M. Zerr:
Psa 135:5. See the comments at Psa 86:12 for the technical meaning of Lord. The gods mentioned in this verse mean the idolatrous objects of worship that were honored by the heathen nations in their religious practices.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
I know: Psa 48:1, Psa 86:8-10, Psa 89:6, Psa 95:3, Psa 96:4, Psa 96:5, Psa 97:9, Deu 10:17, Isa 40:22, Isa 40:25, Jer 10:10, Jer 10:11, Dan 3:29, Dan 6:26, Dan 6:27
Reciprocal: Exo 18:11 – the Lord 2Sa 7:22 – Wherefore 2Ch 2:5 – great is our God Psa 59:13 – and let Psa 147:5 – Great Isa 36:18 – Hath Dan 2:45 – the great