Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 135:21
Blessed be the LORD out of Zion, which dwelleth at Jerusalem. Praise ye the LORD.
21. Blessed be Jehovah out of Zion ] This final adoration corresponds to the prayer with which Psalms 134 concludes. From Zion, which is His earthly dwelling-place, Jehovah’s blessing goes forth upon His people: from Zion where they meet to worship, must ring out His people’s answer of adoring praise.
Praise ye the Lord ] Hallelujah; omitted by the LXX.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Psa 135:21
Blessed be the Lord out of Zion.
Thankfulness
I. The psalmists expressions of thankfulness.
1. We are taught by the whole of this psalm that these expressions spring from a grateful memory. Everywhere around him he beholds some memorial of the Divine goodness, some landmark of the ancient inheritance of his fathers, some footprint of the Divine mercy and power, which has lingered on from generation to generation, through calms and storms, judgments and blessings. And surely we also can recall the past, with its evidences of Gods love and pity.
2. The expressions of thankfulness, observe, are specially appropriate to the Church in her present state of trial. It is out of Zion the voice of blessing is to go up to heaven. It is in our gatherings on the Sabbath that the heart is to give free scope to its grateful memories and feelings. The Church of God is still in the wilderness; but though in the wilderness, battling with wrong, and with the visible and invisible enemies of her path, still she is able to raise the anthem–Blessed be the Lord out of Zion, which dwelleth at Jerusalem.
II. The reasonableness of this thankfulness.
1. This might be urged from the Divine Presence of the Lord, which dwelleth at Jerusalem. It was the fact of this recognized Presence, this Shield, this Refuge, this Strength, which gave the deep, full impulse to the thankfulness of the Jewish heart; so should it act with us. There is no comfort so great and so lasting to a right-minded Christian man as the consciousness of the Almighty Presence.
2. The reasonableness of thanksgiving arises, too, not only from a sense of duty, and of manifold blessings bestowed from day to day, but also from the gracious truth that Gods dwelling is to be found on earth; that He has not deserted it, nor given it over to destruction. And the fact that this meaning is conveyed to us by the naming of Jerusalem is very certain. Thus we are not directed to look for the Divine Presence out of our own spheres of existence, far away beyond the limits of our comprehension, but to look for it at our very doors, even within our own hearts. Is not this a cause of thankfulness?
3. In the fact of Gods dwelling at Jerusalem we find another reason for thankfulness in the form of His dwelling, namely, the symbol of the Shekinah, the visible glory between the wings of the cherubim overshadowing the mercy-seat. Thus, in the presence of Christ, our God and Saviour, we have a protection, a shelter, and a security against danger. (W. D. Horwood.)
.
Psa 136:1-26
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 21. Blessed be the Lord out of Zion] Who has once more restored our temple and city, and now condescends to dwell with us in Jerusalem.
ANALYSIS OF THE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FIFTH PSALM
In this Psalm the prophet invites the servants of God, and especially his ministers, to praise God, Ps 135:1-2, from arguments drawn,
I. From his goodness, particularly in choosing Israel, Ps 135:3-4.
II. From the greatness and power showed in his works, Ps 135:5-8.
III. From his justice showed to the enemies of Israel, Ps 135:1-13.
IV. From his loving-kindness extended and promised still to his servants, Ps 135:13-14.
V. Having derided the vanity of idols, Ps 135:15-19, he returns to his exhortation calling upon them to bless God, Ps 135:19-21.
I. He calls upon the ministers of religion especially to attend the recitation of Divine praises:-
1. “Praise ye the Lord,” c.
2. “Ye that stand.”
And now, repeating his words again, he produces his reason of inducement: –
1. Because the Lord is worthy of praise: “For he is good,” &c. Not comparatively, but absolutely good.
2. “Sing praises unto his name,” &c. Because it is no painful duty, but pleasant.
3. Praise him for his love to Israel for this you owe him gratitude: “For the Lord hath chosen Jacob,” c. 2. “And Israel for his peculiar treasure.”
II. The next argument he uses is drawn from his greatness.
1. From his empire and universal dominion in heaven and earth: “Whatsoever the Lord pleased,” &c. Nothing is impossible to him: but he does all from his free will, not from any necessity.
2. “He doth all things,” &c. In all places heaven, earth, seas, and hell.
And these last words the prophet amplifies, –
1. In the earth. Causing the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth, from all parts, which are endued with several qualities.
2. In the air. “He maketh lightning for rain.”
3. In the water. “For he bringeth the winds out of his treasuries.” Nothing is more obscure than the generation of the winds.
III. The fourth argument the prophet uses to persuade men to praise God, is from the vengeance he executes on the enemies of his people.
1. Upon the Egyptians. “Who smote the firstborn of Egypt,” &c.
2. “Who sent tokens and wonders,” &c. “And he smote great nations,” &c.
IV. To the commemoration of the justice God exercised upon their enemies, the prophet exhorts them to extol God.
1. “Thy name, O Lord,” &c.
2. “And thy memorial,” &c.
And the reason is drawn from his mercy.
1. “For the Lord will judge his people.” Judge their cause, and deliver them.
2. “And he will repent himself,” &c. If they repent, and turn to him.
The prophet, having proved that God is great in himself, now proves that he is above all gods, which are but vanity.
1. From their composition: “Silver and gold.”
2. From their makers: “The work of men’s hands.”
3. From their impotency: “They have mouths,” &c.
4. From the nature of their worshippers : “They that make them,” &c.
Lastly, he invites all true worshippers of God to praise him, because they are lively images of the living God, from whom all their faculties have proceeded. To this he invites –
1. All Israel: “Bless the Lord, O house of Israel.”
2. The priests: “Bless the Lord, O house of Aaron.”
3. The Levites: “Bless the Lord, O house of Levi.”
4. Lastly, all the laity: “Ye that fear the Lord bless the Lord.”
To which he adds his own note, concluding –
1. “Blessed be the Lord out of Zion.” Where he shows his presence by the ark.
2. “Which dwelleth at Jerusalem.” Who, though in essence he is every where, yet more especially manifests his presence in his Church by his indwelling Spirit.
Therefore, let all the people bless the Lord for his great mercy: but let the citizens of Zion and Jerusalem never cease to praise him.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Blessed be the Lord out of Zion; by the assemblies of his people in Zion or Jerusalem.
Which dwelleth at Jerusalem: this clause may be added either to distinguish the true God from the gods which were worshipped in other places and countries; or as a reason why they should bless God, because he had blessed and honoured that place with his gracious and glorious presence.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
21. out of Zion(ComparePsa 110:2; Psa 134:3).From the Church, as a center, His praise is diffused throughout theearth.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Blessed be the Lord out of Zion,…. This, according to Aben Ezra, was the formula of blessing to be used by the houses of Israel, Aaron, and Levi, and all that feared God; or a direction to them in what manner they should bless him; and may both point out the persons that were to bless, and the place where; those that were inhabitants of Zion, where praise waited for the Lord, and was his due; and the blessings and benefits he was to be praised for, such as came out of Zion, strength from the Lord there, the rod of his strength, the word of the Gospel, and the Saviour himself;
which dwelleth at Jerusalem; in the temple there; and which distinguishes him from the idols of the Heathens before mentioned; and who dwells in the heavenly Jerusalem, in Gospel churches; and will dwell in the New Jerusalem, where his tabernacle will be with men,
Re 21:3;
praise ye the Lord; or “hallelujah”; and so the psalm ends as it begun, being from first to last an exhortation to praise.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(21) Out of Zion.As in Psa. 128:5, Jehovah blesses the covenant people out of Zion, so here they bless him out of Zionthat is the place where the reciprocal relation is best and chiefly realised. This localisation is made more emphatic by the addition of the name Jerusalem to Zion. (Comp. Psa. 76:2; Psa. 125:1-2.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
21. Same as Psa 134:3, which see.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 135:21. Blessed be the Lord out of Zion, &c. Blessed be the Lord in Zion. Green. The Lord of Zion. Mudge.
REFLECTIONS.1st, This psalm is full of praise: and, that the servants of God may never want matter for their songs, the Psalmist suggests,
1. His great goodness. He is good to all his creatures, especially to all true believers, who are peculiarly bound to praise him for the riches of his grace manifested to their souls.
2. The delightfulness of the service. It is pleasant: no pleasure indeed can equal a sense of the Divine love, warm upon the soul, and bursting forth in grateful acknowledgments to him who hath shed it abroad in our hearts.
3. The distinguishing privileges of God’s Israel, and the obligations thence arising. For the Lord hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure. God’s believing people are those in whom he delights, as men do in their treasuries; most bounden therefore are they in love and duty to adore him for his mercy.
2nd, The greatness, as well as the goodness of God, opens a large field for his people’s praises: this is here insisted upon,
1. In general. I know that he is great in his adorable perfections, and all the wonders of his power, manifested in the works of creation and providence; yea, there is neither measure nor end of his greatness, it surpasses all created understanding; our Lord is above all gods; whether the idols of the heathen, the kings of the earth, or the mighty angels, none can compare with him; they are less than nothing and vanity before him; his power is universal, what he wills he doth in heaven or earth, without controul.
2. In particular instances, [1.] The rain, lightning, and winds, own his government. By his established order in the course of nature, the heat of the sun causes the exhalations to ascend and float in clouds; according to their different natures, these kindle in the air and flash in lightning; and those, becoming too ponderous, fall in drops of rain: out of his treasuries the winds issue, commanded by him when and where to blow, from what point, how long, how violently; all are his creatures, and wait and obey his orders. [2.] His people saw his greatness marvellously manifested to them in the plagues of Egypt, the death of the first-born, the ruin of Pharaoh, the defeat of the Amorites, their conquest of Canaan, and their peaceable possession of that good land. Note; Greater conquests, and a nobler possession, are ensured to God’s spiritual and faithful Israel, and therefore they are bound to praise their mighty Lord and Saviour.
3. God’s faithful people will feel the everlasting effects of his goodness and greatness: he is for ever the same: to latest ages the faithful shall prove his power and his love, the memorial of which will be transmitted from one generation to another, and confirmed still by the experience of the preceding. For the Lord will judge his people, rule over them, preserve, protect them, plead their cause against their enemies, and at the last day crown his faithful ones with glory; and will repent himself concerning his servants; if he chastises them for a while, he will on their sincere return change his method of procedure with them, and turn their mourning into joy; or, he will be intreated for his servants, being gracious to hear and grant their prayer; or, he will comfort himself concerning his servants, delighting in their prosperity, and watching over them for good: and happy the people who are in such a case!
3rdly, The Psalmist,
1. Pours contempt on the vanities of the heathen, and on their worshippers: their idols, though made of the most precious metals, were the creatures of their own hands, senseless, and unable to hear or answer the prayers of their stupid votaries, who trusted in them, and thereby proved themselves as void of understanding as the stock they adored.
2. He encourages the house of Israel to praise and trust in their God, the only living and true God, who deserved their highest thanksgivings, and was able to save them to the uttermost: the people in general, the ministers of the sanctuary in particular, and all that fear the Lord, Jews and proselytes, assembled in Zion, must join to bless his name, so good, so great; and render him that tribute which they so deeply owed. Note; The greatness and goodness of our God will be the everlasting song of the faithful, and eternity shall never be able to exhaust the subject.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
REFLECTIONS
How suitable is it for a peculiar people to be distinguished by peculiar tokens of deportment! Israel so distinguished, might well show forth the praises of the Lord, who had so distinguished them. Never was a nation so favored: never a people so blessed. My soul! what hast thou to speak concerning distinguishing mercies? It is blessed to acknowledge the Lord’s goodness in giving us fruitful seasons, and filling our hearts with food and gladness. But these are blessings in common with thousands who know not the Lord, nor regard the gospel of Jesus. The great question is, what knowest thou of redeeming love?, What thinkest thou of God’s Christ, and of redemption by his blood? Oh! the grace of being called with a holy calling, of being taken into Christ’s household, and made a child of God, and an heir of grace! Reader! may the Lord graciously lead us both to mark the tokens of distinguishing mercy; and to see and feel, and truly enjoy that happy state, where Jesus makes himself known, and manifests himself otherwise than he doth to the world!
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 135:21 Blessed be the LORD out of Zion, which dwelleth at Jerusalem. Praise ye the LORD.
Ver. 21. Blessed be the Lord out of Zion ] Therehence he blesseth, Psa 134:3 , and there he is to be blessed.
Which dwelleth at Jerusalem
Enter, prmsenter, Deus hic et ubique potenter.
out of Zion. Shows that this Psalm is an expansion of Psalm 134.
dwelleth. Figure of Speech Anthropopatheia. App-6.
out of Zion: Psa 76:2, Psa 134:3, 2Ch 6:6
which dwelleth: Psa 48:1, Psa 48:9, Psa 132:13, Psa 132:14, Isa 12:6
Reciprocal: Num 35:34 – I dwell 1Ch 23:25 – that they may dwell in Jerusalem Ezr 7:15 – whose habitation Jer 8:19 – the Lord
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge