PSA 135

Psalm 135:21

WEB

Blessed be Yahweh from Zion, who dwells in Jerusalem. Praise Yah!

BSB

Blessed be the LORD from Zion— He who dwells in Jerusalem. Hallelujah!

KJV

Blessed be the LORD out of Zion, which dwelleth at Jerusalem. Praise ye the LORD.

Matthew Henry

Verses 15–21

Psalms 135:15–21

The design of these verses is,

I. To arm the people of God against idolatry and all false worship, by showing what sort of gods they were that the heathen worshipped, as we had it before, Psa 115:4, etc. 1. They were gods of their own making; being so, they could have no power but what their makers gave them, and then what power could their makers receive from them? The images were the work of men's hands, and the deities that were supposed to inform them were as much the creatures of men's fancy and imagination. 2. They had the shape of animals, but could not perform the least act, no, not of the animal life. They could neither see, nor hear, nor speak, nor so much as breathe; and therefore to make them with eyes, and ears, and mouths, and nostrils, was such a jest that one would wonder how reasonable creatures could suffer themselves to be so imposed upon as to expect any good from such mock-deities. 3. Their worshippers were therefore as stupid and senseless as they were, both those that made them to be worshipped and those that trusted in them when they were made, Psa 135:18. The worshipping of such gods as were the objects of sense, and senseless, made the worshippers sensual and senseless. Let our worshipping a God that is a Spirit make us spiritual and wise.

II. To stir up the people of God to true devotion in the worship of the true God, Psa 135:19-21. The more deplorable the condition of the Gentile nations that worship idols is the more are we bound to thank God that we know better. Therefore, 1. Let us set ourselves about the acts of devotion, and employ ourselves in them: Bless the Lord, and again and again, bless the Lord. In the parallel place (Psa 115:9-11), by way of inference from the impotency of idols, the duty thus pressed upon us is to trust in the Lord; here to bless him; by putting our trust in God we give glory to him, and those that depend upon God shall not want matter of thanksgiving to him. All persons that knew God are here called to praise him - the house of Israel (the nation in general), the house of Aaron and the house of Levi (the Lord's ministers that attended in his sanctuary), and all others that feared the Lord, though they were not of the house of Israel. 2. Let God have the glory of all: Blessed be the Lord. The tribute of praise arises out of Zion. All God's works do praise him, but his saints bless him; and they need not go far to pay their tribute, for he dwells in Jerusalem, in his church, which they are members of, so that he is always nigh unto them to receive their homage. The condescensions of his grace, in dwelling with men upon the earth, call for our grateful and thankful returns, and our repeated Hallelujahs.

Cross-references: Ps 115:4 · Ps 135:18 · Ps 135:19 · Ps 115:9

Hebrew interlinear

H1288

בָּרַךְbârak/baw-rak'/

v — kneel, bless, curse

Derivation: a primitive root;

to kneel; by implication to bless God (as an act of adoration), and (vice-versa) man (as a benefit); also (by euphemism) to curse (God or the king, as treason)

KJV: × abundantly, × altogether, × at all, blaspheme, bless, congratulate, curse, × greatly, × indeed, kneel (down), praise, salute, × still, thank.

בָּרַךְ

vb — kneel

[בָּרַךְ] 329 vb. kneel, bless

Qal

1. kneel down

2. bless

Niph. bless oneself

Pi.

1. bless God, adore with bended knees

2. God blesses

3. men bless men

4. salute, greet, with an invocation of blessing

5. bless, with the antithetical meaning curse from the greeting in departing, saying adieu to, taking leave of; but rather a blessing overdone and so really a curse as in vulgar English as well as in the Shemitic cognates

Pu.

1. pass. to be blessed, adored

2. prospered by God

3. have prosperity invoked, by Balaam

4. in gratitude

Hiph. and he made his camel kneel

Hithp. bless oneself, congratulate oneself in his heart

H3068

יְהֹוָהYᵉhôvâh/yeh-ho-vaw'/

n-pr — Existent, Jeho-vah

Derivation: from 1961;

(the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jeho-vah, Jewish national name of God

KJV: Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.

יהוה

n.pr.dei — God

יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)

I. יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb

II.

1. יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D

2. the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy

3. יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh

H6726

צִיּוֹןTsîyôwn/tsee-yone'/

n-pr-loc — Tsijon, capital

Derivation: the same (regularly) as 6725;

Tsijon (as a permanent capital), a mountain of Jerusalem

KJV: Zion.

צִיּוֹן

n.pr.loc — Zion

צִיּוֹן 154 n.pr.loc. Ṣiyyôn, Zion

H7931

שָׁכַןshâkan/shaw-kan'/

v — reside, permanently stay

Derivation: a primitive root (apparently akin (by transmission) to 7901 through the idea of lodging; compare 5531, 7925);

to reside or permanently stay (literally or figuratively)

KJV: abide, continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-er), have habitation, inhabit, lay, place, (cause to) remain, rest, set (up).

שָׁכַן

vb — settle down

שָׁכַן, שָׁכֵ֑ן 129 vb. settle down, abide, dwell

Qal

1. settle down to abide

2. abide, dwell

Pi.

1. make settle down, establish

2. make to dwell

Hiph.

1.

a. lay

b. cause birds to settle

2. cause to dwell

H3389

יְרוּשָׁלִַ͏םYᵉrûwshâlaim/yer-oo-shaw-lah'-im/

n-pr-loc — Jerushalaim, Jerushalem

Derivation: rarely יְרוּשָׁלַיִם; a dual (in allusion to its two main hills (the true pointing, at least of the former reading, seems to be that of 3390)); probably from (the passive participle of) 3384 and 7999; founded peaceful;

Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine

KJV: Jerusalem.

יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫͏ם

n.pr.loc — Jerusalem

יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫͏ם, יְרוּשָׁלַ֫יִם 644 n.pr.loc. Jerusalem

H1984

הָלַלhâlal/haw-lal'/

v — be clear, shine, to make a show, boast, be, foolish, to rave, celebrate, stultify

Derivation: a primitive root;

to be clear (orig. of sound, but usually of color); to shine; hence, to make a show, to boast; and thus to be (clamorously) foolish; to rave; causatively, to celebrate; also to stultify

KJV: (make) boast (self), celebrate, commend, (deal, make), fool(-ish, -ly), glory, give (light), be (make, feign self) mad (against), give in marriage, (sing, be worthy of) praise, rage, renowned, shine.

הָלַל

vb — shine

[הָלַל] vb. shine

Qal when it, viz. his lamp, shone upon my head, fig. of God’s favour.

Hiph. flash forth light

הָלַל

vb — be boastful

[הָלַל] vb. be boastful, Pi. praise

Qal be boastful

Pi.

1. praise man or woman

2. usually praise י׳

3. appar. boast, make one’s boast

Pu. be praised

Hithpa. glory, boast, make one’s boast

Po‛el make into a fool, make a fool of

Po‛al of laughter I said, It is mad (folly)

Hithpo. act madly, or like a madman

H3050

יָהּYâhh/yaw/

n-pr — Jah

Derivation: contraction for 3068, and meaning the same;

Jah, the sacred name

KJV: Jah, the Lord, most vehement. Compare names in '-iah,' '-jah.'

יָהּ

n.pr.dei — Jah

יָהּ 60 n.pr.dei contr. fr. יהוה, first appears in early poems

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