PSA 135

Psalm 135:3

WEB

Praise Yah, for Yahweh is good. Sing praises to his name, for that is pleasant.

BSB

Hallelujah, for the LORD is good; sing praises to His name, for it is lovely.

KJV

Praise the LORD; for the LORD is good: sing praises unto his name; for it is pleasant.

Matthew Henry

Verses 1–4

Psalms 135:1–4

Here is, 1. The duty we are called to - to praise the Lord, to praise his name; praise him, and again praise him. We must not only thank him for what he has done for us, but praise him for what he is in himself and has done for others; take all occasions to speak well of God and to give his truths and ways a good word. 2. The persons that are called upon to do this - the servants of the Lord, the priests and Levites that stand in his house, and all the devout and pious Israelites that stand in the courts of his house to worship there, Psa 135:2. Those that have most reason to praise God who are admitted to the privileges of his house, and those see most reason who there behold his beauty and taste his bounty; from them it is expected, for to that end they enjoy their places. Who should praise him if they do not? 3. The reasons why we should praise God. (1.) Because he whom we are to praise is good, and goodness is that which every body will speak well of. He is good to all, and we must give him the praise of that. His goodness is his glory, and we must make mention of it to his glory. (2.) Because the work is its own wages: Sing praises to his name, for it is pleasant. It is best done with a cheerful spirit, and we shall have the pleasure of having done our duty. It is a heaven upon earth to be praising God; and the pleasure of that should quite put our mouths out of taste for the pleasures of sin. (3.) Because of the peculiar privileges of God's people (Psa 135:4): The Lord hath chosen Jacob to himself, and therefore Jacob is bound to praise him; for therefore God chose a people to himself that they might be unto him for a name and a praise (Jer 13:11), and therefore Jacob has abundant matter for praise, being thus dignified and distinguished. Israel is God's peculiar treasure above all people (Exo 19:5); they are his Segullah, a people appropriated to him, and that he has a delight in, precious in his sight and honourable. For this distinguishing surprising favour, if the seed of Jacob do not praise him, they are the most unworthy ungrateful people under the sun.

Cross-references: Ps 135:2 · Ps 135:4 · Jer 13:11 · Exod 19:5

Hebrew interlinear

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

H3588

כִּיkîy/kee/

conj — relative conjunction

Derivation: a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent;

(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed

KJV: and, (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), but, certainly, doubtless, else, even, except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, (al-) though, till, truly, until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet.

כִּי

conj — that

כִּי conj. that, for, when

1. that

2.

a. Of time, when, of the past

b. elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

c. when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

3. Because, since

כִּי אם־

relative conjunction

כִּי אם־

1. each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:

a. that if

b. for if

2. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—

a. limiting the prec. clause, except

b. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

c. after an oath, surely

כִּי עַל כֵּן

forasmuch as

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

H2896

טוֹבṭôwb/tobe/

a n-m n-f — good

Derivation: from 2895;

good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well)

KJV: beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, × fair (word), (be in) favour, fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s), graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving, merry, × most, pleasant, pleaseth, pleasure, precious, prosperity, ready, sweet, wealth, welfare, (be) well(-favoured).

טוֹב

n.m — a good thing

טוֹב n.m. a good thing, benefit, welfare

1. welfare, prosperity, happiness

2. good things

3. good = benefit

4. moral good

טוֹב

adj — pleasant

טוֹב adj. pleasant, agreeable, good

1. pleasant, agreeable to the senses

2. pleasant to the higher nature, giving pleasure, happiness, prosperity, and so agreeable, pleasing, well

3. good, excellent, of its kind

4. good, rich, valuable in estimation

5. good, appropriate, becoming

6. c. מִן compar. = better

7. of man's sensuous nature, glad, happy, prosperous

8. of man's intellectual nature, good understanding

9. good, kind, benign

10. good (ethical), right

טוֹבָה

n.f — welfare

טוֹבָה n.f. welfare, benefit, good things, good

1. welfare, prosperity, happiness

2. good things

3. bounty, good

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

H2167

זָמַרzâmar/zaw-mar'/

v — touch, play, music, celebrate

Derivation: a primitive root (perhaps identical with 2168 through the idea of striking with the fingers);

properly, to touch the strings or parts of a musical instrument, i.e. play upon it; to make music, accompanied by the voice; hence to celebrate in song and music

KJV: give praise, sing forth praises, psalms.

זמר

vb — make music

[זמר] vb. only Pi. make music in praise of God

H8034

שֵׁםshêm/shame/

n-m — appellation, honor, authority, character

Derivation: a primitive word [perhaps rather from 7760 through the idea of definite and conspicuous position; compare 8064];

an appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character

KJV: base, (in-) fame(-ous), named(-d), renown, report.

שֵׁם

n.m — name

שֵׁם 864 n.m. name (√ unknown)

1. of river, beasts, city, i.e. exact designation of it

2.

a. usu. of pers.

b. = reputation

c. esp. as giving a man a kind of posthumous life, esp. in his sons

3. name, as designation of God

4. of false gods, use forbidden

5. = memorial, monument

H5273

נָעִיםnâʻîym/naw-eem'/

a — delightful

Derivation: from 5276;

delightful (objective or subjective, literal or figurative)

KJV: pleasant(-ure), sweet.

נָעִים

adj — singing

נָעִים adj. perh. singing, sweetly sounding, musical

נָעִים

adj — pleasant

נָעִים adj. pleasant, delightful (poet.)

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