Psalm 135

This article is about Psalm 135 in Hebrew (Masoretic) numbering. For Psalm 135 in Greek Septuagint or Latin Vulgate numbering, see Psalm 136.

Psalm 135
"Praise ye the LORD"
Other name	Psalm 134 "Laudate nomen Domini"
Language	Hebrew (original)

Psalm 135
← Psalm 134 Psalm 136 →
Book	Book of Psalms
Hebrew Bible part	Ketuvim
Order in the Hebrew part	1
Category	Sifrei Emet
Christian Bible part	Old Testament
Order in the Christian part	19

Psalm 135 is the 135th psalm from the Book of Psalms, a part of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Praise ye the LORD". In the slightly different numbering system of the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate versions of the Bible, this psalm is Psalm 134. Its Latin title is "Laudate nomen Domini".^[1]

The psalm forms a regular part of Jewish, Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican and other Protestant liturgies. It has been set to music.

Text

Hebrew

The following table shows the Hebrew text^[2][3] of the Psalm with vowels alongside an English translation based upon the JPS 1917 translation (now in the public domain).

Verse	Hebrew	English translation (JPS 1917)
1	הַ֥לְלוּ־יָ֨הּ ׀ הַֽ֭לְלוּ אֶת־שֵׁ֣ם יְהֹוָ֑ה הַֽ֝לְל֗וּ עַבְדֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃‎	Hallelujah. Praise ye the name of the LORD; Give praise, O ye servants of the LORD,
2	שֶׁ֣֭עֹמְדִים בְּבֵ֣ית יְהֹוָ֑ה בְּ֝חַצְר֗וֹת בֵּ֣ית אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃‎	Ye that stand in the house of the LORD, In the courts of the house of our God.
3	הַֽלְלוּ־יָ֭הּ כִּֽי־ט֣וֹב יְהֹוָ֑ה זַמְּר֥וּ לִ֝שְׁמ֗וֹ כִּ֣י נָעִֽים׃‎	Praise ye the LORD, for the LORD is good; Sing praises unto His name, for it is pleasant.
4	כִּֽי־יַעֲקֹ֗ב בָּחַ֣ר ל֣וֹ יָ֑הּ יִ֝שְׂרָאֵ֗ל לִסְגֻלָּתֽוֹ׃‎	For the LORD hath chosen Jacob unto Himself, And Israel for His own treasure.
5	כִּ֤י אֲנִ֣י יָ֭דַעְתִּי כִּֽי־גָד֣וֹל יְהֹוָ֑ה וַ֝אֲדֹנֵ֗ינוּ מִכׇּל־אֱלֹהִֽים׃‎	For I know that the LORD is great, And that our Lord is above all gods.
6	כֹּ֤ל אֲשֶׁר־חָפֵ֥ץ יְהֹוָ֗ה עָ֫שָׂ֥ה בַּשָּׁמַ֥יִם וּבָאָ֑רֶץ בַּ֝יַּמִּ֗ים וְכׇל־תְּהֹמֽוֹת׃‎	Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that hath He done, In heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps;
7	מַעֲלֶ֣ה נְשִׂאִים֮ מִקְצֵ֢ה הָ֫אָ֥רֶץ בְּרָקִ֣ים לַמָּטָ֣ר עָשָׂ֑ה מֽוֹצֵא־ר֝֗וּחַ מֵאֽוֹצְרוֹתָֽיו׃‎	Who causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; He maketh lightnings for the rain; He bringeth forth the wind out of His treasuries.
8	שֶׁ֭הִכָּה בְּכוֹרֵ֣י מִצְרָ֑יִם מֵ֝אָדָ֗ם עַד־בְּהֵמָֽה׃‎	Who smote the first-born of Egypt, Both of man and beast.
9	שָׁלַ֤ח ׀ אוֹתֹ֣ת וּ֭מֹפְתִים בְּתוֹכֵ֣כִי מִצְרָ֑יִם בְּ֝פַרְעֹ֗ה וּבְכׇל־עֲבָדָֽיו׃‎	He sent signs and wonders into the midst of thee, O Egypt, Upon Pharaoh, and upon all his servants.
10	שֶׁ֭הִכָּה גּוֹיִ֣ם רַבִּ֑ים וְ֝הָרַ֗ג מְלָכִ֥ים עֲצוּמִֽים׃‎	Who smote many nations, And slew mighty kings:
11	לְסִיח֤וֹן ׀ מֶ֤לֶךְ הָאֱמֹרִ֗י וּ֭לְעוֹג מֶ֣לֶךְ הַבָּשָׁ֑ן וּ֝לְכֹ֗ל מַמְלְכ֥וֹת כְּנָֽעַן׃‎	Sihon king of the Amorites, And Og king of Bashan, And all the kingdoms of Canaan;
12	וְנָתַ֣ן אַרְצָ֣ם נַחֲלָ֑ה נַ֝חֲלָ֗ה לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל עַמּֽוֹ׃‎	And gave their land for a heritage, A heritage unto Israel His people.
13	יְ֭הֹוָה שִׁמְךָ֣ לְעוֹלָ֑ם יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה זִכְרְךָ֥ לְדֹר־וָדֹֽר׃‎	O LORD, Thy name endureth for ever; Thy memorial, O LORD, throughout all generations.
14	כִּֽי־יָדִ֣ין יְהֹוָ֣ה עַמּ֑וֹ וְעַל־עֲ֝בָדָ֗יו יִתְנֶחָֽם׃‎	For the LORD will judge His people, And repent Himself for His servants.
15	עֲצַבֵּ֣י הַ֭גּוֹיִם כֶּ֣סֶף וְזָהָ֑ב מַ֝עֲשֵׂ֗ה יְדֵ֣י אָדָֽם׃‎	The idols of the nations are silver and gold, The work of men's hands.
16	פֶּֽה־לָ֭הֶם וְלֹ֣א יְדַבֵּ֑רוּ עֵינַ֥יִם לָ֝הֶ֗ם וְלֹ֣א יִרְאֽוּ׃‎	They have mouths, but they speak not; Eyes have they, but they see not;
17	אׇזְנַ֣יִם לָ֭הֶם וְלֹ֣א יַאֲזִ֑ינוּ אַ֝֗ף אֵין־יֶשׁ־ר֥וּחַ בְּפִיהֶֽם׃‎	They have ears, but they hear not; Neither is there any breath in their mouths.
18	כְּ֭מוֹהֶם יִהְי֣וּ עֹשֵׂיהֶ֑ם כֹּ֖ל אֲשֶׁר־בֹּטֵ֣חַ בָּהֶֽם׃‎	They that make them shall be like unto them; Yea, every one that trusteth in them.
19	בֵּ֣ית יִ֭שְׂרָאֵל בָּרְכ֣וּ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֑ה בֵּ֥ית אַ֝הֲרֹ֗ן בָּרְכ֥וּ אֶת־יְהֹוָֽה׃‎	O house of Israel, bless ye the LORD; O house of Aaron, bless ye the LORD;
20	בֵּ֣ית הַ֭לֵּוִי בָּרְכ֣וּ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֑ה יִֽרְאֵ֥י יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה בָּרְכ֥וּ אֶת־יְהֹוָֽה׃‎	O house of Levi, bless ye the LORD; Ye that fear the LORD, bless ye the LORD.
21	בָּ֘ר֤וּךְ יְהֹוָ֨ה ׀ מִצִּיּ֗וֹן שֹׁ֘כֵ֤ן יְֽרוּשָׁלָ֗͏ִם הַֽלְלוּ־יָֽהּ׃‎	Blessed be the LORD out of Zion, Who dwelleth at Jerusalem. Hallelujah.

King James Version

1. Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the name of the LORD; praise him, O ye servants of the LORD.
2. Ye that stand in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our God,
3. Praise the LORD; for the LORD is good: sing praises unto his name; for it is pleasant.
4. For the LORD hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure.
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 an heritage, an 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.
15. The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.
16. They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not;
17. They have ears, but they hear not; neither is there any breath in their mouths.
18. They that make them are like unto them: so is every one that trusteth in them.
19. Bless the LORD, O house of Israel: bless the LORD, O house of Aaron:
20. Bless the LORD, O house of Levi: ye that fear the LORD, bless the LORD.
21. Blessed be the LORD out of Zion, which dwelleth at Jerusalem. Praise ye the LORD.

Allusions to other psalms and OT passages

Cyril Rodd notes references to Psalm 134 in verses 2 and 21, to Deuteronomy 32:36 (the Song of Moses) in verse 14, and to Exodus 19:5 and Deuteronomy 7:6 in verse 4, and "a close similarity" between verses 15-20 and Psalm 115:4-11.^[4] Verse 7 is reflected in Jeremiah 10:13.

Uses

Judaism

• The feasts of Tabernacles and of Passover have been put forward as suggested suitable occasions for the use of this psalm.^[4]
• This psalm is recited in its entirety during the Pesukei Dezimra on Shabbat, Yom Tov, and - in many communities - on Hoshana Rabbah,^[5] and on the fifth day of Passover in some traditions.^[6]
• Verse 13 is the fifth verse of Yehi Kivod in Pesukei Dezimra. Verse 4 is the fifteenth verse of Yehi Kivod.^[7]
• Verse 21 is the second verse of Baruch Hashem L'Olam in Pesukei Dezimra and Baruch Hashem L'Olam during Maariv.^[8]

New Testament

• Verse 14a is quoted in Hebrews 10:30.^[9]

Eastern Orthodox Church

• Along with Psalm 135, Psalm 136 is used in the Polyeleos service, is sung at Orthros (Matins) of a Feast Day and at Vigils. In some Slavic traditions and on Mount Athos it is read every Sunday at Orthros, on Mount Athos accompanied by candles, bells, and censers.
• At vigils, it accompanies the opening of the Royal Doors and a great censing of the nave by the Priest(s) or Deacon(s).

Musical settings

Heinrich Schütz composed a metred paraphrase of Psalm 135 in German, "Lobt Gott von Herzengrunde", SWV 240, for the Becker Psalter, published first in 1628.

References

1. Parallel Latin/English Psalter / Psalmus 134 (135) Archived 7 May 2017 at the Wayback Machine medievalist.net
2. "Psalms – Chapter 135". Mechon Mamre.
3. "Psalms 135 - JPS 1917". Sefaria.org.
4. Rodd, C. S., 18. Psalms, in Barton, J. and Muddiman, J. (2001), The Oxford Bible Commentary Archived 2017-11-22 at the Wayback Machine, p. 401
5. The Complete Artscroll Siddur, page 382
6. The Artscroll Tehillim, page 329
7. The Complete Artscroll Siddur, pages 64-66
8. The Complete Artscroll Siddur, pages 74, 264
9. Kirkpatrick, A. F. (1901). The Book of Psalms: with Introduction and Notes. The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges. Vol. Book IV and V: Psalms XC-CL. Cambridge: At the University Press. p. 840. Retrieved 28 February 2019.

External links

• Psalm 135: Free scores at the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki)
• Pieces with text from Psalm 135: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
• Psalms Chapter 135 text in Hebrew and English, mechon-mamre.org
• Chapter 135 / Hallelujah! / Praise the name of the LORD! text and footnotes, usccb.org United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
• Psalm 135 – Praise for the Creator and the Redeemer text and detailed commentary, enduringword.com
• Psalm 135:1 introduction and text, biblestudytools.com
• Charles H. Spurgeon: Psalm 135 detailed commentary, archive.spurgeon.org
• Psalm 135 / Refrain: Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good. Church of England
• Psalm 135 at biblegateway.com
• Hymns for Psalm 135 hymnary.org