Psalms 135:9-21

Context

135:9 He performed awesome deeds¹ and acts of judgment²

in your midst, O Egypt,

against Pharaoh and all his servants.

135:10 He defeated many nations,

and killed mighty kings –

135:11 Sihon, king of the Amorites,

and Og, king of Bashan,

and all the kingdoms of Canaan.

135:12 He gave their land as an inheritance,

as an inheritance to Israel his people.

135:13 O Lord, your name endures,³

your reputation, O Lord, lasts.⁴

135:14 For the Lord vindicates⁵ his people,

and has compassion on his servants.⁶

135:15 The nations’ idols are made of silver and gold,

they are man-made.⁷

135:16 They have mouths, but cannot speak,

eyes, but cannot see,

135:17 and ears, but cannot hear.

Indeed, they cannot breathe.⁸

135:18 Those who make them will end up⁹ like them,

as will everyone who trusts in them.

135:19 O family¹⁰ of Israel, praise the Lord!

O family of Aaron, praise the Lord!

135:20 O family of Levi, praise the Lord!

You loyal followers¹¹ of the Lord, praise the Lord!

135:21 The Lord deserves praise in Zion¹² –

he who dwells in Jerusalem.¹³

Praise the Lord!

[135:9] ¹tn Or “signs” (see Ps 65:8).

[135:9] ²tn Or “portents”; “omens” (see Ps 71:7). The Egyptian plagues are alluded to here.

[135:13] ³tn Or “is forever.”

[135:13] ⁴tn Heb “O Lord, your remembrance [is] for a generation and a generation.” See Ps 102:12.

[135:14] ⁵tn Heb “judges,” but here the idea is that the Lord “judges on behalf of” his people. The imperfect verbal forms here and in the next line draw attention to the Lord’s characteristic actions.

[135:14] ⁶sn Verse 14 echoes Deut 32:36, where Moses affirms that God mercifully relents from fully judging his wayward people.

[135:15] ⁷tn Heb “the work of the hands of man.”

[135:17] ⁸tn Heb “indeed, there is not breath in their mouth.” For the collocation אַף אֵין (’af ’en, “indeed, there is not”) see Isa 41:26. Another option is to take אַף as “nose” (see Ps 115:6), in which case one might translate, “a nose, [but] they have no breath in their mouths.”

[135:18] ⁹tn Heb “will be.” Another option is to take the prefixed verbal form as a prayer, “may those who make them end up like them.”

[135:19] ¹⁰tn Heb “house” (here and in the next two lines).

[135:20] ¹¹tn Heb “fearers.”

[135:21] ¹²tn Heb “praised be the Lord from Zion.”

[135:21] ¹³map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.