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A song to praise God

135 Hallelujah![a]
    Praise the name of the Lord!
Praise him, you servants of the Lord!
You serve the Lord in his temple.
    You serve him in the temple yards.
The Lord is good, so praise him!
His name is good and great,
    so praise him with songs!
The Lord chose Jacob's family for himself.
    Yes, he chose Israel's people to belong to him.[b]
I know that the Lord is great.
    Our Lord is greater than any other god.
He does whatever he decides to do.
He rules the sky and the earth,
    and the deepest parts of the sea.
The Lord causes clouds to rise up all over the earth.
He sends lightning with the storms of rain.
He sends out the wind from its place,
    so that it blows where he chooses.
God destroyed the firstborn sons in Egypt,
    both men and animals.[c]
He did great miracles in Egypt.
He warned Pharaoh and his officers
    that he would punish them.
10 He destroyed many nations
    and he killed powerful kings.
11 He killed Sihon, the king of the Amorites.
He killed Og, the king of Bashan,
    and all the other kings of Canaan.
12 He gave their land to his people, the Israelites.
    The land would belong to them and to their descendants.
13 Lord, people will always remember your name.
    You will always be famous.
14 The Lord shows that his people are right.
    He is kind to those who serve him.
15 Other nations make idols with silver and gold.
People worship things that they have made with their hands!
16 Their idols have mouths, but they cannot speak!
    They have eyes, but they cannot see!
17     They have ears, but they cannot hear!
They cannot even breathe!
18 The people who made them will become as they are.
Everyone who trusts in idols
    will become as useless as their idols are.[d]
19 Israel's family, praise the Lord!
Descendants of Aaron, praise the Lord!
20 Descendants of Levi, praise the Lord!
Everyone who serves the Lord, praise him!
21 Everyone in Zion should praise the Lord.
    He is the one who has his home in Jerusalem.
Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!

Footnotes

  1. 135:1 ‘Hallelujah’ means ‘praise the Lord.’
  2. 135:4 God gave Jacob a new name, ‘Israel’. So Jacob's family and Israel's people are different ways to talk about God's special people.
  3. 135:8 Verses 8-12 remember how God brought his people out of Egypt and he took them to Canaan. God punished Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, because he would not let the Israelites go free. On the way to Canaan, God destroyed many kings and their people so that the Israelites could arrive in the land.
  4. 135:18 An idol is a false god. People made them from valuable metals, like silver and gold. But these idols cannot do anything! They are dead things. If people worship them, they also become dead.

135 Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the name of the Lord; praise him, O ye servants of the Lord.

Ye that stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.

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

For the Lord hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure.

For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.

Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.

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.

Who smote the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and beast.

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.

Psalm 135(A)

Praise the Lord.[a]

Praise the name of the Lord;
    praise him, you servants(B) of the Lord,
you who minister in the house(C) of the Lord,
    in the courts(D) of the house of our God.

Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;(E)
    sing praise to his name,(F) for that is pleasant.(G)
For the Lord has chosen Jacob(H) to be his own,
    Israel to be his treasured possession.(I)

I know that the Lord is great,(J)
    that our Lord is greater than all gods.(K)
The Lord does whatever pleases him,(L)
    in the heavens and on the earth,(M)
    in the seas and all their depths.
He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth;
    he sends lightning with the rain(N)
    and brings out the wind(O) from his storehouses.(P)

He struck down the firstborn(Q) of Egypt,
    the firstborn of people and animals.
He sent his signs(R) and wonders into your midst, Egypt,
    against Pharaoh and all his servants.(S)
10 He struck down many(T) nations
    and killed mighty kings—
11 Sihon(U) king of the Amorites,(V)
    Og king of Bashan,(W)
    and all the kings of Canaan(X)
12 and he gave their land as an inheritance,(Y)
    an inheritance to his people Israel.

13 Your name, Lord, endures forever,(Z)
    your renown,(AA) Lord, through all generations.
14 For the Lord will vindicate his people(AB)
    and have compassion on his servants.(AC)

15 The idols of the nations(AD) are silver and gold,
    made by human hands.(AE)
16 They have mouths, but cannot speak,(AF)
    eyes, but cannot see.
17 They have ears, but cannot hear,
    nor is there breath(AG) in their mouths.
18 Those who make them will be like them,
    and so will all who trust in them.

19 All you Israelites, praise the Lord;(AH)
    house of Aaron, praise the Lord;
20 house of Levi, praise the Lord;
    you who fear him, praise the Lord.
21 Praise be to the Lord from Zion,(AI)
    to him who dwells in Jerusalem.(AJ)

Praise the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 135:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah; also in verses 3 and 21

Praise to God in Creation and Redemption

135 Praise the Lord!

Praise the name of the Lord;
(A)Praise Him, O you servants of the Lord!
(B)You who stand in the house of the Lord,
In (C)the courts of the house of our God,
Praise the Lord, for (D)the Lord is good;
Sing praises to His name, (E)for it is pleasant.
For (F)the Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself,
Israel for His [a]special treasure.

For I know that (G)the Lord is great,
And our Lord is above all gods.
(H)Whatever the Lord pleases He does,
In heaven and in earth,
In the seas and in all deep places.
(I)He causes the [b]vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth;
(J)He makes lightning for the rain;
He brings the wind out of His (K)treasuries.

(L)He [c]destroyed the firstborn of Egypt,
[d]Both of man and beast.
(M)He sent signs and wonders into the midst of you, O Egypt,
(N)Upon Pharaoh and all his servants.
10 (O)He defeated many nations
And slew mighty kings—
11 Sihon king of the Amorites,
Og king of Bashan,
And (P)all the kingdoms of Canaan—
12 (Q)And gave their land as a [e]heritage,
A heritage to Israel His people.

13 (R)Your name, O Lord, endures forever,
Your fame, O Lord, throughout all generations.
14 (S)For the Lord will judge His people,
And He will have compassion on His servants.

15 (T)The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
The work of men’s hands.
16 They have mouths, but they do not speak;
Eyes they have, but they do not see;
17 They have ears, but they do not hear;
Nor is there any breath in their mouths.
18 Those who make them are like them;
So is everyone who trusts in them.

19 (U)Bless the Lord, O house of Israel!
Bless the Lord, O house of Aaron!
20 Bless the Lord, O house of Levi!
You who fear the Lord, bless the Lord!
21 Blessed be the Lord (V)out of Zion,
Who dwells in Jerusalem!

Praise the Lord!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 135:4 precious possession
  2. Psalm 135:7 Water vapor
  3. Psalm 135:8 Lit. struck down
  4. Psalm 135:8 Lit. From man to beast
  5. Psalm 135:12 inheritance

Your Name, O Lord, Endures Forever

135 (A)Praise the Lord!
Praise the name of the Lord,
    give praise, O (B)servants of the Lord,
who (C)stand in the house of the Lord,
    in (D)the courts of the house of our God!
Praise the Lord, for (E)the Lord is good;
    sing to his name, (F)for it is pleasant![a]
For the Lord has (G)chosen Jacob for himself,
    Israel as his (H)own possession.

For I know that (I)the Lord is great,
    and that our Lord is above all gods.
(J)Whatever the Lord pleases, he does,
    in heaven and on earth,
    in the seas and all deeps.
(K)He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth,
    who (L)makes lightnings for the rain
    and brings forth the wind from his (M)storehouses.

He it was who (N)struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
    both of man and of beast;
who in your midst, O Egypt,
    sent (O)signs and wonders
    against Pharaoh and all his servants;
10 (P)who struck down many nations
    and killed mighty kings,
11 (Q)Sihon, king of the Amorites,
    and (R)Og, king of Bashan,
    and (S)all the kingdoms of Canaan,
12 and (T)gave their land as a heritage,
    a heritage to his people Israel.

13 (U)Your name, O Lord, endures forever,
    (V)your renown,[b] O Lord, throughout all ages.
14 (W)For the Lord will vindicate his people
    and (X)have compassion on his servants.

15 (Y)The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
    the work of human hands.
16 They have mouths, but do not speak;
    they have eyes, but do not see;
17 they have ears, but do not hear,
    nor is there any breath in their mouths.
18 Those who make them become like them;
    so do all who trust in them.

19 (Z)O house of Israel, bless the Lord!
    O house of Aaron, bless the Lord!
20 O house of Levi, bless the Lord!
    You who fear the Lord, bless the Lord!
21 Blessed be the Lord (AA)from Zion,
    he who (AB)dwells in Jerusalem!
(AC)Praise the Lord!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 135:3 Or for he is beautiful
  2. Psalm 135:13 Or remembrance