Psalm 135 - Worship the LORD of Glory

Introduction “From Pilgrimage to Praise”

When we open to Psalm 135, we stand at a threshold, a doorway between two great movements in the Psalter.

Behind us lie the Songs of Ascent (Psalms 120–134), those pilgrim hymns sung by weary travelers climbing toward Jerusalem. Each of those psalms captured the longings and struggles of God’s people as they journeyed through valleys and up mountains toward the house of the LORD. They sang of trust in the midst of danger, hope in the face of exile, and unity in the fellowship of the saints. Those songs were for the road, for the pilgrim people pressing upward to Zion.

But now, as we turn the page to Psalm 135, the journey reaches its goal. The feet that once climbed have arrived in the courts of the LORD. The traveler becomes the worshiper. The sojourner becomes the singer.

Here begins the final section of the Psalter, Psalms 135 through 150, which we might call “From Pilgrimage to Praise: The Psalter’s Songs of Glory.” These are not the songs of a people on the way up, but the songs of a people who have arrived, standing in the temple of God, beholding His glory, and filling the air with hallelujahs.

Psalm 135 opens this section like a great conductor raising his hands for the final movement of a symphony. The word rings out:

“Praise the LORD! Praise the name of the LORD; praise Him, O servants of the LORD!” (v. 1)

This psalm is pure doxology, it is theology set to music. It reminds us that all true worship begins with seeing God as He truly is: great in power, gracious in redemption, and glorious above all rivals.

So as we begin this final movement of the Psalter, our theme this is:

“Worship the LORD of Glory.”

We will see three reasons why God alone deserves our full devotion and delight:

1. Worship Him for His Greatness (vv. 1–7)

2. Worship Him for His Grace (vv. 8–14)

3. Worship Him for His Glory (vv. 15–21)

   
   

Let us step with Israel into the temple courts of Psalm 135 and learn again how to lift our hearts from the road of pilgrimage to the throne of praise.

I. Worship Him for His Greatness

(Psalm 135:1–7)

The psalm begins with a summons that resounds like the first note of a symphony:

“Praise the LORD! Praise the name of the LORD; praise Him, O servants of the LORD.”

These opening words are not a polite suggestion but a royal command from the King of heaven Himself. The pilgrims who once journeyed up to Jerusalem now stand within the temple courts, and the first word upon their lips is hallelujah. They are not invited to discuss God or debate Him; they are summoned to adore Him. Worship, at its truest, is not about us, it is the heart’s joyful response to the greatness of God.

The psalmist tells us whom this call is addressed to:

“You who stand in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our God.”

These are the priests and Levites who minister in the sanctuary. But through Christ, every believer is now a priest before God, called to offer spiritual sacrifices of praise. In Christ, this psalm belongs to us. We are the servants of the LORD, standing not in an earthly temple made of stone, but in the living temple of Christ’s body, lifting our praise to the same God who reigns forever.

Verse 3 gives the reason for our worship:

“Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; sing praises to His name, for it is lovely.”

The Hebrew word for good, tov, expresses more than moral uprightness; it speaks of a beauty that draws the heart in delight. The LORD’s goodness is not abstract, it is experienced in His kindness, His mercy, His faithful dealings with His people. And His “name,” His revealed character, is said to be lovely (na‘îm), pleasant, delightful, altogether beautiful. God’s very being invites adoration. He is not cold majesty, but radiant beauty.

Then, in verse 4, the psalmist reveals the foundation beneath all praise: divine election.

“For the LORD has chosen Jacob for Himself, Israel for His own possession.”

The word chosen (bāḥar) echoes the covenant language of Deuteronomy 7:7–8, reminding us that God’s people are His possession not because of their worthiness, but because of His love. Worship begins with grace. Before Israel ever lifted a song, God had already set His love upon them. Before we ever believed, God had already chosen us in Christ (Eph. 1:4). We worship because grace found us.

Having celebrated God’s covenant mercy, the psalmist now lifts our gaze to God’s universal majesty.

“For I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods. Whatever the LORD pleases, He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps.”

This is one of the clearest declarations of divine sovereignty in Scripture. The psalmist’s confession, “I know” (yādaʿtî), is not the language of speculation but of conviction born from experience. He has seen God’s works and therefore knows His power. God is great, not merely greater than others, but incomparable. There are no “other gods,” only empty pretenders. The LORD’s will is ultimate, His purpose unthwarted, His rule unchallenged. Whatever He pleases, He does.

Verses 7 expands that thought into the natural world:

“He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth, who makes lightnings for the rain, who brings forth the wind from His treasuries.”

Creation itself becomes His servant. The hydrological cycle, the storm, the wind, the very weather, all respond to His command. Nothing is random, nothing is autonomous. The psalmist is teaching us that every drop of rain, every gust of wind, every thunderclap in the sky is a reminder that God reigns. His greatness fills the world He made.

In these verses, we are given a complete picture of divine majesty. The LORD is good in character, sovereign in power, gracious in election, and supreme in authority. His greatness spans from the covenantal to the cosmic, from His choosing of Israel to His governing of the winds.

For the believer, this truth is both humbling and comforting. The God who rules the universe is the same God who calls us by name. The One who commands the lightning also ordains our steps. We can rest securely in His providence because His pleasure is always joined to His goodness. “Whatever the LORD pleases, He does”, and what pleases Him is always righteous, wise, and loving.

Therefore, when life feels chaotic, remember this psalm. When the world seems unstable, remember who sits enthroned. When your faith feels small, lift your eyes to the One who is great. He is not only the Creator of all things, but the Chooser of His people. He is both transcendent and near, infinite and intimate, great beyond measure, yet good beyond comprehension.

So, let our hearts join the psalmist’s cry: “Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; sing praises to His name, for it is lovely.” Let worship become not an obligation but an overflow of adoration. Let us bow before His greatness, rest in His goodness, and rejoice in His sovereignty. For He alone is worthy of all praise: the LORD, our Creator, our Redeemer, and our King.

II. Worship Him for His Grace

(Psalm 135:8–14)

If the first section of this psalm lifted our eyes to God’s greatness in creation, this next section turns our hearts toward His grace in redemption. The psalmist reminds Israel that the same God who rules the heavens has also stooped down to redeem His people. His power is not distant or abstract, it is deeply personal and redemptive. The Lord’s greatness is revealed not only in what He made but in what He has done to save.

The psalmist takes us back to Israel’s foundational story, the Exodus, the moment when grace broke into history.

“He smote the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and beast. He sent signs and wonders into your midst, O Egypt, upon Pharaoh and all his servants.” (vv. 8–9)

These words echo Exodus 12, where the LORD, in His righteous judgment, struck down Egypt’s firstborn yet preserved His own people through the blood of the Passover lamb. This was no accident of history or act of chance. The psalmist repeats that God Himself “smote” and “sent”, underscoring divine initiative. Redemption begins with God.

From Egypt, the psalmist moves to the Conquest, when the Lord brought His people into their promised inheritance:

“He smote many nations and slew mighty kings, Sihon king of the Amorites, and Og king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan; and He gave their land as a heritage, a heritage to Israel His people.” (vv. 10–12)

These two kings, Sihon and Og, were legendary for their strength. Yet before Yahweh, their kingdoms fell like grass before the scythe. Israel’s victories were not won by human power or military might but by covenant grace. God fought for His people because He had promised to be their God.

Then, in verses 13 and 14, the psalmist moves from history to theology, from the narrative of redemption to the nature of God Himself.

"Your name, O LORD, is everlasting, Your remembrance, O LORD, throughout all generations. For the LORD will judge His people and will have compassion on His servants.”

God’s actions in the past reveal His unchanging character in the present. His “name”, that is, His revealed identity, endures forever. What He was in Exodus, He still is today: faithful, righteous, and compassionate. The word translated “judge” (דִּין, dîn) means to vindicate or to set right. God’s judgment of His people here is not condemnation but defense. He judges for them, not against them. He delivers them from their enemies and comforts them in their distress. And His motive? “Compassion.” The Hebrew term (נִחַם, niḥam) conveys deep, tender mercy, a God who feels for His people and acts on their behalf.

This is grace: sovereign, covenantal, unearned grace. God did not save Israel because they were great, but because His mercy was greater still. He acted out of covenant fidelity, not human worth. This is the beating heart of Reformed theology: grace initiates, grace sustains, grace completes. As Moses declared, “Because the LORD loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the LORD brought you out by a mighty hand” (Deut. 7:8). Grace explains it all.

And what is true for Israel finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the greater Moses and the greater Joshua. He is the one who leads His people in a new Exodus, not from the bondage of Pharaoh but from the bondage of sin and death. At the cross, the firstborn Son of God was struck down so that we might go free. He is the Passover Lamb whose blood delivers from wrath. He is the warrior who conquers the powers of darkness and grants His people their eternal inheritance. In Him, God’s everlasting name is made known; in Him, divine justice and compassion meet perfectly.

This is the grace we worship, not cheap sentiment but covenant faithfulness sealed in blood. God’s grace in Christ is not the mere cancellation of sin; it is deliverance into His kingdom. It not only forgives our past but secures our future.

So, believer, when you remember what the Lord has done for you, when you recall the cross, the empty tomb, the mercy that met you when you were dead in sin, let your heart rise in praise. Worship Him for His grace. Thank Him for His mercy that endures through all generations. Let your faith rest in the unchanging name of your Redeemer. And if you feel forgotten, remember: “The LORD will judge His people and will have compassion on His servants.” His grace does not expire, and His promises do not fail.

The God who split the sea still makes a way. The God who conquered the nations still guards His people. The God who kept His covenant with Israel will keep His covenant with you, for His name is everlasting. Therefore, praise Him, praise the LORD for His redeeming, defending, and never-failing grace.

III. Worship Him for His Glory

(Psalm 135:15–21)

Having shown us the greatness of God in creation and the grace of God in redemption, the psalmist now calls us to behold His glory, His supreme and exclusive worth above all other gods. The tone of the psalm shifts here, as if the singer turns from the radiant face of Yahweh to the lifeless faces of the idols surrounding Israel. The contrast could not be more dramatic.

“The idols of the nations,” he says, “are but silver and gold, the work of man’s hands.” (v. 15)

They are made of precious materials, but their substance is hollow. The Hebrew word for idols here, (‘atsabbîm), carries the idea of pain or sorrow, a bitter irony that what men create for joy ultimately becomes their grief. These so-called gods are manmade. They are fashioned by human hands, which means they are reflections of human hearts, powerless, finite, and corruptible.

The psalmist deepens the satire in verses 16 and 17:

“They have mouths, but they do not speak; they have eyes, but they do not see; they have ears, but they do not hear; nor is there any breath at all in their mouths.”

They appear alive but are utterly dead, imitation images without life. The word “breath” recalls Genesis 2:7, where God breathed into Adam and made him a living soul. The idols have form but no (ruach), no spirit, no divine life. They are mockeries of creation. In contrast, the LORD is the living God: He speaks, He sees, He hears, He breathes. The psalmist’s point is devastatingly clear: the idols are lifeless, but the LORD is living.

Then comes one of the most sobering truths in all of Scripture:

“Those who make them will be like them, yes, everyone who trusts in them.” (v. 18)

This is the law of spiritual reflection, we become what we behold. If you worship what is dead, you become spiritually dead. If you serve what cannot speak, you lose your ability to hear truth. Worship is not neutral; it transforms the worshiper into the image of the thing adored. The one who serves idols becomes as lifeless as the idol itself, but the one who worships the living God is made alive by His Spirit and transformed into His likeness (2 Cor. 3:18).

Having exposed the vanity of idolatry, the psalmist turns once more to the people of God and summons them to bless the LORD: “

O house of Israel, bless the LORD; O house of Aaron, bless the LORD; O house of Levi, bless the LORD; you who revere the LORD, bless the LORD.” (vv. 19–20)

The progression moves outward, from the priests, to the Levites, to all who fear the LORD, inviting the entire covenant community to join in one united doxology. The worship of the living God is not the privilege of a few; it is the calling of all who belong to Him.

The psalm concludes where it began:

“Blessed be the LORD from Zion, who dwells in Jerusalem. Praise the LORD!” (v. 21)

The circle is complete, from heaven’s throne to Zion’s temple, the living God is enthroned among His people. His dwelling in Jerusalem was a foretaste of His ultimate dwelling among His redeemed creation. The God who once filled the temple with His glory now fills His church with His Spirit. In the end, this is the heart of all worship: the living God dwelling with a living people, His glory shining through their praise.

For the Christian, this glory finds its fullest revelation in Jesus Christ. He is the true image of the invisible God: the living, breathing manifestation of divine glory (Col. 1:15). Where idols have mouths that cannot speak, Christ speaks the very words of eternal life. Where idols have eyes that cannot see, Christ sees us in our helplessness and calls us by name. Where idols have no breath, Christ breathes the Spirit upon His people, giving life to those who were dead in sin (John 20:22). He is the true and living God who has made Himself known, not as a lifeless image, but as a living Savior.

And because He is the true temple of God, the place where heaven and earth meet, we now gather not in Jerusalem, but in Him. We worship the LORD from Zion, the heavenly Zion where Christ reigns. The “Praise the LORD” that closes this psalm anticipates the “Hallelujah!” of Revelation 19, where the redeemed of every nation sing before the throne, “For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns!”

Therefore, let us worship the LORD for His glory. Let us turn from every false god, from the idols of self, success, and security, and fix our hearts upon the living Christ. All that the world worships will one day perish, but the glory of the LORD endures forever. To worship Him is to live; to forsake Him is to wither. Let us then, as His redeemed and living people, lift our hearts in doxology and declare with one voice: “Blessed be the LORD from Zion, who dwells in Jerusalem. Praise the LORD!”

Conclusion

Beloved, Psalm 135 calls us to see the whole story of redemption in one sweeping song. The God who formed the heavens by His word is the same God who redeemed Israel by His hand, and He is the same God who has revealed His glory to us in the face of Jesus Christ.

This psalm began in the courts of the temple, but today that temple is no longer made of stone, it is made of people redeemed by grace. We are the living stones (1 Pet. 2:5), built together to proclaim His praises.

So, Christian, lift your eyes and take courage.

When the world feels chaotic, remember: “Whatever the LORD pleases, He does.”

When life feels uncertain, remember: “Your name, O LORD, is everlasting.”

When idols all around clamor for your devotion, remember: “Blessed be the LORD from Zion.”

You serve a God who reigns in sovereignty, redeems in compassion, and remains in faithfulness. Worship Him for His greatness. Rest in Him for His grace. Exalt Him for His glory.

And if you are here today and do not yet know this living God, the God who saves, the God who speaks, the God who breathes life into the soul, hear this invitation: Turn from your sins, your rebellion, from lifeless idols that cannot see or save, and come to the living Christ who died and rose again to bring you into His presence forever. He is not a distant deity; He is a gracious Savior.

Trust Him today, and you will find the purpose for which you were made to worship the LORD of Glory.

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