Monday, June 23, 2014

Reflections on Psalms 135

 Psalms 135(Contemporary English Version)
  1. Shout praises to the LORD! You are his servants, so praise his name.
  2. All who serve in the temple of the LORD our God,
  3. come and shout praises. Praise the name of the LORD! He is kind and good.
  4. He chose the family of Jacob and the people of Israel for his very own.
  5. The LORD is much greater than any other god.
  6. He does as he chooses in heaven and on earth and deep in the sea.
  7. The LORD makes the clouds rise from far across the earth, and he makes lightning to go with the rain. Then from his secret place he sends out the wind.
  8. The LORD killed the first-born of people and animals in the land of Egypt.
  9. God used miracles and wonders to fight the king of Egypt and all of his officials.
  10. He destroyed many nations and killed powerful kings,
  11. including King Sihon of the Amorites and King Og of Bashan. He conquered every kingdom in the land of Canaan
  12. and gave their property to his people Israel.
  13. The name of the LORD will be remembered forever, and he will be famous for all time to come.
  14. The LORD will bring justice and show mercy to all who serve him.
  15. Idols of silver and gold are made and worshiped in other nations.
  16. They have a mouth and eyes, but they can't speak or see.
  17. They are completely deaf, and they can't breathe.
  18. Everyone who makes idols and all who trust them will end up as helpless as their idols.
  19. Everyone in Israel, come praise the LORD! All the family of Aaron
  20. and all the tribe of Levi, come praise the LORD! All of his worshipers, come praise the LORD.
  21. Praise the LORD from Zion! He lives here in Jerusalem. Shout praises to the LORD!

What are our motives for worshiping the Lord? Are they focused on self or on God? The psalmist in Psalms 135 points first to God's goodness as a motive to praise Him. Then he points to God's care for His people and finally on God's greatness over other gods.

The call to worship in verses 1 and 2 is directed to the priests and Levites. They are to praise the Lord, "for the LORD is good; sing praise to His name, for it is delightful." (135:3) In verse 4 the reason for praising the Lord is His care for Israel, for He made "Israel as His treasured possession." This thought is expanded on in verses 8-12: He struck down Egypt allowing Israel to escape slavery and struck down many nations giving Israel "their land as an inheritance." (135:12) These events stand out in Israel's history as the prime example of God's care for her. But all who follow God and worship Him have key examples to which they can point of how God has cared for them.

The third point of the psalm is God's greatness over all other gods. "For I know that the LORD is great; our Lord is greater than all gods." (135:5) This thought is expanded upon somewhat in verses 6 & 7: "The LORD does whatever He pleases in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all the depths. He causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain and brings the wind from His storehouses." The emphases here being on God's power over nature. But the thought is further expanded on in verses 15-18. In these verses the emphases is on the impotence of the idols that many worship. They are made by human hands and "have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. They have ears, but cannot hear; indeed, there is no breath in their mouths." (135:16-17) They are, in fact, a reflection of those who make them.

This is the reverse of the way it is with God. Those who worship Him are a reflection of Him. We are made in His image whereas the idols are made in the image of their human makers. They have no attributes that have not been given them by their human makers and no power to do anything on behalf of their makers. But the one who has made all things has unlimited power to do all things on behalf of His worshipers. This is reason to "revere the Lord" and to "praise the Lord." (135:20)

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