Psalm 135 – Psalms Of Pesukei Dezimra Of Shabbat By Rabbi Gail Diamond
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תהילים קל״ה:א׳-כ״א
(א) הַ֥לְלוּ יָ֨הּ ׀ הַֽ֭לְלוּ אֶת־שֵׁ֣ם יְהוָ֑ה הַֽ֝לְלוּ עַבְדֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ (ב) שֶׁ֣֭עֹֽמְדִים בְּבֵ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה בְּ֝חַצְר֗וֹת בֵּ֣ית אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃ (ג) הַֽ֭לְלוּ־יָהּ כִּי־ט֣וֹב יְהוָ֑ה זַמְּר֥וּ לִ֝שְׁמ֗וֹ כִּ֣י נָעִֽים׃ (ד) כִּֽי־יַעֲקֹ֗ב בָּחַ֣ר ל֣וֹ יָ֑הּ יִ֝שְׂרָאֵ֗ל לִסְגֻלָּתֽוֹ׃ (ה) כִּ֤י אֲנִ֣י יָ֭דַעְתִּי כִּי־גָד֣וֹל יְהוָ֑ה וַ֝אֲדֹנֵ֗ינוּ מִכָּל־אֱלֹהִֽים׃ (ו) כֹּ֤ל אֲשֶׁר־חָפֵ֥ץ יְהוָ֗ה עָ֫שָׂ֥ה בַּשָּׁמַ֥יִם וּבָאָ֑רֶץ בַּ֝יַּמִּ֗ים וְכָל־תְּהוֹמֽוֹת׃ (ז) מַֽעֲלֶ֣ה נְשִׂאִים֮ מִקְצֵ֪ה הָ֫אָ֥רֶץ בְּרָקִ֣ים לַמָּטָ֣ר עָשָׂ֑ה מֽוֹצֵא־ר֝וּחַ מֵאֽוֹצְרוֹתָֽיו׃ (ח) שֶֽׁ֭הִכָּה בְּכוֹרֵ֣י מִצְרָ֑יִם מֵ֝אָדָ֗ם עַד־בְּהֵמָֽה׃ (ט) שָׁלַ֤ח ׀ אֹת֣וֹת וּ֭מֹפְתִים בְּתוֹכֵ֣כִי מִצְרָ֑יִם בְּ֝פַרְעֹ֗ה וּבְכָל־עֲבָדָֽיו׃ (י) שֶֽׁ֭הִכָּה גּוֹיִ֣ם רַבִּ֑ים וְ֝הָרַ֗ג מְלָכִ֥ים עֲצוּמִֽים׃ (יא) לְסִיח֤וֹן ׀ מֶ֤לֶךְ הָאֱמֹרִ֗י וּ֭לְעוֹג מֶ֣לֶךְ הַבָּשָׁ֑ן וּ֝לְכֹ֗ל מַמְלְכ֥וֹת כְּנָֽעַן׃ (יב) וְנָתַ֣ן אַרְצָ֣ם נַחֲלָ֑ה נַ֝חֲלָ֗ה לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל עַמּֽוֹ׃ (יג) יְ֭הוָה שִׁמְךָ֣ לְעוֹלָ֑ם יְ֝הוָ֗ה זִכְרְךָ֥ לְדֹר־וָדֹֽר׃ (יד) כִּֽי־יָדִ֣ין יְהוָ֣ה עַמּ֑וֹ וְעַל־עֲ֝בָדָ֗יו יִתְנֶחָֽם׃ (טו) עֲצַבֵּ֣י הַ֭גּוֹיִם כֶּ֣סֶף וְזָהָ֑ב מַ֝עֲשֵׂ֗ה יְדֵ֣י אָדָֽם׃ (טז) פֶּֽה־לָ֭הֶם וְלֹ֣א יְדַבֵּ֑רוּ עֵינַ֥יִם לָ֝הֶ֗ם וְלֹ֣א יִרְאֽוּ׃ (יז) אָזְנַ֣יִם לָ֭הֶם וְלֹ֣א יַאֲזִ֑ינוּ אַ֝֗ף אֵין־יֶשׁ־ר֥וּחַ בְּפִיהֶֽם׃ (יח) כְּ֭מוֹהֶם יִהְי֣וּ עֹשֵׂיהֶ֑ם כֹּ֭ל אֲשֶׁר־בֹּטֵ֣חַ בָּהֶֽם׃ (יט) בֵּ֣ית יִ֭שְׂרָאֵל בָּרֲכ֣וּ אֶת־יְהוָ֑ה בֵּ֥ית אַ֝הֲרֹ֗ן בָּרֲכ֥וּ אֶת־יְהוָֽה׃ (כ) בֵּ֣ית הַ֭לֵּוִי בָּרֲכ֣וּ אֶת־יְהוָ֑ה יִֽרְאֵ֥י יְ֝הוָ֗ה בָּרֲכ֥וּ אֶת־יְהוָֽה׃ (כא) בָּ֘ר֤וּךְ יְהוָ֨ה ׀ מִצִּיּ֗וֹן שֹׁ֘כֵ֤ן יְֽרוּשָׁלִָ֗ם הַֽלְלוּ־יָֽהּ׃
Psalms 135:1-21
(1) Hallelujah. Praise the name of the LORD; give praise, you servants of the LORD (2) who 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 hymns to His name, for it is pleasant. (4) For the LORD has chosen Jacob for Himself, Israel, as His treasured possession. (5) For I know that the LORD is great, that our Lord is greater than all gods. (6) Whatever the LORD desires He does in heaven and earth, in the seas and all the depths. (7) He makes clouds rise from the end of the earth; He makes lightning for the rain; He releases the wind from His vaults. (8) He struck down the first-born of Egypt, man and beast alike; (9) He sent signs and portents against Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants; (10) He struck down many nations and slew numerous kings— (11) Sihon, king of the Amorites, Og, king of Bashan, and all the royalty of Canaan— (12) and gave their lands as a heritage, as a heritage to His people Israel. (13) O LORD, Your name endures forever, Your fame, O LORD, through all generations; (14) for the LORD will champion His people, and obtain satisfaction for His servants. (15) The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. (16) They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see; (17) they have ears, but cannot hear, nor is there breath in their mouths. (18) Those who fashion them, all who trust in them, shall become like them. (19) 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 is the LORD from Zion, He who dwells in Jerusalem. Hallelujah.

"Standing Prayer"

1. Reading exercise – Read the Psalm in Hebrew and note any familiar phrases, expressions or words.

2. Activity – This Psalm has several different ways of describing G-d and G-d’s activity in the world. How would you describe the theological themes of the Psalm?

3. Setting – Please answer one of these questions:

  1. Verse 2 seems to indicate a particular setting for the Psalm. What does this verse tell you about the recitation of the Psalm. (See also the parallel Biblical citations below in question 5.)
  2. Verses 8-12 could be described as an encapsulated history of the Israelite people. Please comment on the historical events that are included and those that are left out.

4. Structure – How would you break this Psalm into sections? What holds the sections together?

5. Biblical/Rabbinic references-

Verse 1: Psalm 113:1

Verse 2: Psalm 92:14, Psalm 116:19

Verse 4: Exodus 19:5-6, Deuteronomy 14:2

Verse 5: Exodus 18:10-11

Verse 6: Psalm 115:3

Verse 9: Deuteronomy 34:11

Verse 11: Numbers 21:21-35, Deut. 3

Verse 13: Exodus 3:15

Verse 14: Deuteronomy 32:36

There are many parallels between this Psalm and Psalm 115. (The Jerusalem Commentary shows them in a chart.) I encourage you to review Psalm 115 and compare with Psalm 135.

Extra question: Psalm 115 (verses 9-11, 12-13) and Psalm 118 (verses 2-4) use similar language to describe groups of worshippers, בית ישראל, בית אהרן, יראי ה’. Our Psalm (verse 20) adds בית הלוי to this grouping. What ideas do you have about this addition?

6. Difficult words–

Verse 7 – נשיאים – here meaning rain clouds. See Jeremiah 10:13 and Jeremiah 51:16 for parallels.

Verse 14 – יתנחם –this root is also found in Psalm 90:13. What does this word mean in our Psalm?

7. Prayer and liturgy – Beginning with Psalm 113, the book of Psalms seems to follow a structure almost like an early prayer book. Psalms 135-136 are connected to one another. Halachic authorities differ about the precise definition of “The Great Hallel” – some include only Psalm 136, others include Psalm 135 and even Psalm 134. I will post some additional material about this. We will study more about the Great Hallel with Psalm 136.

8. Spiritual issues –

  1. Verse 14 tells us something about what it means to be in right relationship with G-d. Does this verse speak to you?
  2. Verses 15-18 offer a strong critique of idolatry. How are these verses relevant today?

9. Conclusion – The last verse of this Psalm describes G-d as “dwelling in Jerusalem”. What is the importance of Zion and Jerusalem to the Psalmist? What is the importance of Zion and Jerusalem in your theology?