Psalm 135:1-2

New Catholic Bible

Footnotes

1. Psalm 135:1 Composed of fragments taken from other psalms (Pss 113; 115; 134; 136), this hymn sings the praises of the true God. The psalmist acclaims the one who holds the whole universe in his hands; he glorifies the one who chose the people of Israel and guided them to their destiny from the liberation from Egypt up to their establishment in Canaan. The entire people—priests, Levites, faithful, and God-fearers (vv. 19-20)—is convoked to this praise, which celebrates the Creator of the world and the Redeemer of Israel. In the face of such solid faith, all mention of false gods becomes a caricature. Are our hymns to God true enough to cast scorn on all the new idols that we ceaselessly create for ourselves?
   We can use this psalm to praise the heavenly Father for his wonders in favor of Israel (with whom we are spiritually united) and in favor of his Son Jesus, King of Israel. We can also use it to praise the Lord Jesus, Master of nature for the service of the new Israel, Savior of his Church, the only true God in the unity of the Father and the Holy Spirit.
2. Psalm 135:1 An exhortation to praise God, who is good and who has love for his own.
3. Psalm 135:1 Taken from Ps 113:1; see Jud 4:14. The praise of God included a recitation of his wonders in creation (Ps 135:5-7) and in redemptive history (vv. 8-12). Servants of the Lord: although the identity of the “servants” is debated, the general consensus, based on the text itself, is that the word denotes the priests and Levites, who praised the Lord day and night (see 1 Chr 9:33; 23:26, 30).
4. Psalm 135:2 Taken from Ps 134:1; see Ps 92:14.