Psalms 135:1-21 - Homilies By C. Short

God's praises.

"An exhortation to the priests and Levites who wait in the sanctuary to praise Jehovah, both because of his goodness in choosing Israel to be his people, and because of his greatness, and the almighty power which he has shown, in his dominion over the world of nature, and in the overthrow of all the enemies of his people. Then his abiding majesty is contrasted with the nothingness of the idols of the heathen."

I. THE GENERAL GROUNDS OF THE PRAISE OF GOD .

1. Because he is good. ( Psalms 135:3 .)

2. Because his name or nature is beautiful, or lovely.

II. SPECIAL GROUNDS OF PRAISE .

1. Because he has chosen Israel to be his people . When God has bestowed great privileges he seems to have chosen such a people, as in the case of the Jews and the other great peoples of the world.

2. Because of the greatness of God in the works of nature . His will is absolute and irresistible in all the material world. But man has free will, and can oppose God, though God's will is supremely good and ought to be obeyed.

3. Because of the greatness and goodness of God in redemption . ( Psalms 135:8 , Psalms 135:9 .) In both temporal and spiritual redemption. He gave his people the promised land.

4. The righteousness of God . ( Psalms 135:14 .) He judgeth his people, and has pity upon them. Righteousness and mercy make the perfect God worthy of all praise-worship.

5. God ' s infinite sympathy compared with the idols of the heathen . They cannot speak, or see, or hear. God is in contact and sympathy with the meanest of his creatures.—S.