Psalms 135:13

Psalms 135:13 says, Thy name, O LORD, endureth for ever; and thy memorial, O LORD, throughout all generations.  What the psalmist said then is just as true today.  The name of the LORD endures forever.  God being a memorial forever seems to refer to Exodus 3:15 where He refers to Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and adds, This is My name forever and this is my memorial to all generations.  Verse fourteen adds, For the LORD will judge his people, and he will repent himself concerning his servants.  God will one-day judge all His people, who are those who have been saved by putting their faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse fifteen states, The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.  The heathen, those who do not believe in God, make idols of silver and gold.  We still see them today.  Of course,  I believe an idol does not have to be shaped like some creature or man, but can be material things themself.  Verse sixteen adds, They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not;  Verse seventeen continues, They have ears, but they hear not; neither is there any breath in their mouths.  Of course, this refers to those man-made idols that look like they can speak, see, and hear, but have no breath of life in them.  No matter how realistic idols may be made, they are still but inanimate objects.  There is but one true and living God.  Verse eighteen concludes, They that make them are like unto them: so is every one that trusteth in them.  The psalmist declared those that made these idols to be just as unable to speak, see and hear the truth of God.  Until we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, we are just as dead spiritually as any idol that we worship.  Verse nineteen declares, Bless the LORD, O house of Israel: bless the LORD, O house of Aaron:  Verse twenty adds, Bless the LORD, O house of Levi: ye that fear the LORD, bless the LORD.  Then verse twenty-one concludes, Blessed be the LORD out of Zion, which dwelleth at Jerusalem. Praise ye the LORD.  All of God's people were called on to bless the LORD, and we must do the same today as Christians.  We must put aside all idols that may come into our lives and worship God alone.

Psalms 135:1

Psalms 135:1 says, Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the name of the LORD; praise him, O ye servants of the LORD.  The people of Israel were called on as servants of the LORD to praise Him.  We as Christians are servants of the same Lord and should praise Him just as much.  Verse two adds, Ye that stand in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our God,  Verse three continues, Praise the LORD; for the LORD is good: sing praises unto his name; for it is pleasant.  Those who were in the house of the LORD or His courts were called on not only to praise Him, but to sing praises to Him because it was pleasant, to Him I believe.  We need to sing praises to God today, especially in His house.  Verse four states,  For the LORD hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure.  The people of Israel were to sing praises to the LORD because He had chosen them.  We should sing praises to God today because He has chosen to make salvation available to us through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and our acceptance of His salvation.  Verse five adds, For I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.  We serve and worship the same God as the people of Israel did then, and He is indeed great and above all false gods.  Verse six declares, Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.  God created the heavens and earth as He chose to make them.  Verse seven adds, He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain; he bringeth the wind out of his treasuries.  God also created the weather system on the earth.  Scientists are still trying to find other planets like the earth, but have not done so.  Verse eight says, Who smote the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and beast.  God not only created the heavens and earth and chose the people of Israel to be His people, but He delivered them from bondage in Egypt.  God has chosen everyone who will put their faith in Jesus Christ to be His people, and He delivers those who do from the bondage of sin.  Verse nine adds, Who sent tokens and wonders into the midst of thee, O Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his servants.  God delivered the people of Israel from Egypt by sending plagues on Pharaoh and the Egyptians, but He delivers us today by faith in Jesus Christ alone.   Theirs was a temporary, physical deliverance, but ours as followers of Christ is an everlasting, spiritual deliverance.  Verse ten states, Who smote great nations, and slew mighty kings;  Verse eleven adds, Sihon king of the Amorites, and Og king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan:  The people of Israel were reminded that God had defeated all their enemies, and when we put our faith in Jesus Christ today, God has defeated all our enemies spiritually as well.  Verse  twelve continues, And gave their land for an heritage, an heritage unto Israel his people.  Just like the land of Israel was given to the people of God as a heritage, we as Christians are given a promised heavenly home as our heritage. 

Psalms 134:1

Psalms 134:1 says, A Song of degrees.  This is the last of the songs of degrees, then verse one says, Behold, bless ye the LORD, all ye servants of the LORD, which by night stand in the house of the LORD.  The psalmist asked for everyone who was a servant of the LORD  to bless Him.  This was directed especially to the priests who stood guard of the holy things at night to use their time worshipping God and not just idly passing the time.  We need to use our time wisely, especially when we are doing things to worship God.  It is possible to be sitting in a worship service and to be doing anything except worshipping God.  Our mind may be on something totally unrelated to God, and this is not true worship.  Verse two adds, Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the LORD.  The people of Israel were told to lift up their hands in worship in the sanctuary of the LORD and to worship Him.  There is some disagreement about lifting up our hands in worship today, but whether you do it or not, it is scriptural to do so.  Still, someone can raise their hands up in the sanctuary of God and still not truly be worshipping Him.  Whatever we do must be directed to God and not to others or to call attention to ourself.   Verse three concludes, The LORD that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion.  The psalmist said that the people of Israel were to worship the LORD that made the heavens and the earth.  We should worship God, the only true God, Who created everything, because He blesses us if we have put our faith in Jesus Christ. 

Psalms 133:1

Psalms 133:1 says, A Song of degrees of David.  This is identified as a song of degrees of David, then verse one says, Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!  David said it was good and pleasant for brethren, I believe those who were spiritual brothers and sisters, to live together in harmony.  As followers of Christ, we are all spiritual brothers and sisters, and wouldn't it be wonderful if we all lived together in harmony.  I don't mean just within the church building or our physical kinfolk, but with all our brothers and sisters in Christ.  Verse two adds, It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;  David said spiritually harmony is like the holy ointment that covered the whole head and neck of Aaron when he was anointed priest.  This was not just ordinary oil, but was precious oil made by God's specification and for His purpose.  We have the gift of the Holy Spirit today Who should cover us fully.  Verse three continues, As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.  David also compared spiritual unity to the dew that refreshes the grass.  Just as grass does not work to earn the dew, but it is just sent by God, we do not work for salvation, but it is a refreshing gift of God to those who accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.  Because of God's anointing, refreshing gift of salvation, we as Christians should live together in spiritual harmony.  

Psalms 132:8

Psalms 132:8 says, Arise, O LORD, into thy rest; thou, and the ark of thy strength.  Solomon said for God to arise into His rest, and into the ark of His strength.  The temple that was to be built might have been seen as the resting place of God and the ark as a sign of His strength, but that was all they were.  God is not limited by what we do or do not do for Him.  Verse nine adds, Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy saints shout for joy.  This applies to us as a priesthood of believers.  We should be clothed in righteousness and shouting with joy.  Verse ten continues, For thy servant David’s sake turn not away the face of thine anointed.  Solomon asked that God not turn His face away from him because of His promise to David.  God will not turn away from us today because of His promise made when Jesus Christ died for our sins if we accept Him as our Savior and Lord.  Verse eleven states, The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne.  Solomon said that God has sworn to set David's descendants upon the throne of Israel and that He would not turn from His promise.  Solomon was basically asking God to be with him as He was with David.  God will always be with us as individual Christians just as He is with all Christians past, present, and future.  Verse twelve adds, If thy children will keep my covenant and my testimony that I shall teach them, their children shall also sit upon thy throne for evermore.  God's promise was that a descendant of David would sit on the throne of Israel forever.  I believe that Jesus Christ is the forever King of Israel, and His people are those who accept Him by faith as their Savior and Lord.  Verse thirteen continues, For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation.  Solomon said that God had chosen Zion as the place for the temple.  Today, He chooses wherever we are as followers of Christ as the place to worship Him.  We are not limited to any specific place to worship God.  Verse fourteen says, This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it.  Solomon said that God had said that Zion would be His resting place forever.  I am not sure that there is now any one place that is more holy to God than any other, since Jesus said that He is the temple, and as His followers we become the temple of the Holy Spirit as well.  Verse fifteen adds, I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread.  Solomon said that God had promised to abundantly bless His people by providing for them, and He still does and always will.  Verse sixteen continues, I will also clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints shall shout aloud for joy.  Solomon said that God had promised to cloth the priests of Israel with righteousness, and as followers of Christ we are a priesthood of believers, so this promise applies to us as well.  God will provide for our needs if we continueto put our faith in Him.  Verse seventeen states, There will I make the horn of David to bud: I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed.  Verse eighteen concludes, His enemies will I clothe with shame: but upon himself shall his crown flourish.  Solomon said that God had promised to bless the descendants of David and to put his enemies to shame.  Today, this promise applies to the followers of Christ. 

Psalms 132:1

Psalms 132:1 says, A Song of degrees. This is identified as another song of degrees, then verse one says, LORD, remember David, and all his afflictions:  Solomon asked God to remember David in all his afflictions.  If we as Christians are suffering today, we should ask God to help us.  Verse two adds, How he sware unto the LORD, and vowed unto the mighty God of Jacob;  Solomon also asked God to remember how David had sworn His faith to God.  In order for us to expect God to help us in times of trouble, we must have a personal relationship with Him through putting our faith in Jesus Christ.  Once we do, God will never forget or forsake us.  Verse three states, Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house, nor go up into my bed;  Solomon said he was not going to bed until he settled things with God.  We also should make sure that we are at peace with God before we go to bed each night.  Verse four adds, I will not give sleep to mine eyes, or slumber to mine eyelids,  Solomon also said he not only wasn't going to bed, but he wasn't going to sleep until heard from God.  Verse five continues, Until I find out a place for the LORD, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.  Solomon added that he was not going to rest until he found a place for the habitation of God.  Solomon may have had afflictions in his life, but he was more concerned about the things of God than he was about his own problems.  We as followers of Christ may have problems in life, but our first concern must be the our relationship with God and His house.  Verse six says, Lo, we heard of it at Ephratah: we found it in the fields of the wood.  Mathew Henry says this is a reference to the Ark of the Covenant which had been located at Shiloh, but the people no longer knew where it was.  We will never have to wonder where the things of God are as Christians, because the Holy Spirit is always with us to guide and direct us to the way of God.  Verse seven adds, We will go into his tabernacles: we will worship at his footstool.  Solomon said that the people of Israel would go into the tabernacle of God and worship Him.  We need to always be ready to go into God's house and worship Him.  

Psalms 131:1

Psalms 131:1 says, A Song of degrees of David.  This is identified as another song of degrees by David, then verse one says, LORD, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.  I believe that this means that David was not self-centered.  We as followers of Christ cannot think that we have all the answers and get caught up in self pride.  We will never be more than sinners saved by grace, and we can never understand the things of God based on our own abilities.  We must learn about God by the leadership of the Holy Spirit.  Verse two adds, Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child.  David said that in his relationship with God that he was like an obedient child.  Still, David had grown in his relationship with God and was able to understand more without being fed simply with milk.  As new Christians, we start by learning the simple truths of God, but as we mature, we should be able to understand more and more what it means to follow Christ.   Verse three concludes, Let Israel hope in the LORD from henceforth and for ever.  As David asked of Israel, God's chosen people then, we as Christians today must put our hope in the LORD forevermore.  There is no lasting hope without faith in God.