Изъяснение псалма 135-го.

"Hallelujah" And prophetic grace composed this song for the Jews returning from captivity, bringing them benefit with many admonitions. Ps.135:1. Praise the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy endures forever. “Confess to the Lord that He is good, for His mercy endures forever.” Bring to God, says the Prophet, a song of gratitude, remembering the blessings He has sent down and marveling at His immeasurable mercy. Ps.136:2. Praise the God of gods, for His mercy endures forever. “Confess to the God of gods: for His mercy endures forever.” By the name of gods the Prophet does not mean idols here; because I would not call God the God of those who do not exist: “There is no God, the God of the dead, but the God of the living” (Matthew 22:32). Therefore, he calls those who have been granted the honor of the priesthood and are called sons of God gods. So in the law it is said: “Do not speak evil of the gods, and do not speak evil to the prince of your people” (Ex. 22:28): and: “My firstborn son Israel” (Ex. 4:22), through the mouth of Isaiah God says: “Sons have begotten and raised up” (Is. 1:2); and in the psalms: “Az rekh: you are gods and sons of the Most High” (Psalm 81:6). This is what the Prophet called gods, as they were called sons of God. Ps.135:3. Praise the Lord of lords, for His mercy endures forever. “Confess the Lord of lords: for His mercy endures forever.” Both kings and princes, having received power from God, rule over their subordinates. So the Lord said: “kings of tongue rule over them,” and princes “possess them” (Matthew 20:25). But some of the Angels are also called dominions. That is why the divine Apostle said: “even if the essence of the verbs is bozi” (many verbs, but not real, participating in the name, and not in the essence), “either in heaven or on earth: as they are many gods: but to us there is one God the Father, from Him are all things, and we are with Him, and one Lord Jesus Christ, in Him are all things, and by Him we are” (1 Cor. 8:5-6). The psalm called him the Lord of true lords. Ps.135:4. The One who alone works great wonders, for His mercy endures forever. “Great is to him alone who has performed miracles: for His mercy endures forever.” Miracles are also performed by His zealous servants; but we call the miracles of Moses, Jesus, and Elias God’s, as well as the signs performed by the sacred Apostles. Therefore, the Prophet rightly called one God the Creator of “great miracles.” Then He points out His great creations. Ps.136:5. Who created the heavens in wisdom, for His mercy endures forever. “To Him who made the heavens with His understanding: for His mercy endures forever”; because the visible heaven alone preaches God’s wisdom; Great is the vastness, beauty, and durability of the sky. Ps.136:6. He established the earth on the waters, for His mercy endures forever. “To Him who established the earth on the waters: for His mercy endures forever.” And it is worthy of surprise, beyond human understanding, that the earth, surrounded on all sides by waters, stands and abides in its own nature. The hymn writer rightly adds to all these sayings a mention of eternal mercy; because, not out of his own need, but out of one love for mankind, the Lover of Mankind created everything. Ps.135:7. He created great lights, for His mercy endures forever. “Great is to Him who made the only light: for His mercy endures forever.” Man, a participant in Divine Providence, usually lights lamps, but taken together, earthly fire is not likened to the radiance of one star; The sun is more luminous than all the stars and the moon itself; because when it appears, it makes the stars invisible and weakens the rays of the moon. Ps.135:8. The sun is to rule the day, for His mercy endures forever. Ps.135:9. The moon and stars are to rule the night, for His mercy endures forever. “The sun is in the region of the day: for His mercy endures forever.” “The moon and stars in the region of the night: for His mercy endures forever.” God divided time for the luminaries, and with the rays of the sun he makes the day, and with the moon and stars he illuminates the night, and through this he shows his own goodness. Ps.135:10. He smote Egypt among its firstborn, for His mercy endures forever. “He who smote Egypt with its firstborn: for His mercy endureth forever.” With this, perhaps someone will ask: how is death arranged by grace? Therefore, let him pay attention to the solution to the proposed question, namely, that God, out of mercy for the offended, punishes the offenders. For the Prophet added this here too. Ps.135:11. And He brought Israel out from among them, for His mercy endures forever. “And to him that brought Israel out from among them: for his mercy endureth forever.” Mercy towards Israel was the reason for the punishment of the Egyptians, but mercy and punishment were mixed with righteousness; because he pardoned the Israelites justly, and punished the Egyptians lawfully. Ps.136:12. With a strong hand and an outstretched arm, for His mercy endures forever. “With a strong hand and an outstretched arm, for His mercy endures forever.” The Prophet called “hand” efficiency, “muscle” - strength, and made it clear to both that God, having accomplished the salvation of His people, thereby revealed His own strength. Ps.135:13. He divided the Red Sea, for His mercy endures forever. “To Him who divided the Red Sea into divisions: for His mercy endures forever.” Others, following Jewish fables, argued that divisions occurred in the Red Sea equal to the twelve tribes; because the Prophet said: "divisions" and not divisions. But they should have known that when the sea was cut into two parts, from one there became two. “There was water on their right hand and a wall on their left” (Ex. 14:29). That is why the Prophet called the division of the sea into two parts divisions. Ps.135:14. And He brought Israel through the midst of it, for His mercy endures forever. Ps.135:15. And he cast Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea, for His mercy endures forever. “And to him that led Israel through the midst of them: for his mercy endureth for ever”: “And to him that shook Pharaoh and his strength in the Red Sea: for his mercy endureth for ever.” His power was the work of both, and that the Israelites crossed the sea comfortably, and that the Egyptians were buried in the waters. Ps.135:16. He led His people through the wilderness, for His mercy endures forever. “He who led His people in the wilderness, for His mercy endures forever.” And this is proof of God’s power to saturate so many people and so much time in the desert, to supply them in abundance with what they need. Ps.135:17. He has smitten great kings, for His mercy endures forever. Ps.135:18. And he slew mighty kings, for His mercy endureth forever. “Great is to him who has smitten kings: for His mercy endureth forever.” “And to him who slew mighty kings: for His mercy endureth forever.” And we have already made a brief interpretation of this. Ps.135:19. Sihon king of the Amorites, for His mercy endures forever. Ps.135:20. And Og, king of Bashan, for His mercy endures forever. “Sihon the king of the Amorites: for His mercy endureth for ever”: “And Og the king of Bashan: for His mercy endureth for ever.” Not without intention, the Prophet, passing by the silence of other kings, mainly mentioned these, but wanting to remind the Israelites of the God-given victory; because these kings were famous for their strength, power and bodily growth. Og, due to his great physical stature, used an iron bed, nine lacs in length and five in width. Ps.135:21. And he gave their land as an inheritance, for His mercy endures forever. Ps.135:22. As an inheritance to His servant Israel, for His mercy endures forever. “And to him who gave the land their heritage: for His mercy endures forever”: “The heritage of Israel to His servant: for His mercy endures forever.” Having destroyed them all and put them to death, he made Israel the owner of their land. Ps.136:23. He remembered us in our humiliation, for His mercy endures forever. Ps.136:24. And He delivered us from our enemies, for His mercy endures forever. “For in our humility I will remember the Lord: for His mercy endures forever.” “And He delivered us from our enemies: for His mercy endureth forever.” Blessed Moses also mentions this; for he says: “The children of Israel groaned because of their works, and their cry went up to God” (Ex. 2:23). But he again had mercy when they were captives, and returned them to their native land. Ps.136:25. He gives food to all flesh, for His mercy endures forever. “Give food to all flesh: for His mercy endures forever.” From the Providence of the particular, the Prophet moves again to the universal, proclaiming God’s care for everything. For not only to people, but also to the dumb, it gives decent food. So the Lord says in Holy Scripture: “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor gather into barns, but your heavenly Father feeds them” (Matthew 6:26). Ps.135:26. Praise the God of heaven, for His mercy endures forever. “Confess to the God of heaven: for His mercy endures forever.” God is the God of all; because the Creator of everything, but is actually called the God of heaven; because the angels who live in heaven serve Him, and this country is clean from sin. You might be interested in: