Psalm 135: On the attributes of God (v1-4)

The first four verses of Psalm 135 call on us to praise God in and of himself.    

In the opening book of his Summa Theologica, St Thomas Aquinas provides an analysis of the attributes of God.  There are a number of different summaries around of them, but one common one is that God: is spiritual, not material; transcendent (wholly other compared to us) and immanent (working within us and human affairs); good; exists absolutely; is eternal; infinite; intelligent; one; omniscient and omnipotent.

It is worth keeping this list in front of you as you go through Psalm 135, because it, together with Psalms 113&134, provides Scriptural citations for pretty much all of them.  The whole psalm, of course, is a paean to his immanence and transcendence, but do go back and reread all three of the psalms against that list.  

The verses

Goodness: God's goodness, reflected in his work of creation and redemption, is the overriding theme of all three of these psalms, but Psalm 135 is the only one of three to explicitly start from this point, saying:

1.Confitémini (give praise) Dómino (to the Lord), quóniam (because) [est he is] bonus (good).

Existence: Psalm 113 and 134 both assert his existence (eg 'our God is heaven', Psalm 113:11), and reject the claims of false idols.   Psalm 135 similarly affirms his vast superiority to all other claimants to the title of god:

2. Confitémini (give praise) Deo (to the God) deórum (of gods)

...3. Dómino (to the Lord) dominórum (of Lords).

All of these attributes apply equally, of course, to all the persons of God.  Nonetheless, St Robert Bellarmine suggests that we can particularly think of verse 1 as referring to God the Father, verse 2 to the Son, and verse 3 to the holy Spirit.

Omnipotent:  Psalm 135 adds on to this insistence on his unique existence his great power:

4. Qui (who) facit (he makes) mirabília (wonders) magna (great) solus (alone).  

Psalms 113 and 134 both add in, on this theme 'ómnia quæcúmque vóluit, fecit' (all that he wishes, he does).

Translation comparisons

And for those wanting to compare different versions of the text, here are the verses with the Latin Vulgate (V), Neo-Vulgate (NV), St Jerome's 'from the Hebrew' Latin (JH) and Septuagint, together with vocabulary notes from the Latin, and a selection of English translations.

1	V/NV/JH	Confitémini dómino, quóniam bonus: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
		ἐξομολογεῖσθε τῷ κυρίῳ ὅτι χρηστός ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ

confiteor, fessus sum, eri 2 to praise, give thanks; to confess, acknowledge one's guilt.

bonus, a, um, good;  pleasant; upright  good things, possessions, prosperity.

quoniam, conj.,  for, because, since, seeing that, whereas

in aeternum forever

misericordia, ae, mercy, kindness, favor, compassion, loving-kindness.

Douay-Rheims (DR)	Praise the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endures for ever.
Brenton (from the Septuagint)	Give thanks to the Lord: for he is good: for his mercy endures for ever.
RSV	O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures for ever.
Coverdale	Give thanks unto the Lord, for he is gracious (and his mercy endureth for ever).
Knox	Give thanks to the Lord for his goodness, his mercy is eternal;

2	V/NV/JH	Confitémini Deo deórum: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
		ἐξομολογεῖσθε τῷ θεῷ τῶν θεῶν ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ

DR	Praise the God of gods: for his mercy endures for ever.
Brenton	Give thanks to the God of gods; for his mercy endures forever.
Knox	give thanks to the God of gods, his mercy is eternal;

3	V/NV/JH	Confitémini dómino dominórum: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
		ἐξομολογεῖσθε τῷ κυρίῳ τῶν κυρίων ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ

  

DR	Praise the Lord of lords: for his mercy endures for ever.
Brenton	Give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endures for ever.
Cover	O thank the Lord of all lords (for his mercy endureth forever),

4	V/NV/JH	Qui facit mirabília magna solus: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
		τῷ ποιοῦντι θαυμάσια μεγάλα μόνῳ ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ

mirabilis, e wonderful, marvelous;  subst., mirabilia, mm, wonders, wonderful works, marvellous things.

magnus, a, um, great, mighty; elders

solus, a, um, alone, only

DR	Who alone does great wonders: for his mercy endures for ever.
Brenton	To him who along has wrought great wonders: for his mercy endures for ever.
Cover	who only doeth great wonders (for his mercy endureth for ever);
Knox	Eternal his mercy, who does great deeds as none else can;

Psalm 135

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Alleluja.
1 Confitémini Dómino, quóniam bonus: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	Praise the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endures for ever.
2  Confitémini Deo deórum: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	2 Praise the God of gods: for his mercy endures for ever.
3  Confitémini Dómino dominórum: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	3 Praise the Lord of lords: for his mercy endures for ever.
4  Qui facit mirabília magna solus: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	4 Who alone does great wonders: for his mercy endures for ever.
5  Qui fecit cælos in intelléctu: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	5 Who made the heavens in understanding: for his mercy endures for ever.
6  Qui firmávit terram super aquas: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	6 Who established the earth above the waters: for his mercy endures for ever.
7  Qui fecit luminária magna: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	7 Who made the great lights: for his mercy endures for ever.
8  Solem in potestátem diéi : * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus	8 The sun to rule the day: for his mercy endures for ever.
9  Lunam et stellas in potestátem noctis: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	9 The moon and the stars to rule the night: for his mercy endures for ever.
10  Qui percússit Ægyptum cum primogénitis eórum: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	10 Who smote Egypt with their firstborn: for his mercy endures for ever.
11  Qui edúxit Israël de médio eórum: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	11 Who brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy endures for ever.
12  In manu poténti, et bráchio excélso : * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	12 With a mighty hand and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endures for ever.
13  Qui divísit Mare Rubrum in divisiónes: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	13 Who divided the Red Sea into parts: for his mercy endures for ever.
14  Et edúxit Israël per médium ejus: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	14 And brought out Israel through the midst thereof: for his mercy endures for ever.
15  Et excussit Pharaónem, et virtútem ejus in Mari Rubro: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	15 And overthrew Pharao and his host in the Red Sea: for his mercy endures for ever.
16  Qui tradúxit pópulum suum per desértum: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	16 Who led his people through the desert: for his   mercy endures for ever.
17  Qui percússit reges magnos: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	17 Who smote great kings: for his mercy endures for ever.
18  Et occídit reges fortes : * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	18 And slew strong kings: for his mercy endures for ever.
19  Sehon, regem Amorrhæórum: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	19 Sehon king of the Amorrhites: for his mercy endures for ever.
20  Et Og, regem Basan: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	20 And Og king of Basan: for his mercy endures for ever.
21  Et dedit terram eórum hereditátem : * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	21 And he gave their land for an inheritance: for his mercy endures for ever.
22  Hereditátem Israël, servo suo : * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	22 For an inheritance to his servant Israel: for his mercy endures for ever.
23  Quia in humilitáte nostra memor fuit nostri: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	23 For he was mindful of us in our affliction: for his mercy endures for ever
24  Et redémit nos ab inimícis nostris: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	24 And he redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endures for ever.
25  Qui dat escam omni carni: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus	25 Who gives food to all flesh: for his mercy endures for ever.
26  Confitémini Deo cæli: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	26 Give glory to the God of heaven: for his mercy endures for ever.
27  Confitémini Dómino dominórum: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	Give glory to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endures for ever

And for the next set of notes on the verses of Psalm 135, continue on here.

Introduction to Psalm 135

Allegory of the Holy Trinity, Perugia

Psalm 135, the second psalm of Vespers on Wednesday in the Benedictine Office,  is known in Jewish tradition as the 'Great Hallel', and is recited at the Passover meal after the "Lesser Hallel" (Psalms 112-117). It was almost certainly also used antiphonally in Temple worship.

Psalm 135 (136) – Confitemini Domino

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Alleluja.
1 Confitémini Dómino, quóniam bonus: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	Praise the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endures for ever.
2  Confitémini Deo deórum: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	2 Praise the God of gods: for his mercy endures for ever.
3  Confitémini Dómino dominórum: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	3 Praise the Lord of lords: for his mercy endures for ever.
4  Qui facit mirabília magna solus: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	4 Who alone does great wonders: for his mercy endures for ever.
5  Qui fecit cælos in intelléctu: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	5 Who made the heavens in understanding: for his mercy endures for ever.
6  Qui firmávit terram super aquas: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	6 Who established the earth above the waters: for his mercy endures for ever.
7  Qui fecit luminária magna: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	7 Who made the great lights: for his mercy endures for ever.
8  Solem in potestátem diéi : * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus	8 The sun to rule the day: for his mercy endures for ever.
9  Lunam et stellas in potestátem noctis: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	9 The moon and the stars to rule the night: for his mercy endures for ever.
10  Qui percússit Ægyptum cum primogénitis eórum: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	10 Who smote Egypt with their firstborn: for his mercy endures for ever.
11  Qui edúxit Israël de médio eórum: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	11 Who brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy endures for ever.
12  In manu poténti, et bráchio excélso : * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	12 With a mighty hand and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endures for ever.
13  Qui divísit Mare Rubrum in divisiónes: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	13 Who divided the Red Sea into parts: for his mercy endures for ever.
14  Et edúxit Israël per médium ejus: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	14 And brought out Israel through the midst thereof: for his mercy endures for ever.
15  Et excussit Pharaónem, et virtútem ejus in Mari Rubro: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	15 And overthrew Pharao and his host in the Red Sea: for his mercy endures for ever.
16  Qui tradúxit pópulum suum per desértum: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	16 Who led his people through the desert: for his mercy endures for ever.
17  Qui percússit reges magnos: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	17 Who smote great kings: for his mercy endures for ever.
18  Et occídit reges fortes : * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	18 And slew strong kings: for his mercy endures for ever.
19  Sehon, regem Amorrhæórum: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	19 Sehon king of the Amorrhites: for his mercy endures for ever.
20  Et Og, regem Basan: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	20 And Og king of Basan: for his mercy endures for ever.
21  Et dedit terram eórum hereditátem : * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	21 And he gave their land for an inheritance: for his mercy endures for ever.
22  Hereditátem Israël, servo suo : * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	22 For an inheritance to his servant Israel: for his mercy endures for ever.
23  Quia in humilitáte nostra memor fuit nostri: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	23 For he was mindful of us in our affliction: for his mercy endures for ever
24  Et redémit nos ab inimícis nostris: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	24 And he redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endures for ever.
25  Qui dat escam omni carni: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus	25 Who gives food to all flesh: for his mercy endures for ever.
26  Confitémini Deo cæli: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	26 Give glory to the God of heaven: for his mercy endures for ever.
27  Confitémini Dómino dominórum: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	Give glory to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endures for ever

Psalm 135 is, in essence, about God's wondrous nature:  in itself (verses 1-4); as creator and sustainer of the world (verses 5-9; 25); and providentially guiding human history (verses 10-22).  Above all, it is the story of God's choice of Israel, the Church, as his people (verses 21-25).

There is a lot of overlap in content Psalm 135 and Psalm 134, as well as with Psalm 113 from Monday Vespers, and so in the next posts on the verses, rather than going over the same ground again, I'll try and draw out those connections.

For his mercy endures forever

The particularly distinctive feature of Psalm 135 is that it is structured as a litany.

Each verse can be understood as beginning, St Augustine tells us, as do the first four, 'give thanks to the Lord for...'.

Each verse concludes with the refrain 'for his mercy (steadfast love) endures forever'.

Pope Benedict XVI, in a General Audience provided this commentary on the refrain:

"Let us first reflect on the refrain "for his mercy endures for ever". At the centre of the phrase the word "mercy" rings out. In fact, it is a legitimate but limited translation of the original Hebrew term hesed. This is actually a word that belongs to the characteristic terminology used in the Bible to express the Covenant that exists between the Lord and his People. The term seeks to define the attitudes deriving from this relationship:  faithfulness, loyalty, love, and of course, God's mercy. We have here a concise summary that portrays the deep, personal bond established by the Creator with his creature. With this relationship, God does not appear in the Bible as an impassive and implacable Lord against whose mysterious power it is useless to struggle. Instead, he shows himself as a person who loves his creatures, watches over them, follows them on their way through history and suffers because of the infidelities with which the people often oppose his hesed, his merciful and fatherly love..."

God's transcendence and immanence

Psalm 135, like its predecessor, dwells on the nature of God, in terms of both his transcendence and immanence, as Pope Benedict's commentary on it suggests:

"The first part, therefore, addresses creation as a reflection of God's beauty, and the second part speaks of history and the good that God has done for us in the course of time. 

The Lord, of course, is transcendent as the Creator and Arbiter of being; but he is also close to his creatures, entering space and time. He does not remain far away, in a distant Heaven. On the contrary, his presence in our midst reaches its crowning point in Christ's Incarnation. This is what the Christian interpretation of the Psalm clearly proclaims, as the Fathers of the Church testified: they saw as the culminating point of the history of salvation and the supreme sign of the Father's merciful love his gift of his Son to be the Saviour and Redeemer of humanity (cf. Jn 3:16)."

Liturgical and Scriptural uses of the psalm

NT references	Jas 1:17(v8); Lk 1:48(v23); Lk 1:71 (v24)
RB cursus	Wed Vesper+AN 4567
Monastic feasts etc	AN 1351, 3625
Roman pre 1911	Thurs Vespers
Responsories	-
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Thurs Vespers  . 1970:
Mass propers (EF)	-

And you can find the first in a series of notes on the verses of Psalm 135 here..

Psalm 134 verses 19-21

Reconstruction of the temple of Jerusalem.
From William of Tyre, Histoire d'Outremer.

The last three verses of Psalm 134 are an injunction for all those who know truth to praise God, bringing us back to the liturgical context of the psalm, for above all, God's chosen people are those who worship him through the Church.  Pope Benedict XVI explained:

"...Psalm 135[134] concludes with a liturgical blessing (cf. vv. 19-21) that introduces a series of figures who feature in the cult practised in the temple of Zion (cf. Ps 115[113B]: 9-13). From the whole community gathered in the temple, a blessing rises in unison to God, Creator of the universe and Saviour of his people in history, expressed in their different voices and in the humility of faith. The liturgy is the privileged place in which to hear the divine Word which makes present the Lord's saving acts; but it is also the context in which the community raises its prayer celebrating divine love. God and man meet each other in an embrace of salvation that finds fulfilment precisely in the liturgical celebration. We might say that this is almost a definition of the liturgy:  it brings about an embrace of salvation between God and man."

Verses 19-20

Verses 19 and 20 mirror fairly closely the concluding verses of Psalm 113, as the table below illustrates:

Psalm 113	Psalm 134
17  Domus Israël sperávit in Dómino: * adjútor eórum et protéctor eórum est, 18  Domus Aaron sperávit in Dómino: * adjútor eórum et protéctor eórum est, 19  Qui timent Dóminum, speravérunt in Dómino: * adjútor eórum et protéctor eórum est.	19 Domus Israël, benedicite Domino; domus Aaron, benedicite Domino. 20 Domus Levi, benedicite Domino;  qui timetis Dominum, benedicite Domino.

Instead of instructing us to trust in him as our help and protector, though, as Psalm 113 does, this psalm invites us to bless him, or thank him for all he has given us: benedicite is an imperative, an order to 'bless', so the repeated phrase 'benedicite Domino' means literally 'give blessing to the Lord' (bless the Lord).  The three houses named represent all Israel (the whole Church), the priests and ministers (house of Aaron and Levi), and 'all you who fear the Lord'.

Bellarmine links it to the previous verses on false idols saying:

"Having compared the true with the false gods, he now institutes a comparison between their relative worshippers, and , by way of imprecation, predicts that the votaries of the former would be like their idols, dumb, blind and deaf as regards the seeking for and finding, and praising, what is truly good, and he invites the servants of the true God to bless the Lord, for they, as being images of the living God, see, hear, and speak, and therefore bound to exercise their tongue in praising that God, from whom they have the senses of feeling, life, and understanding...."

 Verse 21

21	V/NV	Benedíctus Dóminus ex sion, * qui hábitat in Jerúsalem
		εὐλογητὸς κύριος ἐκ Σιων ὁ κατοικῶν Ιερουσαλημ

Benedictus (Blessed) Dominus (the Lord) ex Sion (from Sion), qui (who) habitat (lives) in Jerusalem.

benedico, dixi, dictum, ere 3  to bless, to praise, bless, give thanks to (God);  to be well pleased with, to take pleasure in

DR	Blessed be the Lord out of Sion, who dwells in Jerusalem.
Brenton	Blessed in Sion be the Lord, who dwells in Jerusalem.
Cover	Praised be the Lord out of Sion, who dwelleth at Jerusalem.
Knox	Here, in Sion his dwelling-place, here, in Jerusalem, let the Lord’s name be blessed.

Verse 21 can, the Fathers point out, can be interpreted as alluding to both this world and the next.

Chrysostom provides an exposition of the importance of the Temple which we can equally apply to our churches today:

"Now once again he makes mention of Sion and Jerusalem: since it was there he developed for them the elements of their way of life, the practice of worship had its basis there, and there they were schooled and kept in order, he wanted to make those places holy with a name of God's giving so that once made venerable they might be more of an object of care at their hands, once an object of care they might be more attractive to them, once attractive they might attach them to worship, and once having attached them they might lead them to greater virtue, which was the reason for everything."

But of course, the verse also invites us to look to heaven, and that future we hope to enjoy through the grace of God.  

Psalm 134 (135) – Laudate nomen Domini

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Alleluja.	Alleluia
1 Laudáte nomen Dómini, * laudáte, servi Dóminum.	Praise the name of the Lord: O you his servants, praise the Lord:
2  Qui statis in domo Dómini, * in átriis domus Dei nostri.	2 You that stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.
3  Laudáte Dóminum, quia bonus Dóminus: * psállite nómini ejus, quóniam suáve.	3 Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good: sing to his name, for it is sweet.
4  Quóniam Jacob elégit sibi Dóminus, * Israël in possessiónem sibi.	4 For the Lord has chosen Jacob unto himself: Israel for his own possession.
5  Quia ego cognóvi quod magnus est Dóminus, * et Deus noster præ ómnibus diis.	5 For I have known that the Lord is great, and our God is above all gods.
6  Omnia quæcúmque vóluit, Dóminus fecit in cælo, et in terra, * in mari, et in ómnibus abyssis.	6 Whatsoever the Lord pleased he has done, in heaven, in earth, in the sea, and in all the deeps.
7  Edúcens nubes ab extrémo terræ: * fúlgura in plúviam fecit.	7 He brings up clouds from the end of the earth: he has made lightnings for the rain. He brings forth winds out of his stores:
8  Qui prodúcit ventos de thesáuris suis: * qui percússit primogénita Ægypti ab hómine usque ad pecus.	8 He slew the firstborn of Egypt from man even unto beast.
9  Et misit signa, et prodígia in médio tui, Ægypte: * in Pharaónem, et in omnes servos ejus.	9 He sent forth signs and wonders in the midst of you, O Egypt: upon Pharao, and upon all his servants.
10  Qui percússit gentes multas: * et occídit reges fortes:	10 He smote many nations, and slew mighty kings:
11  Sehon, regem Amorrhæórum, et Og, regem Basan, * et ómnia regna Chánaan.	11 Sehon king of the Amorrhites, and Og king of Basan, and all the kingdoms of Chanaan.
12  Et dedit terram eórum hereditátem, * hereditátem Israël, pópulo suo.	12 And gave their land for an inheritance, for an inheritance to his people Israel.
13  Dómine, nomen tuum in ætérnum: * Dómine, memoriále tuum in generatiónem et generatiónem.	13 Your name, O Lord, is for ever: your memorial, O Lord, unto all generations.
14  Quia judicábit Dóminus pópulum suum: * et in servis suis deprecábitur	14 For the Lord will judge his people, and will be entreated in favour of his servants.
15  Simulácra Géntium argéntum et aurum: * ópera mánuum hóminum.	15 The idols of the Gentiles are silver and gold, the works of men's hands.
16  Os habent, et non loquéntur: * óculos habent, et non vidébunt.	16 They have a mouth, but they speak not: they have eyes, but they see not.
17  Aures habent, et non áudient: * neque enim est spíritus in ore ipsórum.	17 They have ears, but they hear not: neither is there any breath in their mouths.
18  Símiles illis fiant qui fáciunt ea: * et omnes qui confídunt in eis.	18 Let them that make them be like to them: and every one that trusts in them.
19  Domus Israël,  benedícite Dómino: * domus Aaron, benedícite Dómino.	19 Bless the Lord, O house of Israel: bless the Lord, O house of Aaron.
20  Domus Levi, benedícite Dómino: * qui timétis Dóminum, benedícite Dómino.	20 Bless the Lord, O house of Levi: you that fear the Lord, bless the Lord.
21  Benedíctus Dóminus ex Sion, * qui hábitat in Jerúsalem.	21 Blessed be the Lord out of Sion, who dwells in Jerusalem.

And that concludes this series on Psalm 134. But you can find an introduction to the next psalm of Wednesday Vespers, Psalm 135, here.