What does Psalms Chapter 134 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

Name praise follows Jacob and Israel’s election. Creation and named deliverances precede future judgment. Idol likeness is requested before four groups are called to bless.

Chapter breakdown

Laudate nomen is the incipit and the heading calls praise and notes idol vanity. Alleluia leads commands for servants standing in God’s house and courts to praise His good name and sing because it is sweet. Jacob was chosen and Israel made possession; the speaker has known the Lord great above all gods.

He did what pleased Him in heaven, earth, sea and deeps, brings clouds from earth’s end, made lightning for rain and brings winds from stores. He slew Egypt’s firstborn from man to beast, sent signs upon Pharao and servants, smote nations and slew mighty kings: Sehon of Amorrhites, Og of Basan and Chanaan kingdoms. Their land was given Israel as inheritance. The Lord’s name and memorial last through generations; He will judge His people and be entreated for servants. Future judgment is retained.

Gentile silver and gold idols are human works, with unspeaking mouths, unseeing eyes, unhearing ears and no mouth breath. The speaker asks makers and trusters to be like them; requested likeness is not a certified spiritual-death diagnosis. Israel, Aaron, Levi and fearers are called to bless, ending blessing from Sion of the Jerusalem-dwelling Lord. No completed assembly or choir response is invented.

The story inside

Opening: Name praise follows Jacob and Israel’s election. Development: Creation and named deliverances precede future judgment. Conclusion: Idol likeness is requested before four groups are called to bless.

Lessons worth keeping

1
Name praise follows Jacob and Israel’s election.
2
Creation and named deliverances precede future judgment.
3
Idol likeness is requested before four groups are called to bless.

Test your recall

Which images and requests does the speaker use, and what does the chapter leave unresolved?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 66369–66373
134:1. Alleluia. Praise ye the name of the Lord: O you his servants, praise the Lord: 134:2. You that stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.
Lines 66384–66388
134:6. Whatsoever the Lord pleased he hath done, in heaven, in earth, in the sea, and in all the deeps. 134:7. He bringeth up clouds from the end of the earth: he hath made lightnings for the rain. He bringeth forth winds out of his stores:
Lines 66409–66419
134:15. The idols of the Gentiles are silver and gold, the works of men’s hands. 134:16. They have a mouth, but they speak not: they have eyes, but they see not. 134:17. They have ears, but they hear not: neither is there any breath in their mouths. 134:18. Let them that make them be like to them: and every one that trusteth in them.