What is the meaning of Psalm 135:4? For the LORD The verse begins by centering everything on “the LORD,” the covenant name that revealed God’s unchanging, self-existent nature (Exodus 3:14). It reminds us: • All praise in the psalm flows from who He is, not from circumstances (Psalm 135:1–3). • His sovereignty stands unmatched—“I am the LORD, and there is no other” (Isaiah 45:5). Because the LORD is utterly faithful, every promise that follows carries absolute certainty. has chosen God’s action is deliberate and gracious. Deuteronomy 7:6 echoes the thought: “The LORD your God has chosen you… out of all the peoples on the face of the earth.” • Choice springs from His love, not Israel’s merit (Deuteronomy 7:7–8). • His election secures and sustains His people (Ephesians 1:4 shows the same principle in the New Testament). The psalmist therefore invites confident worship rather than anxious striving. Jacob By naming Jacob, Scripture zooms in on one man—flawed, yet transformed by grace (Genesis 28:13–15; 32:28). • God’s choice reaches individuals, not merely crowds. • Jacob’s story proves the LORD can redeem, rename, and repurpose anyone (Malachi 1:2 affirms His enduring love for Jacob). If He was faithful to Jacob, He will be faithful to us. as His own Ownership language conveys covenant intimacy. “Although the whole earth is Mine, you will be My treasured possession” (Exodus 19:5). • Belonging means security; what God owns, He protects (John 10:28). • Belonging means identity; Israel’s worth comes from Him, not from status or strength (Isaiah 41:13). God doesn’t merely tolerate His people—He claims them. Israel Now the focus widens from the patriarch to the nation birthed from him. “But now, this is what the LORD says—He who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you’” (Isaiah 43:1). • National Israel stands as a living testimony to God’s covenant fidelity (Romans 9:4). • Their preservation through history underscores His unbroken promise (Jeremiah 31:35-37). The verse thus calls every generation of Israelites—and those grafted in by faith (Romans 11:17)—to remember His steadfast love. as His treasured possession This final phrase paints a picture of affection and value: • Unique value—“The LORD has chosen you to be His treasured possession” (Deuteronomy 14:2). • Protective care—like a king’s prized jewel kept under guard (Psalm 17:8). • Purposeful service—He “redeemed us… to be His very own” so we would be “zealous for good works” (Titus 2:14). Being God’s treasure means we are loved, guarded, and commissioned. summary Psalm 135:4 declares that the self-existent LORD freely chose Jacob and the nation of Israel to belong exclusively to Him, cherishing them as His prized possession. This choice, rooted in sovereign love rather than human merit, guarantees their security, identity, and purpose. Because the God who chose them is unchanging, believers today can rest in His faithful, covenant-keeping nature and respond with wholehearted praise. |
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