Psalms 135:5
in Psalms 135For I know that the LORD is great; our Lord is above all gods.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For I know that Jehovah is great, And that our Lord is above all gods.
KJV
For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.
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This verse in Psalms 135
Commentary
9 notes on this verseFor I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods. The greatness of God is as much a reason for adoration as his goodness, when we are once reconciled to him. God is great positively great comparatively, and great superlatively—"above all gods." Of this the Psalmist had an assured personal persuasion. He says positively, "I know." It is knowledge worth possessing. He knew by observation, inspiration, and realization; he was no agnostic, he was certain and clear upon the matter.
This site's exposition
our Lord is above all gods
on Psalms 135:5-7
Spurgeon marked verse 5 as a certainty the psalmist knew. Verse 6 puts the LORD's pleasure over the heavens, the earth, the seas and their depths. Verse 7 stands word for word in the Berean at Jeremiah 10:13 and again at 51:16, clouds and lightning and wind from His storehouses.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
..."Because," says he, "I know that the Lord is great, and our God is above all gods" [Psalm 135:5]. If we should say to him, we ask thee, explain to us His greatness; would he not perchance answer us, He whom I see is not so very great, if He be able to be expounded by me. Let him then return to His works, and tell us. Let him hold in his conscience the greatness of God, which he has seen, which he has committed to our faith, whither he could not lead our eyes, and enumerate some of the things which the Lord hath done here; that unto us, who cannot see His greatness as he can, He may become sweet through the works of His which we can comprehend....
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
): The Lord is great, great indeed, who knows no limits of time or place. He asserts it with assurance, "I know that he is so; know it not only by observation of the proofs of it, but by belief of the revelation of it.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens+odd-straight-quotes
For I know that the Lord is great,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods. The greatness of God is as much a reason for adoration as his goodness, when we are once reconciled to him. God is great positively great comparatively, and great superlatively—"above all gods." Of this the Psalmist had an assured personal persuasion. He says positively, "I know." It is knowledge worth possessing. He knew by observation, inspiration, and realization; he was no agnostic, he was certain and clear upon the matter. He not only knows the greatness of Jehovah, but that as the Adonai, or Ruler, "our Lord" is infinitely superior to all the imaginary deities of the heathen, and to all great ones besides. Many have thought to worship Jehovah, and other gods with him; but this holy man tolerated no such notion. Others have thought to combine their religion with obedience to the unrighteous laws of tyrannical princes; this, also, the sweet singer of Israel denounced; for he regarded the living God as altogether above all men, who as magistrates and princes have been called gods. Observe here the fourth of the five "fors." Ps 135:3-5, 14 contain reasons for praise, each set forth with "for." A fruitful meditation might be suggested by this.
The Lord is great - Unlimited in his power: another reason. Is above all gods - Every class of being, whether idolized or not; because he is the Fountain of existence. This is a fifth reason.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
The Lord is great - Unlimited in his power: another reason. Is above all gods - Every class of being, whether idolized or not; because he is the Fountain of existence. This is a fifth reason.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
For I know - I, as the representative of Israel, and speaking in the, name of the people. This is said as the foundation or the reason for praise. It was the thorough conviction of the psalmist that God was great above all who were claimed to be gods, and that he only was worthy of worship. That the Lord is great - See the notes at Psa 95:3. And that our Lord is above all gods - All that are worshipped as gods.
The words behind it
9 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּ֤י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אֲנִ֣י | ʾani | I | H589 → | 874 times |
| יָ֭דַעְתִּי | yada'ti | I know | H3045 → | 945 times |
| כִּי־ | ki- | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| גָד֣וֹל | gadol | [is] great | H1419 → | 526 times |
| יְהוָ֑ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וַ֝אֲדֹנֵ֗ינוּ | vaadoneinu | and lord<s> our | H113 → | 333 times |
| מִכָּל־ | mikol | more than all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אֱלֹהִֽים׃ | ʾelohim | gods | H430 → | 2601 times |
כִּ֤יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
אֲנִ֣יI
ʾaniH589 →874 times
יָ֭דַעְתִּיI know
yada'tiH3045 →945 times
כִּי־that
ki-H3588 →4482 times
גָד֣וֹל[is] great
gadolH1419 →526 times
יְהוָ֑הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
וַ֝אֲדֹנֵ֗ינוּand lord<s> our
vaadoneinuH113 →333 times
מִכָּל־more than all
mikolH3605 →5413 times
אֱלֹהִֽים׃gods
ʾelohimH430 →2601 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 95:3For the LORD is a great God, a great King above all gods.
it leads to
- Psalms 96:4
For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Exodus 18:11
Now I know that the LORD is greater than all other gods, for He did this when they treated Israel with arrogance.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 96:4
Through
Deuteronomy 10:17For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God, showing no partiality and accepting no bribe.
it leads to
- Acts 10:34
Then Peter began to speak: “I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism,
- Romans 2:11
For God does not show favoritism.
- Daniel 2:47
The king said to Daniel, “Your God is truly the God of gods and Lord of kings, the Revealer of Mysteries, since you were able to reveal this mystery.”
- Job 34:19
who is not partial to princes and does not favor rich over poor? For they are all the work of His hands.
- Galatians 2:6
But as for the highly esteemed—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism—those leaders added nothing to me.
- Acts 10:34
Through
Psalms 48:1Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, His holy mountain.
it leads to
- Micah 4:1
In the last days the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and the peoples will stream to…
- Micah 4:1
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Psalms
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 135; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 7; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.