Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 135

Praise ye the Lord — Hebrew, Hallelu-jah. Literally, “Praise Jah,” an abridged name for Yahweh. See the notes at Psalms 68:4.

Praise ye the name of the Lord — The same as praising God himself.

Praise him, O ye servants of the Lord — You who are especially designated or appointed to this service (Psalms 134:1).

Ye that stand in the house of the Lord – See the notes at (Psalms 134:1). That is, those who were appointed to conduct the services of religion, the priests and Levites.

In the courts of the house of our God – The areas, or parts assigned for different classes of worshippers around the tabernacle and the temple. See the notes at (Matthew 21:12); notes at (Psalms 92:13).

Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good - See Psalms 107:1.

Sing praises unto his name, for it is pleasant - See Psalms 33:1; Psalms 92:1. The idea here is that it is a source of happiness, and that it is proper in itself.

For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself — The descendants of Jacob. He has selected them from among all the inhabitants of the earth to be his special people.

And Israel for his peculiar treasure — The word here rendered "treasure," means that which is acquired; property; wealth. They were what God possessed, owned, or claimed among all the people of the earth as especially his own. He had chosen them; he had redeemed them; he had made them his own, and he regarded them with the interest with which anyone looks on his own property, the fruit of his own toil. See Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy 7:6; Deuteronomy 32:9; 1 Kings 8:53.

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 only He was worthy of worship.

That the Lord is great - See the notes at (Psalms 95:3).

And that our Lord is above all gods - All that are worshipped as gods.