John Calvin Commentary Psalms 135:6

"Whatsoever Jehovah pleased, that hath he done, In heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps;" — Psalms 135:6 (ASV)

Whatever does please him, etc. This is that immeasurable greatness of the divine being, of which he had just spoken. He not only founded heaven and earth at first, but governs all things according to his power. To acknowledge that God made the world, but maintain that he sits idle in heaven and takes no interest in its management, is to cast an impious aspersion on his power; and yet the idea, absurd as it is, is widely prevalent among people.

They would not say, perhaps, in so many words, that they believed God slept in heaven; but by imagining, as they do, that he resigns the reins to chance or fortune, they leave him with the mere shadow of a power, one that is not manifested in effects. Scripture, however, teaches us that it is a real, practical power, by which he governs the whole world according to his will.

The Psalmist expressly asserts that every part of the world is under divine care, and that nothing takes place by Chance, or without determination. According to a very common opinion, all the power necessary to assign to God in this matter is that of a universal providence, which I do not profess to understand.

The distinction made here between the heavens, earth, and waters denotes particular governance. The term חפר , chaphets, is emphatic. The Holy Spirit declares that he does whatever pleases him. That confused sort of divine government which many talk of amounts to no more than a certain maintenance of order in the world, without due counsel.

In this view, no consideration whatever is given to his will, for will implies counsel and method. Consequently, a special providence is exerted in the government of the various parts of the world; there is no such thing as chance, and what appears most fortuitous is, in reality, ordered by his secret wisdom.

We are not called to inquire why he wills events that contradict our sense of how his administration should be. However, if we are not to unsettle the very foundations of religion, we must hold to this as a firm principle: nothing happens without the divine will and decree. His will may be mysterious, but it is to be regarded with reverence as the fountain of all justice and rectitude, unquestionably deserving our supreme consideration.

For further information on this subject, the reader may consult Psalm 115.