Morning prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours, whose development we have been following in the course of our catechesis, includes the first part of Psalm 135, which the choir just sang. The text displays a closely-woven series of allusions to other passages in the Bible, and it seems to take place during the time of Passover. Jewish tradition combines this psalm with the following psalm, Psalm 136, calling the two together “The Great Hallel” — a solemn and festive hymn of praise to sing to the Lord on Passover.

Indeed, this psalm highlights the Exodus by mentioning the “plagues” of Egypt and recalling the entrance into the Promised Land. But let us now follow the subsequent stages that Psalm 135 reveals in the development of its first 12 verses: It is a meditation that we wish to transform into a prayer.

We Are Servants of the Lord

At the beginning, we find the characteristic invitation to praise, which is a typical element of the hymns that are addressed to the Lord in the Book of Psalms. The call to sing the “alleluia” is directed to the “servants of the Lord” (see verse 1), who are depicted in the Hebrew original as those “standing upright” in the sacred area of the Temple (see verse 2) in a ritual attitude of prayer (see Psalm 134:1-2).

The ministers of worship — the priests and Levites who live and work “in the courts of the house of our God” (see Psalm 135:2) — are the ones who are primarily in volved in this praise. Nevertheless, ideally all the faithful are united with these “servants of the Lord.”In fact, immediately afterward, reference is made to the fact that all of Israel has been chosen to be an ally and a witness of the Lord's love: “For the Lord has chosen Jacob, Israel as a treasured possession” (verse 4). Within this perspective, two fundamental qualities of God are celebrated: He is “good” and he is “gracious” (see verse 3). The bond that exists between us and the Lord is characterized by love, intimacy and joyful commitment.

The Lord of the Universe

After this invitation to praise, the psalmist continues by solemnly professing his faith, beginning with the typical expression “I know,” meaning “I acknowledge” or “I believe” (see verse 5). A soloist proclaims two articles of faith on behalf of all the people who are gathered in the liturgical assembly. First of all, he exalts God's work throughout the entire universe. He is the Lord of the universe par excellence: “Whatever the Lord wishes he does in heaven and on earth” (verse 6). He even rules over the seas and the deeps, which symbolize chaos, negative energy, boundaries and nothingness.

Yet it is still the Lord who forms the clouds, the lightning, the rain and the wind by going to his “storehouse” (see verse 7). In fact, the ancient people of the Near East believed that these agents of the weather were kept in special reservoirs, which were like heavenly coffers from which God would draw in order to spread them upon the Earth.

God Is One

The other component of the profession of faith refers to the history of salvation. God the Creator is now recognized as the Lord and Redeemer by recalling the fundamental events of Israel's deliverance from slavery in Egypt. The psalmist mentions first of all the “plague” of the firstborn (see Exodus 12:29-30), which summarizes all the “signs and portents” that God the Deliverer performed during the time of the Exodus (see Psalm 135:8-9). Immediately after, he recalls the resounding victories that enabled Israel to overcome the obstacles and difficulties it encountered during its journey (see verses 10-11). Lastly, the Promised Land appears on the horizon, which Israel receives as “a heritage” from the Lord (see verse 12).

All these signs of the covenant, which are presented in greater detail in Psalm 136, attest to the fundamental truth that is proclaimed in the First Commandment of the Ten Commandments. God is one and is a person who acts and speaks, loves and saves: “I know that the Lord is great, our Lord is greater than all gods” (verse 5; see Exodus 20:2-3; Psalm 95:3).

Gaze Upon Jesus

In the wake of this profession of faith, we, too, raise our hymn of praise to God. Pope St. Clement I, in his Letter to the Corinthians, extends this invitation to us: “Let us gaze upon the Father and Creator of the whole universe. Let us cling to the gifts and benefits of peace, which are magnificent and sublime. Let us contemplate him in our thoughts and, with the eyes of the soul, gaze upon the greatness of his will!

“Let us consider how impartial he is toward every one of his creatures. The skies that move according to his order obey him harmoniously. Day and night complete the course that he has established and do not hinder one another. The sun, moon and chorus of stars revolve in harmony without deviating from the orbits he assigned to them. The earth, which is fruitful by his will, produces abundant nourishment for men, for wild beasts and for all the animals that live on it, without resistance and without changing his ordinances” (19:2-20:4: I Padri Apostolici, Rome, 1984, p. 62-63). Clement I concludes with the following observation: “The Creator and Lord of the universe has arranged it so that all these things will be a benefit for all in peace and harmony, particularly for us who appeal to his mercy through our Lord, Jesus Christ. To him be glory and majesty forever. Amen” (20:11-12: Ibid., p. 63).

(Register translation)