Psalms 135:5 · Bible study
Psalms 135:5 Commentary: Above All Gods
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
If God is alone, why say 'above all gods'? Study the meaning, grammar, and theology of this key verse in Psalm 135.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The psalmist confesses Yahweh’s uniqueness and supreme greatness over any rival.
- Key words: יָדַע (know, personal and experiential), גָדוֹל (great), מִכָּל אֱלֹהִים (above all gods).
- Main debate: Whether “gods” refers to nonexistent idols or to subordinate spiritual beings.
- Theological theme: The sovereignty and exclusivity of Yahweh as the only true God.
- Best use: As a confession in corporate worship and as a foundation for teaching on God’s uniqueness.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
For I know that the LORD is great; our Lord is above all gods.
WEB World English Bible 2000
For I know that Yahweh is great, that our Lord is above all gods.
KJV King James Version 1769
For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
For I know that Jehovah is great, And that our Lord is above all gods.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
For I have known that great is Jehovah, Yea, our Lord is above all gods.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
For I know that Jehovah is great, and our Lord is above allgods.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Who made the heavens in understanding: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Porque yo se que Jehová es grande, y el Señor nuestro, mayor que todos los dioses.
Porque eu sei que o SENHOR é grande, e nosso Senhor está acima de todos os deuses.
Je sais que l’ Éternel est grand,
Denn ich weiß, daß der HERR groß ist und unser HERR vor allen Göttern.
Want ik weet, dat de HEERE groot is, en dat onze Heere boven alle goden is.
Sì, io conosco che l’Eterno è grande, e che il nostro Signore è al disopra di tutti gli dèi.
Jać zaiste uznaję, iż wielki jest Pan, a Pan nasz jest nad wszystkich bogów.
Который сотворил небеса премудро, ибо вовек милость Его;
原來 我 知道 耶和華 為大，也知道我們的主 超乎萬 神之上。
I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is greater than all other gods.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Psalms 135:5
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this verse declares Yahweh’s supreme greatness over any entity that might be called a god. Adam Clarke notes that “every class of being, whether idolized or not” is beneath him because he is the Fountain of existence. Barnes explains that the psalmist speaks as the representative of Israel, with a thorough conviction that God is great above all who are claimed to be gods. The Cambridge Bible adds that “the gods of the heathen have no real existence”, the comparison is between Yahweh and lifeless idols (Psa 135:15-18). John Gill widens the scope, seeing Christ as “our Lord” exalted above angels and earthly rulers who are sometimes called gods (Psa 82:1, 6). Yet all hold the same core: the psalmist knows, from experience and from God’s mighty acts, that Yahweh alone is great.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Idols are empty and nonexistent: The psalm later condemns idols as lifeless (vv.15-18). The phrase 'above all gods' is a polemical assertion that no real rival exists. (Barnes, Cambridge, Calvin)
- Gods as subordinate spiritual beings: Psalm 82 calls angels 'gods', and Deuteronomy 32:8-9 suggests a divine council. Yahweh is supreme over even these. (Gill)
What is clear: Regardless of whether any other beings are called 'gods', Yahweh alone is supreme and worthy of all worship.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The existence of other gods | Yahweh alone is worthy of worship and is supreme over all. | Some read 'gods' as nonexistent idols (e.g., Cambridge, Barnes); others see a reference to spiritual beings or human authorities that are subordinate (e.g., Gill). |
| The identity of 'our Lord' (Adon) | The title refers to Yahweh as Israel’s sovereign. | Gill sees a specific reference to Christ; most other commentators take it as a general title for God. |
| The kind of knowledge (yada) | The knowledge is personal, experiential, and rooted in God’s acts. | Whether the emphasis falls more on intellectual assent or on covenantal relationship. |
| The relationship to the rest of the psalm | This verse is a hinge between the call to praise and the listing of God’s deeds. | Whether the focus is more on God’s greatness in creation or in redemption as the primary proof. |
Historical & Cultural Context
In the ancient Near East, every nation had its own gods, Baal, Chemosh, Milcom, believed to control rain, war, and fertility. Israel alone insisted that Yahweh was not just one god among many but the sole Creator and Lord. This verse, part of a “Hallel” psalm (113-118) sung at temple festivals, makes that claim directly. The psalm opens with a call to praise by the servants of Yahweh who stand in the courts of his house (v.1-2). Then verse 4 gives the reason: God chose Jacob for himself. Now verse 5 grounds that choice in God’s greatness. The Hebrew is emphatic: the personal pronoun אֲנִי (“I”) appears before the verb יָדַעְתִּי (“I know”), forming a strong assertion. The psalmist speaks on behalf of all Israel, voicing their shared conviction. The following verses support this knowledge with evidence from creation (v.6-7), the exodus plagues (v.8-9), and the conquest of Canaan (v.10-12). These are not myths; they are the foundational stories of the nation. The phrase “above all gods” thus stands in deliberate contrast to the idols described later in the psalm as silver and gold, the work of human hands (v.15). While other people trust in powerless images, Israel knows, because they have seen, that Yahweh is greater. This historical context shows that the verse is not speculative theology but a confessional refrain born from deliverance and covenant.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. The Masoretic Text is stable across manuscripts.
Reception History
This verse has been used in Christian worship as a confession of God’s sovereignty. It echoes in the tradition of praising God who is “above all gods” (Psa 95:3). In medieval liturgy, it was sung in the Divine Office as part of the Psalter. Reformers like Calvin saw it as a call to praise based on God’s works. The verse also informs theological discussions on monotheism and the divine council, and continues to encourage believers to proclaim God’s greatness amid competing allegiances.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Confidence of Knowing. The psalmist says “I know”, not “I hope” or “I suspect.” The Hebrew grammar reinforces this: the independent pronoun “I” is placed before the verb, making the assertion personal and emphatic. This knowledge is not private opinion; it is the testimony of the worshiping community. Preaching this point can challenge hearers to move from vague belief to settled conviction.
- The Scope of His Greatness. “Above all gods” means no rival can stand. The psalm is uncompromising: Yahweh is not merely the best among many, but completely unique. This addresses the question of competing loyalties. What “gods” today claim our trust, success, security, reputation? The verse calls for allegiance to the one true Lord.
- Knowing Through Action. The psalmist’s confidence rests on what God has done. Verses 6-12 immediately follow with God’s deeds in creation and redemption. Knowledge of God grows as we recall his faithfulness in history and in our own lives. This moves the sermon from doctrine to testimony.
Five-point outline
- Knowledge that is emphatic (the grammar of “I know”)
- Greatness that is comprehensive (Yahweh is great, period)
- Lordship that is above all (no real competition)
- Evidence from nature (clouds, lightning, wind)
- Evidence from history (exodus, conquest)
Illustration hooks
- A person who knows their country’s history but still doubts its future; contrast with the psalmist who knows God’s deeds and trusts him completely.
- The difference between knowing about a celebrity through media and knowing a close friend through shared experience. The psalmist’s knowledge is relational and tested.
- Standing on a beach during a storm: feeling small, but then remembering the God who commands the seas (v.6) is your Lord.
Questions your congregation is asking
- “If God is above all gods, why does the world still seem so chaotic and full of evil?”
- “How can I have the same confident knowledge the psalmist had, especially when I feel distant from God?”
- “Does the Bible really say there are other gods? How is that consistent with one God?”
Leading a Discussion
This verse invites us to examine what we truly know about God. The psalmist speaks from a place of certainty, grounded in God’s actions in creation and in Israel’s history. As you discuss, consider what it means to say “I know” rather than “I believe” or “I hope.”
Discussion questions
- Read Psalm 135:1-5. What reasons for praise does the psalmist give in these opening verses?
- Why is it important that the psalmist says “I know” rather than “I think” or “I hope”? How does the Hebrew grammar emphasize this?
- How do you understand the phrase “above all gods”? What does it tell us about God’s relationship to other claims of power or authority?
- Look at verses 6-12. How do God’s specific acts in history confirm the claim of verse 5?
- What “gods” in our culture compete for our trust and devotion? How can we identify them?
- How can we grow in the kind of confident knowledge the psalmist expresses?
- How does this verse shape your personal worship and your view of God?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Deuteronomy 10:17 | For Yahweh your God, he is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, the mighty, and the awesome, who doesn’t respect persons or take bribes. |
| Psalms 48:1 | A Song. A Psalm by the sons of Korah. Great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised, in the city of our God, in his holy mountain. |
| Psalms 86:8 | There is no one like you among the gods, Lord, nor any deeds like your deeds. |
| Psalms 86:10 | For you are great, and do wondrous things. You are God alone. |
| Psalms 89:6 | For who in the skies can be compared to Yahweh? Who among the sons of the heavenly beings is like Yahweh, |
| Psalms 95:3 | For Yahweh is a great God, a great King above all gods. |
| Psalms 96:4 | For Yahweh is great, and greatly to be praised! He is to be feared above all gods. |
| Psalms 96:5 | For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but Yahweh made the heavens. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke breaks down the verse into separate, cumulative reasons for praising God. The Lord's greatness lies in His unlimited power, and His supremacy over every being, whether worshipped as a god or not, comes from being the very source of all existence.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes highlights that the psalmist's declaration "I know" is a personal testimony spoken on behalf of Israel. This conviction is the very foundation for praising God. It rests on the psalmist's settled certainty that the Lord is greater than every being worshipped as a god.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin observes that the call to praise God here is not limited to the Levites but extends to the whole congregation. He finds the reasons given—God's goodness and his choice of Jacob—apply equally to all believers, not only to those who serve in the temple.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note presents this verse as a personal confession: the worshiper declares from experience that the Lord is great and holds supreme authority over every so-called god. The emphasis falls on the direct knowledge and personal relationship implied in "I know" and "our Lord."
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill reads the verse as a declaration of the Trinity's greatness, with special focus on Christ. He explains that the psalmist speaks from personal knowledge of the Lord's power, and lists the various beings called "gods" that Christ surpasses: heathen idols, heavenly bodies, earthly rulers, and angels.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch notes that the call to praise is grounded in Israel's certain knowledge that the God who chose them is the God of gods. They clarify that "lightnings for rain" means God produces lightning to announce and accompany the rain, not that He turns lightning into rain. The "treasuries" refer to the fullness of divine power behind all natural phenomena.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange treats this psalm as a deliberate mosaic of earlier Scripture, noting it is almost entirely assembled from passages taken from other psalms and allusions to the law and prophets. He sees it as a late composition that weaves together these borrowed pieces into a unified call to praise the Lord for his works in nature and history.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that when the psalmist declares God's greatness, he does so from personal experience and conviction, not just observation. He contrasts the goodness of God, which we praise cheerfully, with the greatness of God, which deserves our awe-filled praise—something Christians tend to neglect. The psalmist also issues a holy defiance against all pretenders: the Lord is not merely above any god, but infinitely above all gods.