Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His steadfast love endures forever (Psalm 135:1). This Psalm is filled with adoration for God, with each verse concluding on this same note. While much is expressed in honor of God, the emphasis on His mercy requires the utmost exaltation; without this acknowledgment of His mercy, the individual inspired by the Holy Spirit to articulate this Psalm could not have completed a single line.
At the final judgment, when the righteous will receive eternal life and the wicked face everlasting punishment (Matthew 25:46), it will not be a matter of God’s mercy being withheld, but rather, it signifies His eternal mercy guaranteed to His saints and faithful. This grace is not due to their perpetual misery requiring endless mercy; instead, it arises from the blessed state He graciously bestows upon those who were once in distress, allowing them to rejoice eternally. Our transformation from the unjust to the just, from the sick to the whole, from the dead to the living, and from the miserable to the happy is all by His mercy. Thus, what we will become is everlasting, and His mercy remains infinite. Therefore, give thanks to the Lord, acknowledging that from this confession, you will not receive temporary benefits; for His mercy endures forever, which means the good He grants you will be eternal.
Next, we read: Give thanks to the God of gods, for His mercy endures forever (Psalm 135:2). Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for His mercy is everlasting (Psalm 134:3). We may ponder who these gods and lords are, to whom the true God is recognized as God and Lord. In another psalm, it is noted that even mankind is called gods. The Lord refers to this in the Gospel, saying, "Is it not written in your law, 'Ye are gods?'" (John 10:34). They are called gods not due to their goodness, but because of God’s declaration. If all were good, such a distinction would not be necessary. He states that He judges among the gods, and adds, "How long will you judge unjustly?" and similar remarks are directed not to all but to some, indicating a distinction among them.
It poses the question: If men are termed gods because the Word of the Lord was spoken to them, can angels similarly be designated as gods? While the Scriptures don't distinctly label angels as gods, when it is written, "He is more awesome than all gods," it clarifies that the idols of the nations are demons, helping us comprehend that the gods of the Gentiles are idols, or rather, evil spirits residing in idols. Such images, termed idols (the Greek term we now use in Latin), can have eyes yet do not see, and all else attributed to them is indicative of their complete lack of sense; hence, they cannot be terrified, for that which is devoid of sense cannot feel fear. How, then, can it be stated that the Lord is more fearsome than all gods if these images do not embody demons that can indeed be terrified? For, as the Apostle says, "We know that an idol is nothing" (1 Corinthians 8:4)—referring to its earthly and empty material. However, lest it be assumed that there is no living or feeling entity receiving pagan sacrifices, he continues: "And what the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, not to God. I don’t want you to have fellowship with demons" (1 Corinthians 10:20).
Thus, if divine scripture does not recognize holy angels as gods, perhaps the reason is that men should not direct the service and ministry of worship (which in Greek is termed λειτουργία or λατρεία) towards the holy angels, reserved instead for the God who is the God of both them and humanity. Instead, it is more fitting to refer to them as angels, which is Latin for Nuntii, indicating by their title their role, allowing us to understand that they desire us to worship the God they proclaim. Summarily, the Apostle states: "For even if there are those called gods, either in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many gods and many lords—yet to us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we in Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through Him" (1 Corinthians 8:5-6).
Therefore, let us express gratitude to the God of gods and Lord of lords for His enduring mercy. Who alone performs wonders (Psalm 134:4). As it is articulated at the conclusion of each verse—"For His mercy endures forever"—we should interpret that at the outset of each line, though it is not explicitly stated as "Give thanks." This clarity is evident in Greek and could be equally evident in Latin if our translators had chosen to do so. They could have specified "to Him who works wonders." In the Greek phrasing, τῷ ποιήσαντι suggests the necessity of understanding "give thanks." I wish they had included the pronoun, expressing "to Him who has done, or who does," which would clearly indicate that we ought to give thanks.
Currently, it is rendered obscurely, leading one unfamiliar or unwilling to investigate the Greek text to think that it reads, "He who made the heavens, who established the earth, who created the heavenly bodies, for His mercy endures forever," instead of recognizing that those whom He rescues from suffering are the recipients of His mercy. This should not lead us to assume that He creates the heavens, the earth, and the luminaries out of mercy; rather, they are manifestations of His goodness, which created all things very well (Genesis 1:31). God created all things so they might exist (Wisdom 1:14), but it is through His mercy that we are cleansed from our sins and liberated from eternal despair. Thus, the Psalm instructs us: Give thanks to the God of gods, give thanks to the Lord of lords. Give thanks to Him who alone performs great wonders; give thanks to Him who, by His wisdom, made the heavens; give thanks to Him who stretched the earth over the waters; give thanks to Him who alone created the great lights. The reason we praise is emphasized at the end of each verse: for His mercy endures forever.
But what does it mean, "Who alone does great wonders?" Is it not that He has performed many magnificent works through angels and humans? Some wonders are accomplished solely by God, as He enumerates: "Who by His wisdom made the heavens" (Psalm 135:5), "Who spread the earth over the waters" (Psalm 135:6), "Who alone created the great lights" (Psalm 135:7). Thus, only one miracle is specified in this verse, indicating that the subsequent miracles will refer to those achieved through human agents. After stating, "He who alone created the great lights," it explains what they are: the sun to rule the day (Psalm 134:8), the moon and stars to govern the night (Psalm 135:9). He then recounts the miracles He accomplished through angels and people: "Who struck Egypt’s firstborn" (Psalm 135:10), and others. It is evident that all creation stemmed from no creature but through the One, and from this, He highlights the foremost elements to evoke thoughts of the entire creation; we can perceive the heavens, and the earth is observable.
Although there are visible heavens, after mentioning the luminaries, we are prompted to see the entire heavenly expanse created by Him. Furthermore, whether He meant by stating that He created the heavens in wisdom, or whether it translates as in reason, indicating that God, through His wisdom—the only-begotten Word—brought forth the heavens, may raise a point for discussion. However, if we are to conclude that God created the heavens through His wisdom, why is this specifically applied to the heavens and not seen in all creation? This expresses a singular intention so that it could otherwise be comprehended without explicit mention. How can it be unified, indicating that by reason or understanding it conveys His wisdom, that is, the only-begotten Word? The affirmation exists that the Trinity is not three gods, but one God, who created all things directly, without mediation from any creature.
Who, then, established the earth above the waters? This is indeed a complex topic, as the earth appears heavier, suggesting it is carried by the waters rather than suspended above them. To avoid contradicting our scriptures against those proposing alternate theses, we might interpret it as denoting that the earth inhabited by humanity, which shelters living beings, is elevated above surrounding waters. When we refer to a city on the sea that is built over the waters, we mean that it rises above the sea, much like land that rises above a lake, rather than it being submerged like those who dwell in caves or vessels that sail upon it.
However, should these words signify something deeper related to us, God, in His wisdom, creates the heavens; the heavens being His holy ones, spiritual beings to whom He granted not only faith but also insight into divine mysteries. Those who have yet to grasp this but hold firmly to their faith dwell under the heavens and are thus known as earth. Given their unwavering faith in the baptism they have received, it can be said that He “has put the earth above the waters.” Further, as scripture states that in Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:3), it suggests that wisdom and knowledge are distinct yet interconnected, as affirmed by various scriptural texts. Especially in the verses of St. Job, where both are distinctly defined; it is no coincidence that wisdom involves knowing and loving that which is eternal and unchanging, which is God. The expression of godliness as wisdom in Greek is θεοσ-βεια and translating this into Latin, we refer to it as the worship of God. Departing from evil, which is identified as knowledge, pertains to avoiding the wicked and corrupt generations (Philippians 2:15) and walking away from moral darkness, illuminated by one’s proper virtues.
He brought Israel out of their midst (Psalm 134:11). He similarly delivered His holy and faithful ones from among the wicked, with a mighty hand and outstretched arm (Psalm 135:12). What strength is greater, what arm more extended, than that which Isaiah acknowledges: "To whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?" (Isaiah 53:1). He divided the Red Sea (Psalm 134:13), granting the same baptism as a path to life for some and death for others. He guided Israel through it (Psalm 134:14), saving His renewed people through the water of regeneration. He overwhelmed Pharaoh and his might in the Red Sea (Psalm 135:15). Through baptism, He swiftly erases both sin and its guilt for His people. Who led His people through the wilderness (Psalm 134:16)? He guides us through the barrenness and desolation of this world, ensuring we do not perish during our journey. Who struck down great kings (Psalm 135:17) and killed notable rulers (Psalm 135:18)? He slays the deadly powers of the devil in us. Sihon, king of the Amorites (Psalm 134:19)—this reflects an ineffectual escape or a fierce trial. Sihon symbolizes bitterness, characteristic of the Amorites. And Og, king of Bashan (Psalm 135:20), whose name indicates a heap, symbolizes chaos, signifying that the devil gathers only confusion. He allotted their land as an inheritance (Psalm 135:21), providing it to Israel, His servant (Psalm 135:22). He grants that which the devil once claimed as an inheritance to the offspring of Abraham, namely, Christ.
THEOSIS