This mercy does not imply that the blessed are condemned to perpetual misery; rather, it signifies that through His grace, those who once suffered now experience joy without end, establishing the eternal nature of His compassion. Our transformation from the unjust to the just, the sick to the healed, the dead to the living, and the wretched to the blessed is wholly due to His mercy. What we are destined to become will persist eternally; thus, His mercy is everlasting. Therefore, we ought to give thanks to the Lord; from this acknowledgment, you shall not receive transient gifts, as His mercy endures forever, meaning the good He grants will last eternally.
Next, let us give thanks to the God of gods, for His mercy endures forever (Psalm 135:2). We acknowledge the Lord of lords, whose mercy also lasts forever (Psalm 134:3). We might ponder who these gods and lords are, to whom the true God holds supremacy. In another psalm, humans are referred to as gods. The Lord highlights this in the Gospel, stating, "Is it not written in your law, Ye are gods?" (John 10:34). They are not deemed gods due to their righteousness, but because of the divine word spoken to them. If they were all virtuous, such a distinction would be unnecessary. He declares, "He judges among the gods," implying the need for accountability among them, as some are addressed distinctively in His message.
However, we question whether angels can be considered gods, given that the highest reward promised to virtuous and holy individuals is likening them to angels. While we may not frequently find angels explicitly called gods in the scriptures, the declaration, "He is more terrifying than all gods," clarifies that the gods of the nations are but demons, illustrating that idols lack genuine power. The entities known as idols serve merely as vessels for these demons, having eyes that do not see and other attributes signifying their insensitivity, thus incapable of fear. Can the Lord be said to be "more terrible than all gods" if these images do not embody the demons that may indeed be terrified? Hence, the Apostle writes, "We know that an idol is nothing" (1 Corinthians 8:4), referring to its worthless materiality. To prevent any misconception that there are no conscious beings that delight in pagan sacrifices, he adds that what the Gentiles offer is not for God, but for demons; thus, he warns us against communion with demons (1 Corinthians 10:20). If the divine texts do not label holy angels as gods, it may well be that such a title would not lead people to worship them, which should rightfully be reserved for God alone. Therefore, it is appropriate to call them Angels, a term that denotes their role as messengers, highlighting their purpose as servants of the God they proclaim. The Apostle encapsulates this notion perfectly, stating, "For although there are beings called gods, whether in the heavens or on the earth—as there are many gods and many lords—yet we have one God the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by Him" (1 Corinthians 8:5-6).
Thus, let us give thanks to the God of gods and Lord of lords for His mercy, who alone performs wonders (Psalm 134:4). The concluding refrain of each verse, "For His mercy endures forever," also implies a beginning of gratitude, despite the absence of the explicit command. This is evident in the Greek, and if our translators had expressed it thus, it would have clarified the intent: "To Him who performs marvelous deeds." In instances like this, where we find the phrase "the one who made," it is crucial to understand it as a call to gratitude. The current translation can appear opaque, leading one to mistakenly believe that the references to the creation are solely because of His enduring mercy rather than recognizing that those He rescues from suffering are beneficiaries of this mercy.
The psalm encourages us to acknowledge the God of gods, the Lord of lords, who alone performs great wonders; He who, by His wisdom, made the heavens; He who spread the earth over the waters; He who alone created the great lights. The psalmist elucidates why we should offer praise—His mercy endures forever.
What, then, does it mean that He alone performs great wonders? Does it imply that He acts alone without His angels and men? While God accomplishes extraordinary works through others, some miracles are solely His doing. The psalm details these acts, mentioning His wisdom in creating the heavens (Psalm 135:5), His authority in laying the earth over the waters (Psalm 135:6), and His singular creation of the great lights (Psalm 135:7). Notably, only here does He refer to His sole action in creating the luminaries, implying that the following miracles are those performed through humanity. After proclaiming the greatness of His creation, He specifies the purpose of the sun to govern the day (Psalm 134:8), and the moon and stars to govern the night (Psalm 135:9), before recounting His miraculous deeds through angels and individuals, such as striking Egypt's firstborn (Psalm 135:10).
God fashioned all of creation without any intermediary, showcasing significant parts to encourage us to contemplate the entirety; the heavens and the earth are evident manifestations of His handiwork. With visual heavens, He tasked us with appreciating the entire celestial expanse He created.
It may raise a question whether the phrase indicating that He created the heavens through understanding or wisdom denotes a particular comprehension of the heavens as intelligible realities He has crafted. Consequently, it could pertain to the only-begotten Word, suggesting that God, in His wisdom, created the heavens (as indicated elsewhere, "In wisdom Thou didst create them all"). Yet, if we understand that the creation of the heavens signifies that God created all things through His wisdom, why is this emphasized solely for the heavens, when all creations also stem from that same wisdom? It may imply that it was necessary to express it clearly in this context, as opposed to restating a general truth. How can we affirm that it is singular, if by "wisdom," we mean the only-begotten Word? Perhaps it reflects the truth of the Trinity—not three deities, but one God—asserting that God created all things alone, affirming that no creaturely assistance was involved in the act of creation.
Consider the question of who elevated the earth above the waters? This inquiry proves challenging, as the earth typically appears weighty, suggesting that rather than being held aloft by the waters, it is buoyed by them. To reconcile this with the scriptures that speak against opposing ideas, we may interpret that the earth, inhabited by humanity and the living beings of our world, is positioned above the waters that encircle it. When we describe a city built over the sea, we do not imply that the sea sits beneath it in the same manner as waters beneath a ship, but rather that the city is on land elevated from the submerged sea.
Should we consider another layer of meaning, God, through His wisdom, has fashioned the heavens, that is, his righteous followers—those who possess not only faith but insight into spiritual truths. Those unable to reach this elevation and are nourished only by faith are likened to the earth. In their steadfast belief following baptism, it is said that "He hath put the earth above the waters." Moreover, Christ is revealed to hold all treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:3), with these two qualities signifying different aspects of understanding. As evidenced in scripture and the wisdom articulated by St. Job, true wisdom consists in knowing and loving the immutable, eternal God. The Greek term for godliness can be encapsulated as devotion to God. While knowledge, defined as the departure from evil, consists of avoiding the pitfalls of a corrupt society (Philippians 2:15), persisting in righteousness illuminates the way through the moral darkness.
He is the one who brought Israel out of Egypt (Psalm 134:11), delivering holy and faithful individuals from the midst of wrongdoing. Through a mighty arm and an outstretched hand (Psalm 135:12), His power is unparalleled and commands reverence, as witnessed by the question, "To whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?" (Isaiah 53:1). He also split the Red Sea in two (Psalm 134:13), thereby creating pathways for life or death—it is the same baptism that yields different outcomes. He led Israel through it (Psalm 134:14), just as He now brings His renewed people to newness of life through the act of regeneration. He defeated Pharaoh and dismantled his force in the Red Sea (Psalm 135:15), accomplishing through baptism the eradication of both sin and its guilt. He shepherds His people through the desolation of this life (Psalm 134:16) to ensure their survival. He struck down formidable kings (Psalm 135:17) and annihilated renowned rulers (Psalm 135:18). He vanquished Sihon, king of the Amorites (Psalm 134:19)—the name signifying bitterness—and Og, king of Bashan (Psalm 135:20)—known for chaotic confusion. The devil orchestrates havoc, and the territory once held by these kings He gifts to His faithful ones (Psalm 135:21), granting the inheritance once possessed by the enemy to the descendants of Abraham—Christ.
He remembers us in our lowliness (Psalm 134:23) and redeems us from our foes (Psalm 135:24) through the sacrifice of His only Son. He provides sustenance to all creation (Psalm 135:25), extending His grace not just to Israelites but to every corner of humanity, as He proclaims, “My flesh indeed is meat." Ultimately, let us offer our thanks to the God of heaven (Psalm 134:26) and the Lord of lords (Psalm 135:27). The designation “God of heaven” seems to reiterate the earlier assertion, “God of gods.” The reiteration of “Lord of lords” serves to evoke our singular devotion to "one God" and "one Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 8:5-6), through whose grace we confess that His mercy endures forever.
THEOSIS