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Psalterium Catholicum offers praying the Psalms, practicing Lectio Divina, and exploring faithful Catholic resources for daily devotion.

Psalm 134 The Psalter Psalm 136

PSALMVS CXXXV

Laudate nomen Domini

Hymn of God's Works · Praise · Book V

Pray this Psalm · Lectio Divina

1Behold now bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord: Who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.

2In the nights lift up your hands to the holy places, and bless ye the Lord.

3May the Lord out of Sion bless thee, he that made heaven and earth.

Douay-Rheims · Challoner Revision

Read the NABRE at the USCCB

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Wisdom of the Church

Psalm 135 (134 in the Septuagint/Vulgate) is a hymn of praise belonging to the collection of Hallel psalms (135–136). While the Psalter attributes many works to David, this text is essentially an anonymous composition likely reflecting the post-exilic period of the Second Temple. It serves as a liturgical manual for the Levites, instructing them to bless the Lord within the holy courts. The psalm is structurally rooted in the covenantal history of Israel, deliberately synthesizing memories of the Exodus—the plagues of Egypt, the defeat of Sihon and Og, and the conquest of Canaan—with the enduring nature of God’s name. This focus on the 'remembrance' of God’s name suggests its function was to solidify the identity of the returned exiles by anchoring them in the fidelity of the God who liberated their ancestors. By weaving together elements of creation, history, and polemic against idolatry, the psalm functions as a summary of the religious faith of Israel, functioning specifically as a call to communal adoration during the festival pilgrimages to the Jerusalem sanctuary.