Psalm 135 ~ all the kingdoms

Windswept, by Marianne Post.
Windswept. Oil on canvas, by Don Gray.

Psalm 135

David Cochran, English Standard Version

1 Praise the Lord!
Praise the name of the Lord,
give praise, O servants of the Lord,
2 who stand in the house of the Lord,
in the courts of the house of our God!
3 Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;
sing to his name, for it is pleasant! [for he is beautiful]
4 For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself,
Israel as his own possession.

5 For I know that the Lord is great,
and that our Lord is above all gods.
6 Whatever the Lord pleases, he does,
in heaven and on earth,
in the seas and all deeps.
7 He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth,
who makes lightnings for the rain
and brings forth the wind from his storehouses.

8 He it was who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
both of man and of beast;
9 who in your midst, O Egypt,
sent signs and wonders
against Pharaoh and all his servants;
10 who struck down many nations
and killed mighty kings,
11 Sihon, king of the Amorites,
and Og, king of Bashan,
and all the kingdoms of Canaan,
12 and gave their land as a heritage,
a heritage to his people Israel.

13 Your name, O Lord, endures forever,
your renown, [remembrance] O Lord, throughout all ages.
14 For the Lord will vindicate his people
and have compassion on his servants.

15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
16 They have mouths, but do not speak;
they have eyes, but do not see;
17 they have ears, but do not hear,
nor is there any breath in their mouths.
18 Those who make them become like them,
so do all who trust in them!

19 O house of Israel, bless the Lord!
O house of Aaron, bless the Lord!
20 O house of Levi, bless the Lord!
You who fear the Lord, bless the Lord!
21 Blessed be the Lord from Zion,
he who dwells in Jerusalem!
Praise the Lord!

Acts 2:1
When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.

Psalm 1:4
The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

John 3:7,8
Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Our lives....

Proverbs 19:21
Many are the plans in the mind of a man,
but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.



Canaan is, of course...... Israel. We sometimes believe we are going forward in God's plan, when in fact we are acting as the Canaanites. Not the Children of God we hope to be. With this passage being about God being in our midst, what are some of the Biblical manifestations of the Holy Spirit?

1 Corinthians 12

¹ Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. ² You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. ³ Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

⁴ There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. ⁵ There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. ⁶ There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

⁷ Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. ⁸ To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, ⁹ to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, ¹⁰ to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

¹² Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.


An unknown tongue unto God (I Corinthians 14:2). Tongue that edifies you (I Corinthians 14:4; Jude 20). Assists you in prayer (Romans 8:26-27). Stirs up the prophetic ministry (I Corinthians 14:5). Refreshes your soul (Isaiah 28:11-12). Gives victory over the devil (Ephesians 6:18). Helps you worship in the Spirit (I Corinthians 14:14-15; Hebrews 2:12).

When you sing in the Spirit, God joins in with you and confuses and defeats the enemy (Isaiah 30:29-31). Tongues breaks the yoke of bondage (Acts 16:25). Brings you into the presence of God (Psalm 22:3). Aids you in intercession (Romans 8:26).

A known tongue that is a sign to unbelievers (I Corinthians 14:2; Acts 2:6). A foreign language spoken without being learned.

A tongue that is understood through interpretation and edifies the Church (I Corinthians 14:15).




Tongues. Everyone has a vivid, vivid opinion on this manifestation of the Spirit. The work of the Holy Spirit is to help us to go down God's path. We get so caught up in "Tongues" ( good vs. bad) we forget our own language - our own speech - the things spoken around us are useful to God. This is the edification of tongues, with the list above. It is talking. The thing we do all day. And even in our sleep.

A message of wisdom - can be a warning for danger in our behavior, etc. A blessing. And encouragement. Warming our heart, and our lives. It can be a reminder we would rather not hear leading to the goodness of God's pasture. (Like don't eat that extra helping.)

A message of knowledge - can be a message you alone understand, because it is your thoughts the Spirit is speaking to. I know a man having an affair and he was warned at a dinner party. In plain view of the other people, a serious conversation, and it was still a private conversation. A moment of the Holy Spirit.

A message of faith - having a question, a decision being needed. A word fitly spoken. Usually spoken to by Scripture. Even the drive-by Church Scripture on the billboard.

Proverbs 25:11
Like apples of gold in settings of silver Is a word spoken in right circumstances.


~ to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits

~ 9 who in your midst, O Egypt

How will we know if we are in the middle of a Working of the LORD?

Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

When we can take that advice, it speaks to us and we can apply Jesus is Lord to that advice and to our lives.

God spoke to Elijah not with a bull horn, or a blow torch. God did not seek to dominate or control Elijah, He wanted to encourage him and give him faith, hope and love.

1 Kings 19
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. ¹² After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. ¹³ When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Father God, be the wind in our lives. Direct our hearts, our thoughts to Your glory. In You, have us live, move and have our being. In You, is our goodness.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to You, my rock and my redeemer. Forgive me when I am wrong, when I am self-centered and selfish. Set me again on Your path. Not because I am so worthy, but for the sake of Your Son.

Strengthen me when you would have me speak, give me the gift of wisdom when I need patience and silence. Comfort me when it is Your word and it angers someone. Let my life be the seed you would plant, growing into the largest tree in the forest, letting Your creation come and be gathered in Your love and Your joy. Help me to live Your peace and give Your peace, God who is Love. In the name of Jesus the Christ. Amen.



<><