Does “whatever he pleases” make God arbitrary?
No. The psalm has just called him good and then displays purposes of creation, liberation, justice, and compassion. God's will is free from external control but never detached from his holy character.
PSALM 135 — THE LORD DOES WHATEVER PLEASES HIM
Does “whatever he pleases” make God arbitrary? Study Psalm 135 with context, apologetic analysis, and cross-references.
Psalm 1353 questions
Source linked
Commentary provenance
Dr. Lucas D. Shallua Commentary · PSALM 135 — THE LORD DOES WHATEVER PLEASES HIM
The precise difficulties
- Does “whatever he pleases” make God arbitrary?
- How should the judgments on Egypt and Canaan be understood?
- Are idols harmless cultural objects?
Verse and question study
How should the judgments on Egypt and Canaan be understood?
They are presented as unique acts of the divine Judge against entrenched evil, not general permissions for religious conquest. They include patience, warning, and moral accountability, and Israel later receives severe judgment under the same standard.
Are idols harmless cultural objects?
Material objects have no divine life, but trusting them reorganizes desire and moral perception. The psalm treats idolatry as both intellectual falsehood and a deforming relationship.
Historical and literary context
Genre: liturgical hymn of praise and historical remembrance. The psalm has no superscription in the Hebrew text. Psalm 135 is a liturgical hymn woven from earlier Scripture, especially Exodus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, and the Psalms. It begins and ends with calls to temple servants and Israel's households. Between them it moves through creation, exodus, conquest, enduring covenant fame, and a satire on idols. Its use of inherited language models faithful meditation: praise remembers God's acts rather than seeking novelty for its own sake.
Apologetic note
The idol satire is not a denial of artistic skill; it exposes the category error of assigning ultimate agency to a human artifact. Modern people repeat the move whenever products, markets, states, or technologies are treated as sources of identity and salvation. The biblical God differs precisely because he acts before humans fashion anything, speaks, sees, hears, creates, judges, and shows compassion.
Chapter cross-references
- Exodus 3:13–15 The LORD's memorial name through generations
- Exodus 12:29–32 Judgment on Egypt's firstborn
- Exodus 19:4–6 Israel chosen as God's treasured possession
- Numbers 21:21–35 Defeat of Sihon and Og
- Deuteronomy 7:6–11 Election grounded in the LORD's love and faithfulness
- Deuteronomy 32:36 The LORD vindicates and has compassion on his servants
- Psalm 115:4–8 Idols and worshipers becoming alike
- Isaiah 44:9–20 The irrationality of making and worshiping an image
- Jeremiah 10:1–16 The living King contrasted with fabricated gods
- Acts 17:24–29 The Creator is not served as though needing human provision
- Romans 1:21–25 Exchanging the Creator's glory for images
- 1 Corinthians 10:19–22 Idolatry's spiritual seriousness
- 2 Corinthians 3:18 True worshipers are transformed toward God's glory
- Revelation 15:3–4 The nations worship the just and incomparable Lord
Source and editorial status
Dr. Shallua’s Commentary
This study preserves the hard questions, explanations, context, apologetic note, and references from Dr. Shallua's Commentary.