The Meaning of Psalms 135:5 Explained

Psalms 135:5

KJV: For I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.

YLT: For I have known that great is Jehovah, Yea, our Lord is above all gods.

Darby: For I know that Jehovah is great, and our Lord is above all gods.

ASV: For I know that Jehovah is great, And that our Lord is above all gods.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For I know  that the LORD  [is] great,  and [that] our Lord  [is] above all gods. 

What does Psalms 135:5 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 135:1-12 - God's Wonderful Power
This psalm begins and ends with Hallelujah. It contains choice extracts from various psalms, which have been culled as the flowers of a garden are gathered for one bouquet. The arguments for praise are threefold: God's glory in nature, Psalms 135:5-7; His dealings with Israel, Psalms 135:8-14; the contrast of His glorious nature with idols, Psalms 135:15-21.
Notice the arguments adduced to stimulate our praise: that God is good; that praise-giving is pleasant; that He has chosen His people to be His peculiar treasure; that He is as great as He is good; that He will take our part against our foes, etc. The moral of it all is that if we would praise God aright and with zest, we must carefully gather our materials and meditate on all His dealings with us. These are fuel for the flame. But how many more reasons than the psalmist had are there for us to praise Him, who have been adopted into His family and made joint-heirs with Christ! [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 135

1  An exhortation to praise God for his mercy
5  For his power
8  For his judgments
15  The vanity of idols
19  An exhortation to bless God

What do the individual words in Psalms 135:5 mean?

For I know that great Yahweh [is] and our Lord [is] above all gods
כִּ֤י אֲנִ֣י יָ֭דַעְתִּי כִּי־ גָד֣וֹל יְהוָ֑ה וַ֝אֲדֹנֵ֗ינוּ מִכָּל־ אֱלֹהִֽים

יָ֭דַעְתִּי  know 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
כִּי־  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
גָד֣וֹל  great 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
יְהוָ֑ה  Yahweh  [is] 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וַ֝אֲדֹנֵ֗ינוּ  and  our  Lord  [is] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: אֲדֹנָי  
Sense: my lord, lord.
מִכָּל־  above  all 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
אֱלֹהִֽים  gods 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).