Psalm 135:12
He gave their land as an inheritance, as a heritage to His people Israel.
He gave their land as an inheritance
This phrase highlights the divine act of God bestowing the land of Canaan to the Israelites. The Hebrew word for "gave" is "נָתַן" (natan), which implies a deliberate and generous act of giving. This is not merely a transfer of property but a fulfillment of God's covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The land was not earned by the Israelites through their own might or merit but was a gift from God, underscoring His sovereignty and faithfulness.

an inheritance
The term "inheritance" in Hebrew is "נַחֲלָה" (nachalah), which conveys the idea of a possession or heritage passed down through generations. In the biblical context, an inheritance is not just a physical territory but a spiritual legacy. It signifies a permanent and divinely ordained possession, reflecting God's enduring promise to His people. This inheritance is a tangible sign of God's covenant relationship with Israel, symbolizing both blessing and responsibility.

to His people Israel
This phrase identifies the recipients of God's generous gift. "His people Israel" refers to the descendants of Jacob, whom God chose as His special possession. The term "Israel" is rich with meaning, derived from the Hebrew "יִשְׂרָאֵל" (Yisra'el), meaning "God prevails" or "he who struggles with God." This name was given to Jacob after wrestling with the angel, symbolizing the nation's enduring relationship with God through trials and triumphs. The land as an inheritance is a testament to God's unchanging love and commitment to His chosen people, despite their frequent disobedience and struggles. It serves as a reminder of their identity and purpose as a nation set apart to reflect God's glory to the world.

Persons / Places / Events
1. God (Yahweh)
The central figure in this verse, God is the one who gives the land as an inheritance. His sovereignty and faithfulness are highlighted.

2. Israel
The nation chosen by God to receive the inheritance. This refers to the descendants of Jacob, the twelve tribes of Israel.

3. The Promised Land
The land given to Israel, often referred to as Canaan, which God promised to Abraham and his descendants.

4. The Exodus
The event where God delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, leading them to the Promised Land.

5. Conquest of Canaan
The historical event where the Israelites, under leaders like Joshua, took possession of the land God promised them.
Teaching Points
God's Faithfulness
God keeps His promises. Just as He gave Israel the land, He will fulfill His promises to us.

Inheritance in Christ
Believers have a spiritual inheritance in Christ, which is eternal and secure.

Trust in God's Timing
The Israelites waited many years to receive their inheritance. We must trust God's timing in our lives.

Obedience and Faith
The Israelites had to act in faith and obedience to possess the land. Similarly, we must live in obedience to receive God's blessings.

Gratitude for God's Gifts
Recognize and be thankful for the spiritual and material blessings God has given us.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the promise of land to Israel demonstrate God's faithfulness, and how can this encourage us in our personal walk with God?

2. In what ways does the concept of inheritance in the Old Testament relate to our spiritual inheritance in Christ as described in the New Testament?

3. Reflect on a time when you had to wait for God's promise to be fulfilled. How did this experience strengthen your faith?

4. What are some practical ways we can show gratitude for the "inheritance" or blessings God has given us today?

5. How can the account of Israel's conquest of Canaan inspire us to act in faith and obedience in our current life situations?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Genesis 12
God's promise to Abraham about giving his descendants the land.

Exodus 3
God's assurance to Moses about leading the Israelites to a land flowing with milk and honey.

Joshua 1
The command and encouragement to Joshua to lead the people into the Promised Land.

Hebrews 4
The spiritual rest and inheritance believers have in Christ, paralleling the physical inheritance of the land.
God's PraisesC. Short Psalm 135:1-21
The March of MercyS. Conway Psalm 135:1-21
The Sublime Object of WorshipHomilistPsalm 135:1-21
People
Aaron, Amorites, Jacob, Levi, Og, Pharaoh, Psalmist, Sihon
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Heritage, Inheritance
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Psalm 135:8-9

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Library
What Pleases God.
"Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places."--Psalm 135:6. "Was Gott gefaellt, mein frommes Kind." [74]Gerhardt. transl., Sarah Findlater, 1858 What God decrees, child of His love, Take patiently, though it may prove The storm that wrecks thy treasure here, Be comforted! thou needst not fear What pleases God. The wisest will is God's own will; Rest on this anchor, and be still; For peace around thy path shall flow, When only wishing here
Jane Borthwick—Hymns from the Land of Luther

From Kadesh to the Death of Moses.
Num. 14-Dt. 34. The Pathos of the Forty Years. The stories of this period have running through them an element of pathos arising especially from two sources. (1) Perhaps the experiences of Moses are most sorrowful. That he should now, after faithfully bringing this people to the very border of the land which they sought, be compelled to spend forty monotonous years in this bare and uninteresting desert must have been a disappointment very heavy to bear. During these wanderings he buried Miriam,
Josiah Blake Tidwell—The Bible Period by Period

Excursus on the Present Teaching of the Latin and Greek Churches on the Subject.
To set forth the present teaching of the Latin Church upon the subject of images and the cultus which is due them, I cite the decree of the Council of Trent and a passage from the Catechism set forth by the authority of the same synod. (Conc. Trid., Sess. xxv. December 3d and 4th, 1563. [Buckley's Trans.]) The holy synod enjoins on all bishops, and others sustaining the office and charge of teaching that, according to the usage of the Catholic and Apostolic Church received from the primitive times
Philip Schaff—The Seven Ecumenical Councils

Notes on the First Century:
Page 1. Line 1. An empty book is like an infant's soul.' Here Traherne may possibly have had in his mind a passage in Bishop Earle's "Microcosmography." In delineating the character of a child, Earle says: "His soul is yet a white paper unscribbled with observations of the world, wherewith at length it becomes a blurred note-book," Page 14. Line 25. The entrance of his words. This sentence is from Psalm cxix. 130. Page 15. Last line of Med. 21. "Insatiableness." This word in Traherne's time was often
Thomas Traherne—Centuries of Meditations

Christ's Kingly Office
Q-26: HOW DOES CHRIST EXECUTE THE OFFICE OF A KING? A: In subduing us to himself, in ruling and defending us, and in restraining and conquering all his and our enemies. Let us consider now Christ's regal office. And he has on his vesture, and on his thigh, a name written, "King of kings, and Lord of lords", Rev 19:16. Jesus Christ is of mighty renown, he is a king; (1.) he has a kingly title. High and Lofty.' Isa 57:15. (2.) He has his insignia regalia, his ensigns of royalty; corona est insigne
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

Introduction. Chapter i. --The Life and Writings of St. Hilary of Poitiers.
St. Hilary of Poitiers is one of the greatest, yet least studied, of the Fathers of the Western Church. He has suffered thus, partly from a certain obscurity in his style of writing, partly from the difficulty of the thoughts which he attempted to convey. But there are other reasons for the comparative neglect into which he has fallen. He learnt his theology, as we shall see, from Eastern authorities, and was not content to carry on and develop the traditional teaching of the West; and the disciple
St. Hilary of Poitiers—The Life and Writings of St. Hilary of Poitiers

Psalms
The piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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