Psalm 135:8

Who smote the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and beast.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(8) Egypt.—This abrupt change from the miracles of nature to the marvels of history is apparently copied from the next psalm, where see Note, Psalm 135:10.

Benson Commentary

Psalm 135:8. Who smote the firstborn of Egypt — From the general works of nature he comes to God’s special works of providence toward his people. “Egypt was the theatre of the grand contest between the God of Israel and the gods of the heathen. The superiority of the former over the latter was shown in every possible way, by the miracles of Moses, which demonstrated all the powers of nature, to be under the dominion of Jehovah, and to act at his command, so that, instead of being able to protect, they were made to torment and destroy their deluded votaries.”

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

135:5-14 God is, and will be always, the same to his church, a gracious, faithful, wonder-working God. And his church is, and will be, the same to him, a thankful, praising people: thus his name endures for ever. He will return in ways of mercy to them, and will delight to do them good.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Who smote the firstborn of Egypt - As the last and the greatest of the plagues brought upon the Egyptians; the chief and crowning judgment under which they were made willing that the children of Israel should go, and which was in fact the judgment which secured their freedom. This is selected here evidently for this reason, instead of recounting all the plagues which were brought upon the Egyptians.

Both of man and beast - Exodus 11:5. Margin, as in Hebrew, From man unto beast. That is, including both; smiting both.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

8, 9. The last plague [Ex 12:29] is cited to illustrate His "tokens and wonders."

Matthew Poole's Commentary

From the general works of nature, he comes to God’s special works of providence towards his people.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Who smote the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and beast. Which was the last of the plagues inflicted on the Egyptians; and is particularly mentioned, because, by means of it, they were made willing to let the children of Israel go out of their land: and so this includes the deliverance of the Israelites, God's firstborn, when he slew the firstborn of Egypt; and who were typical of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven; and the deliverance of them, through the blood of the passover, was an emblem of the deliverance of those by the blood of Christ; see Exodus 12:22.

Geneva Study Bible

Who smote the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and beast.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

8–12. Jehovah’s sovereignty exhibited in the deliverance of His people from Egypt and their establishment in the land of Canaan.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 8. - Who smote the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and beast (comp. Exodus 12:29). The most stupendous of the plagues of Egypt is given the first place in the account of God's wonderful dealings with men, and especially with his people. It gave them the deliverance out of Egypt, which made them a people (Exodus 12:31-33). Psalm 135:8

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Worthy is He to be praised, for He is the Redeemer out of Egypt. בּתוככי as in Psalm 116:19, cf. Psalm 105:27.