Psalm 135 · a question people ask
Why does a song of praise name the firstborn of Egypt and kings killed?
The psalm names them as what the LORD did, and says it plainly: "He struck the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and animal" (135:8), and "He struck many nations, and killed mighty kings" (135:10). It sets them after "our Lord is above all gods" (135:5) and "Whatever the LORD pleased, that he has done" (135:6), and it says what came of it: he "gave their land for a heritage, a heritage to Israel, his people" (135:12). It gives no more detail and no other reason, and these notes add none. The chapters that tell these events take up the hard questions they raise: Exodus 12's on the firstborn (Exodus 12:29), and Deuteronomy 2's and Joshua 6's on the peoples destroyed, which set out the main readings where Christians differ (Deuteronomy 2:34, Joshua 6:21). These notes don't repeat them or choose between them, and they apply none of it to any people or nation today.
The verses
“For I know that the LORD is great, that our Lord is above all gods. Whatever the LORD pleased, that he has done, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps.”
“He struck the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and animal. He sent signs and wonders into the middle of you, Egypt, on Pharaoh, and on all his servants. He struck many nations, and killed mighty kings— Sihon king of the Amorites, Og king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan— and gave their land for a heritage, a heritage to Israel, his people.”
“At midnight, the LORD struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of livestock.”
“We took all his cities at that time, and utterly destroyed every inhabited city, with the women and the little ones. We left no one remaining.”