Psalm 135 builds, builds - and builds - its mockery of idols, stretches the bow of the hearer's patience to the point that one doubts the psalmist's basic skill. And then the arrow of attention is released in verse 18 to strike both the idol maker and the idolator in a quick, snide arc that explains the buildup. A fine example of pacing that works entirely when sung or chanted - imagine what it must have been like in a setting where idolatry was a current events topic - but is lost when read at the pace given to print.
Switching frames, Psalm 135 is the sort of psalm that calls out for an Anglican boys choir. The artful, seeming naivety, the delight, and occasionally - as here - the mockery: each sounds naturally in the refined playground of their voices.
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