Martin Luther on Psalms 134:3

Verse. 3. The Lord that hath made heauen & earth, blesse thee out of Sion.

As touching Sion we haue sayd before, that God would haue, not only certeine ceremonies & certeine persons, but also a certein place for his seruice & worship, lest the people should wander vncerteinly, and choose vnto them selues peculiar places to worship God in. Now, for as much as this thing was not without offence, (for what can be more absurd and contrary to reason, then that the God of heauen and earth should be shut vppe in that darkenes?) therefore to confirme their mindes herein, he sayth that the Lord which dwelleth in Sion, is the maker of heauen and earth.

This haue we often declared, and necessary it is that it should be often repeted, lest we should chose vnto our selues straunge and peculiar kindes of worship. For as in the olde Testament there was a certaine place, certeine persons and certeine times to the which God had bound, as you would say, his seruice: so we in the newe Testament do find the father in Christ. In Christ the father is worshipped: but without Christ he can neither be worshipped nor found: but what so euer is deuised for the seruice of God without Christ, is damnable and accursed.

The summe and effect therefore of all togither is this: O ye Priestes, ye Pastors and Ministers of the word, to you I speake, you I do admonish, that ye follow the word faithfully and do your office purely. For whiles the word and the ministery are sound & vncorrupt, there is nothing that can hurt vs. For although Satan & the world do assaile vs, what then? If God be with vs, who can be against vs? Let this be therefore your speciall care and endeuour, that the word may remaine pure and vncorrupt, and pray that the Lord would assist you herein and blesse your labours, for of all the blessinges of God this is the greatest. Which might be sayd in moe wordes, but let this suffice. Now it is our duetie likewise in this light of the worde, to endeuour by all meanes to doe the same, lest that through our vnthankfulnes the worde be taken from vs againe: and to pray for the Churches, that God would blesse them for Iesus Christ his sonnes sake our Lord & our Redemer. Amen.