Psalms 134 commentary

We must stir up ourselves to give glory to God, and encourage ourselves to hope for mercy and grace from him. It is an excellent plan to fill up all our spare minutes with pious meditations, and prayers and praises. No time would then be a burden, nor should we murder our hours by trifling conversation and vain amusements, or by carnal indulgences. We need desire no more to make us happy, than to be blessed of the Lord. We ought to beg spiritual blessings, not only for ourselves, but for others; not only, The Lord bless me, but, The Lord bless thee; thus testifying our belief that there is enough for others as well as for us, and showing our good will to others.

PSALM 134

An exhortation to praise God, addressed to the people of God generally, but more particularly to the Priests and Levites.

A Song of Degrees.

Psalm 134:1-3

1. Behold! bless ye Jehovah, all ye servants of Jehovah, who stand nightly in the house of Jehovah. 2. Lift up your hands towards the sanctuary, “קדש. Some persons render this word as if it were an adverb. So Tilingins has ‘Attollite manus vestras sanete.’ There is no doubt, that lifting up the hands reverently, is the ordinary and proper posture of suppliants at the throne of grace. Farther, St. Paul, in 1 Timothy 2:8, apparently with reference to this passage, speaks of lifting up holy hands. The Septuagint and Syriac, however, have taken the word as a noun, signifying the sanctuary; the former have ἅγια.” ­ Phillips. Warner and Cress, well with Calvin would read “towards the sanctuary;” i.e., towards the holy of holies, where the ark, the symbol of the Divine presence, was fixed. and bless Jehovah. 3. Jehovah bless thee out of Zion, who made heaven and earth!

1. Behold! bless ye Jehovah. Some interpreters think, that others besides the Levites are here intended, and it must be granted, at least, that some of the more zealous of the people remained over night in the Temple, as we read (Luke 2:37) of Anna, a widow, “who served God constantly with prayers night and day.” “We know generally,” says Fry, “that there was a nightly service in the Temple, (2 Chronicles 21:) and Kimchi, a Jewish writer, represents those who by night stand in the house of the Lord, as holy men who rose from their beds in the night and went to pray in the Temple.” After referring to the case of “Anna, a Prophetess,” he adds, “And St. Paul, before Agrippa, speaking ‘of the hope of the promise made unto the fathers,’ gives us this remarkable description: ‘unto which our’ twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. There was public service in the Temple at Jerusalem not only by day but by night; which latter service many of the Jews, for whose special use this and the next Psalm seem to have been composed, were in the habit of attending.” ­ Cresswell. But it is evident, from the close of the Psalm, that the inspired penman addresses priests only, since he prescribes the form of benediction which they were to offer up for the people, and this was a duty belonging exclusively to the Priests. It would appear then, that the Levites are here called servants of God, from the functions they discharged, being specially appointed, and that by turns, to watch by night in the Temple, as we read in the inspired history. Ye servants off the Lord, etc., i.e., ye Levites, whose duty it was, according to the Talmudists, to keep watch by night, standing in the Temple: the High Priest was the only one who sat in the Temple. Compare Leviticus 8:35; 1 Chronicles 9:33 Psalm 92:2; Psalm 119:147; Luke 2:37.” ­ Cresswell. (Leviticus 8:35.) The Psalm begins with the demonstrative adverb Behold! setting the matter of their duty before their eyes, for they were to be stimulated to devotion by looking constantly to the Temple. We are to notice the Psalmist’s design in urging the duty of praise so earnestly upon them. Many of the Levites, through the tendency which there is in all men to abuse ceremonies, considered that nothing more was necessary than standing idly in the Temple, and thus overlooked the principal part of their duty. The Psalmist would show that merely to keep nightly watch over the Temple, kindle the lamps, and superintend the sacrifices, was of no importance, unless they served God spiritually, and referred all outward ceremonies to that which must be considered the main sacrifice ­ the celebration of God’s praises. You may think it a very laborious service, as if he had said, to stand at watch in the Temple, while others sleep in their own houses; but the worship which God requires is something more excellent than this, and demands of you to sing his praises before all the people. In the second verse he reminds them in addition, of the form observed in calling upon the name of the Lord. For why do men lift their hands when they pray? Is it not that their hearts may be raised at the same time to God? “Car a quel propos les hommes eslevent ils les mains en priant, sinon afin qu’ils eslevent aussi leurs esprits a Dieu?” ­ Ft. It is thus that the Psalmist takes occasion to reprehend their carelessness in either standing idle in the Temple, or trifling and indulging in vain conversation, and thus failing to worship God in a proper manner.

PSALM 134

Psa 134:1-3. 1, 2. The pilgrim bands arriving at the sanctuary call on the priests, who

stand in the house of the Lord--at the time of the evening sacrifice, to unite in praising God in their name and that of the people, using appropriate gestures, to which the priests reply, pronouncing the Mosaic blessing which they alone could pronounce. A fit epilogue to the whole pilgrim-book, Psalms 120-134.

by night--the evening service (Psa 141:2), as opposed to morning (Psa 92:2).

2. Lift up your hands--(Compare Psa 28:2).

3. After the manner directed (Nu 6:23).

out of Zion--the Church, as His residence, and thus seat of blessings. Thus close the songs of degrees.

Behold, bless ye the Lord - I believe הנה hinneh should be taken here in the sense of take heed! Be upon your guard; you serve a jealous God; provoke him not.

Which by night stand - Who minister during the night.

Lift up your hands in the sanctuary - קדש kodesh, "in holiness:" or, as the Syriac, lekoudishe, "to holiness;" in sancta, Vulgate; and εις τα ἁγια, Septuagint; "in holy things; or, as the Aethiopic, in the house of the sanctuary." The expression seems very similar to that of St. Paul, 1Tim 2:8 : "Lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting."

Bless the Lord - That is, speak good of his name: tell the wonders he has wrought, and show that his name is exalted.

The Lord that made heaven and earth - Who governs and possesses all things; and who can give you every spiritual and earthly blessing.

Bless thee out of Zion - As if they had said, "We will attend to your orders; go in peace, and may God shower down his blessings upon you!" The blessing pronounced by the priests was the following: "The Lord bless thee and keep thee! The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and he gracious unto thee! The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace!" Num 6:24-26.

Servant - Peculiarly so called, priests and Levites. Night - Not only by day, but also by night, when their watch was more necessary. Stand - Serve or minister.

1 BEhold, bless ye the LORD all ye servants of the LORD , which by night stand in the house of the LORD.

Do not stand there like statues, dumb and idle, but employ your hearts and tongues in singing forth the praises of the Lord.

Peculiarly so called, Priests and Levites, who are set apart to the service of God and of the Sanctuary, as the next clause restrains this general expression.

Not onely by day, but also and especially by night, when their watch was more necessary. See Exod. 27. 21. Levit. 8. 35. 1 Sam. 3. 3. As you watch by night when others sleep, so do you utter the praises of God when others are silent.

i. e. Serve or minister, as this word is used Deut. 10. 8. & 18. 7. and oft elsewhere.

Which word includes both the Temple and Courts belonging to it, as hath been noted before.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1+ letters] Chr. 9. 33.

2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary : and bless the LORD.

Unto God in prayer and praises, thus expressing and exciting your inward devotion.

In that holy house of God where you stand, v. 1. Or, in or with holiness: Lift up your hands, as it is prescribed, 1 Tim. 2. 8. Do not content your selves with lifting up your hands, but see that this be done with pure and holy hearts.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word], in holiness.

3 The LORD that made heaven and earth, bless thee out of Zion .

Either, 1. thee whosoever thou ar[illegible: 1+ letters] who dost faithfully perform the duty here commanded. Or, 2. thee, O King, or Priest, who dost engage and encourage us in this blessed work.

Where God dwells, and from whence he heareth the prayers of his people, and giveth them the blessings which they desire and need.

Night-Watch Greeting and Counter-Greeting

This Psalm consists of a greeting, Psa 134:1-2, and the reply thereto. The greeting is addressed to those priests and Levites who have the night-watch in the Temple; and this antiphon is purposely placed at the end of the collection of Songs of degrees in order to take the place of a final beracha. In this sense Luther styles this Psalm epiphonema superiorum. It is also in other respects (vid., Symbolae, p. 66) an appropriate finale.

Psa 134:1-2

The Psalm begins, like its predecessor, with הנּה; there is directs attention to an attractive phenomenon, here to a duty which springs from the office. For that it is not the persons frequenting the Temple who are addressed is at once clear from the fact that the tarrying of these in the Temple through the night, when such a thing did actually occur (Luk 2:37), was only an exception. And then, however, from the fact that עמד is the customary word for the service of the priests and Levites, Deu 10:8; Deu 18:7; 1Ch 23:30; 2Ch 29:11 (cf. on Isa 61:10, and Psa 110:4), which is also continued in the night, 1Ch 9:33. Even the Targum refers Psa 134:1 to the Temple-watch. In the second Temple the matter was arranged thus. After midnight the chief over the gate-keepers took the keys of the inner Temple and went with some of the priests through the little wicket of the Fire Gate (שׁער בית המוקד). In the inner court this patrol divided into two companies, each with a burning torch; one company turned west, the other east, and so they compassed the court to see whether everything was in readiness for the service of the dawning day. At the bakers’ chamber, in which the Mincha of the high priest was baked (לשׁכת עשׂי הביתין), they met with the cry: All is well. In the meanwhile the rest of the priests also arose, bathed, and put on their garments. Then they went into the stone chamber (one half of which was the place of session of the Sanhedrim), where, under the superintendence of the chief over the drawing of the lots and of a judge, around whom stood all the priests in their robes of office, the functions of the priests in the service of the coming day were assigned to them by lot (Luk 1:9). Accordingly Tholuck, with Köster, regards Psa 134:1. and Psa 134:3 as the antiphon of the Temple-watch going off duty and those coming on. It might also be the call and counter-call with which the watchmen greeted one another when they met. But according to the general keeping of the Psalm, Psa 134:1. have rather to be regarded as a call to devotion and intercession, which the congregation addresses to the priests and Levites entrusted with the night-service in the Temple. It is an error to suppose that “in the nights” can be equivalent to “early and late.” If the Psalter contains Morning Psalms (Psa 3:1-8, Psa 63:1-11) and Evening Psalms (Psa 4:1-8, Psa 141:1-10), why should it then not contain a vigil Psalm? On this very ground Venema’s idea too, that בּלּילות is syncopated from בּהלּילות, “with Hallels, i.e., praises,” is useless. Nor is there any reason for drawing ἐν ταῖς νυξίν, as the lxx does, to Psa 134:2,The lxx adjusts the shortening of Psa 134:1 arising from this, by reading בחצרות בית אלהינו העמדים בבית ה after Psa 135:2. or, what would be more natural, to the בּרכוּ that opens the Psalm, since it is surely not strange that, so long as the sanctuary was standing, a portion of the servants of God who ministered in it had to remain up at night to guard it, and to see to it that nothing was wanting in the preparations for the early service. That this ministering watching should be combined with devotional praying is the purport of the admonition in Psa 134:2. Raising suppliant hands (ידכם, negligently written for ידיכם) towards the Most Holy Place (τὰ ἅγια), they are to bless Jahve. קדשׁ (according to B. Sota 39a, the accusative of definition: in holiness, i.e., after washing of hands), in view of Psa 28:2; Psa 5:8; Psa 138:2 (cf. רום in Hab 3:10), has to be regarded as the accusative of the direction.

Psa 134:3

Calling thus up to the Temple-hill, the church receives from above the benedictory counter-greeting: Jahve bless thee out of Zion (as in Psa 128:5), the Creator of heaven and earth (as in Psa 115:15; Psa 121:2; Psa 124:8). From the time of Num 6:24 jebaréchja is the ground-form of the priestly benediction. It is addressed to the church as one person, and to each individual in this united, unit-like church.

A Call to Bless God.

1 Behold, bless ye the Lord , all ye servants of the Lord , which by night stand in the house of the Lord . 2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord . 3 The Lord that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion.

This psalm instructs us concerning a two-fold blessing:—

I. Our blessing God, that is, speaking well of him, which here we are taught to do, v. 1, 2. 1. It is a call to the Levites to do it. They were the servants of the Lord by office, appointed to minister in holy things; they attended the sanctuary, and kept the charge of the house of the Lord, Num. iii. 6, &c. Some of them did by night stand in the house of the Lord, to guard the holy things of the temple, that they might not be profaned, and the rich things of the temple, that they might not be plundered. While the ark was in curtains there was the more need of guards upon it. They attended likewise to see that neither the fire on the altar nor the lamps in the candlestick went out. Probably it was usual for some devout and pious Israelites to sit up with them; we read of one that departed not from the temple night or day, Luke ii. 37. Now these are here called upon to bless the Lord. Thus they must keep themselves awake by keeping themselves employed. Thus they must redeem time for holy exercises; and how can we spend our time better than in praising God? It would be an excellent piece of husbandry to fill up the vacancies of time with pious meditations and ejaculations; and surely it is a very modest and reasonable to converse with God when we have nothing else to do. Those who stood in the house of the Lord must remember where they were, and that holiness and holy work became that house. Let them therefore bless the Lord; let them all do it in concert, or each by himself; let them lift up their hands in the doing of it, in token of the lifting up of their hearts. Let them lift up their hands in holiness (so Dr. Hammond reads it) or in sanctification, as it is fit when they lift them up in the sanctuary; and let them remember that when they were appointed to wash before they went in to minister they were thereby taught to lift up holy hands in prayer and praise. 2. It is a call to us to do it, who, as Christians, are made priests to our God, and Levites, Isa. lxvi. 21. We are the servants of the Lord; we have a place and a name in his house, in his sanctuary; we stand before him to minister to him. Even by night we are under his eye and have access to him. Let us therefore bless the Lord, and again bless him; think and speak of his glory and goodness. Let us lift up our hands in prayer, in praise, in vows; let us do our work with diligence and cheerfulness, and an elevation of mind. This exhortation is ushered in with Behold! a note commanding attention. Look about you, Sirs, when you are in God's presence, and conduct yourselves accordingly.

II. God's blessing us, and that is doing well for us, which we are here taught to desire, v. 3. Whether it is the watchmen's blessing their captain, or the Levites' blessing the high priest, or whoever was their chief (as many take it, because it is in the singular number, The Lord bless thee), or whether the blessing is pronounced by one upon many ("The Lord bless thee, each of you in particular, thee and thee; you that are blessing God, the Lord bless you"), is not material. We may learn, 1. That we need desire no more to make us happy than to be blessed of the Lord, for those whom he blesses are blessed indeed. 2. That blessings out of Zion, spiritual blessings, the blessings of the covenant, and of communion with God, are the best blessings, which we should be most earnest for. 3. It is a great encouragement to us, when we come to God for a blessing, that it is he who made heaven and earth, and therefore has all the blessings of both at his disposal, the upper and nether springs. 4. We ought to beg these blessings, not only for ourselves, but for others also; not only, The Lord bless me, but, The Lord bless thee, thus testifying our belief of the fulness of divine blessings, that there is enough for others as well as for us, and our good-will also to others. We must pray for those that exhort us. Though the less is blessed of the greater (Heb. vii. 7), yet the greater must be prayed for by the less.

PSAL. CXXXIV.

A Song of degrees.

BEhold, blesse ye Iehovah all yee servants of Iehovah, that stand in the house of Iehovah in the nights. Lift up your hands in the Sanctuary, and blesse Iehovah. Iehovah blesse thee out of Sion: he that made heavens and earth.

Annotations. THat stand] that is, serve, or minister, as, which stood before the King, Ier. 51. 12. for which is written, in 2 King. 25 8. servant of the King. Here is meant chiefly the Priests and Levites, whose office was to stand and minister, Deut. 10. 8. and 17. 12. Ezek. 44. 11, 15. So Neh. 12. 44. the Priests and Levites that stood, that is, served. See also Psal. 13 5. 2. The Chaldee expoundeth it, that stand in the watches of the house of the Sanctuary of the Lord, and doe praise in the nights. in the nights] keeping the watch of the Lord. See Levit. 8. 35. 1 Chron. 9. 33. Vers. 2. in the Sanctuary] or, towards the holinesse, that is, the most holy place, where God dwelt betweene the Cherubims: or, in holinesse, that is, holily. Vers. 3. blesse] or will blesse thee, speaking to Gods people. Compare Num. 6. 24. Psal. 128. 5. and the promise, Exod. 20. 24. In all places where I put the memory of my name, I will come unto thee, and blesse thee.

PSAL. CXXXIV.

VErſ. 1 Behold, bleſs yee the Lord] This ſhort Pſalm (the laſt of the fifteen Graduals) is br[illegible: 1 letter]ve Sacerdotum ſpeculum, ſaith an Expoſitour; a mirrour for Miniſters, who are firſt excited by a Behold, as by the ſounding of a trumpet, or the ringing of a Sermon-bell: And ſecondly, exhorted to praiſe God, and to pray unto him; whereunto if wee adde their teaching of Jacob Gods Judgements, whereof Moſes mindeth them, Deut. 33.10. what more can bee required of Archippus, to the fulfilling of his miniſtry? and if hee bee ſlack, hee muſt bee told of it, Col. 4.17. yet with all due reſpect and reverence to his office, 1 Tim. 5.1. And it were fat better, if they would rouſe up themſelves with the wakefull Cock, and not keep ſleepy centry in the Sanctuary.

All yee Servants of the Lord] Yee Prieſts and Levites, who are Gods Servants, but of a more than ordinary alloy; ſervants of nobleſt imployment about him. Such are all faithfull Miniſters; each of them may ſay with Paul, Act. 27.23. whoſe I am, and whom I ſerve.

Which by night ſtand in the houſe of the Lord] Keeping watch and ward there in your turns, Num. 58.1, 2, &c. 1 Chron. 9.33. The Rabbins ſay, that the High-Prieſt only ſat in the Sanctuary (as did Eli, 1 Sam. 1.) the reſt ſtood; as ready preſt to do their office.

Verſ. 2 Lift up your hands in the Sanctuary] Or, Lift up holy hands, as 1 Tim. 2.8. One readeth it, out of the Hebrew; Lift up your hands, Sanctuary, that is, ye Sanctuary-men, continens pro contento Hearts and hands muſt both up to Heaven, Lam. 3.41. and God bee glorified both with ſpirits and bodies, which are the Lords, 1 Cor. 6.20.

And bleſs the Lord] Like ſo many earth'y Angels; and as if yee were in Heaven already, ſay

Verſ. 3 The Lord that made Heaven and Earth] And therefore hath the bleſſings of both lives in his hand to beſtow. See Num. 6.24.

Bleſs thee out of Zion] They are bleſſings indeed that come out of Zion; choice, peculiar bleſſings even above any that come out of Heaven and Earth. Compare Pſal. 128.5. and the promiſe, Exod. 20.24. In all places where I put the memory or my name, I will come unto thee and bleſs thee.

Behold. By this call the pilgrims bespeak the attention of the night watch. They shout to them —Behold! The retiring pilgrims stir up the holy brotherhood of those who are appointed to keep the watch of the house of the Lord. Let them look around them upon the holy place, and everywhere "behold" reasons for sacred praise. Let them look above them at night and magnify him that made heaven and earth, and lighted the one with stars and the other with his love. Let them see to it that their hallelujahs never come to an end. Their departing brethren arouse them with the shrill cry of "Behold!" Behold! —see, take care, be on the watch, diligently mind your work, and incessantly adore and bless Jehovah's name. Bless ye the LORD. Think well of Jehovah, and speak well of him. Adore him with reverence, draw near to him with love, delight in him with exultation. Be not content with praise, such as all his works render to him; but, as his saints, see that ye "bless" him. He blesses you; therefore, be zealous to bless him. The word "bless" is the characteristic word of the Psalm. The first two verses stir us up to bless Jehovah, and in the last verse Jehovah's blessing is invoked upon the people. Oh to abound in blessing! May blessed and blessing be the two words which describe our lives. Let others flatter their fellows, or bless their stars, or praise themselves; as for us, we will bless Jehovah, from whom all blessings flow.

All ye servants of the LORD. It is your office to bless him; take care that you lead the way therein. Servants should speak well of their masters. Not one of you should serve him as of compulsion, but all should bless him while you serve him; yea, bless him for permitting you to serve him, fitting you to serve him, and accepting your service. To be a servant of Jehovah is an incalculable honour, a blessing beyond all estimate. To be a servant in his temple, a domestic in his house, is even more a delight and a glory: if those Who are ever with the Lord, and dwell in his own temple, do not bless the Lord, who will? Which by night stand in the house of the LORD. We can well understand how the holy pilgrims half envied those consecrated ones who guarded the temple, and attended to the necessary offices thereof through the hours of night. To the silence and solemnity of night there was added the awful glory of the place where Jehovah had ordained that his worship should be celebrated, blessed were the priests and Levites who were ordained to a service so sublime. That these should bless the Lord throughout their nightly vigils was most fitting: the people would have them mark this, and never fail in the duty. They were not to move about like so many machines, but to put their hearts into all their duties, and worship spiritually in the whole course of their duty. It would be well to watch, but better still to be "watching unto prayer" and praise. When night settles down on a church the Lord has his watchers and holy ones still guarding his truth, and these must not be discouraged, but must bless the Lord even when the darkest hours draw on. Be it ours to cheer them, and lay upon them this charge —to bless the Lord at all times, and let his praise be continually in their mouths.

Lift up your hands in the sanctuary. In the holy place they must be busy, full of strength, wide awake, energetic, and moved with holy ardour. Hands, heart, and every other part of their manhood must be upraised, elevated, and consecrated to the adoring service of the Lord. As the angels praise God day without night, so must the angels of the churches be instant in season and out of season. And bless the LORD. This is their main business. They are to bless men by their teaching, but they must yet more bless Jehovah with their worship. Too often men look at public worship only from the side of its usefulness to the people; but the other matter is of even higher importance: we must see to it that the Lord God is adored, extolled, and had in reverence. For a second time the word "bless" is used, and applied to Jehovah. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and let every other soul bless him. There will be no drowsiness about even midnight devotion if the heart is set upon blessing God in Christ Jesus, which is the gospel translation of God in the sanctuary.

This last verse is the answer from the temple to the pilgrims preparing to depart as the day breaks. It is the ancient blessing of the high priest condensed, and poured forth upon each individual pilgrim. The LORD that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion. Ye are scattering and going to your homes one by one; may the benediction come upon you one by one. You have been up to Jehovah's city and temple at his bidding; return each one with such a benediction as only he can give —divine, infinite, effectual, eternal. You are not going away from Jehovah's works or glories, for he made the heaven above you and the earth on which you dwell. He is your Creator, and he can bless you with untold mercies; he can create joy and peace in your hearts, and make for you a new heaven and a new earth. May the Maker of all things make you to abound in blessings. The benediction comes from the City of the Great King, from his appointed ministers, by virtue of his covenant, and so it is said to be "out of Zion." To this day the Lord blesses each one of his people through his church, his gospel, and the ordinances of his house. It is in communion with the saints that we receive untold benisons. May each one of us obtain yet more of the blessing which cometh from the Lord alone. Zion cannot bless us; the holiest ministers can only wish us a blessing; but Jehovah can and will bless each one of his waiting people. So may it be at this good hour. Do we desire it? Let us then bless the Lord ourselves. Let us do it a second time. Then we may confidently hope that the third time we think of blessing we shall find ourselves conscious receivers of it from the Ever blessed One. Amen.

Whole Psalm. It is a beautiful little ode, equally full of sublimity and simplicity. It is commonly supposed to be the work of David. With what admiration should we contemplate the man whose zeal in the cause of religion thus urged him to embrace every opportunity that could occur to him, among the lowest as well as the highest ranks of life, of promoting the praise and glory of his Creator; now composing penitential hymns for his own closet; now leading the temple service in national eulogies of the most sublime pitch to which human language can reach; and now descending to the class of the watchmen and patrol of the temple and the city, and tuning their lips to a reverential utterance of the name and the service of God! —John Mason Good (1764-1827), in "An Historical Outline of the Book of Psalms."

Whole Psalm. This Psalm consists of a greeting, Ps 109:1-2, and the reply thereto. The greeting is addressed to those priests and Levites who have the night watch in the Temple; and this antiphon is purposely placed at the end of the collection of Songs of Degrees in order to take the place of a final "beracha" (Blessing). In this sense Luther styles the Psalm epiphonema superiorum. ("I take this Psalm to be a conclusion of those things which were spoken of before." —Luther). It is also in other respects an appropriate finale. —Franz Delitzsch.

Whole Psalm. The last cloud of smoke from the evening sacrifice has mixed with the blue sky, the last note of the evening hymn has died away on the ear. The watch is being set for the night. The twenty-four Levites, the three priests, and the captain of the guard, whose duty it was to keep ward from sunset to sunrise over the hallowed precincts, are already at their several posts, and the multitude are retiring through the gates, which will soon be shut, to many of them to open no more. But they cannot depart without one last expression of the piety that fills their hearts; and turning to the watchers on tower and battlement, they address them in holy song, in what was at once a brotherly admonition and a touching prayer: Behold, bless ye LORD, all ye servants of the LORD, which by night stand in the house of the LORD. Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the LORD. The pious guard are not unprepared for the appeal, and from their lofty heights, in words that float over the peopled city and down into the quiet valley of the Kidron, like the melody of angels, they respond to each worshipper who thus addressed them with a benedictory farewell: The LORD bless thee out of Zion, even he who made heaven and earth. —Robert Nisbet.

Whole Psalm. The tabernacle and temple were served by priests during the night as well as the day. Those priests renewed the altar fire, fed the lamps, and guarded the sacred structure from intrusion and from plunder. The Psalm before us was prepared for the priests who served the sacred place by night. They were in danger of slumbering; and they were in danger of idle reverie. Oh, how much time is wasted in mere reverie —in letting thought wander, and wander, and wander! The priests were in danger, we say, of slumbering, of idle reverie, of vain thoughts, of useless meditation, and of profitless talk: and therefore it is written, —"Behold, bless ye the LORD, all ye servants of the LORD, which by night stand in the house of the LORD." Is it your duty to spend the night in watching? Then spend the night in worship. Do not let the time of watching be idle, wasted time; but when others are slumbering and sleeping, and you are necessarily watchful, sustain the praises of God's house; let there be praise in Zion —still praise by night as well as by day! Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the LORD. We may suppose these words to be addressed to the sacred sentinels, by the head of their course, or by the captain of the guard, or even by the high priest. We can imagine the captain of the guard coming in during the night watches, and saying to the priests who were guarding the temple, Behold, bless ye the LORD, all ye servants of the LORD, which by night stand in the house of the LORD. Or we could imagine the high priest, when the watch was set for the first part of the night, going to the priests who were under his control, and addressing to them these same soul stirring words. Now our text is the response of these sacred sentinels. As they listened to the captain of the guard, or to the high priest, telling them to worship by night in the courts of the Lord —to lift up their hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord —they answered him, The LORD that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion. So that here you have brought before you the interesting and instructive subject of mutual benediction —the saints blessing each other. —Samuel Martin, 1817-1878.

The Targum explains the first verse of the Temple watch. "The custom in the Second Temple appears to have been this. After midnight the chief of the doorkeepers took the key of the inner Temple, and went with some of the priests through the small postern of the Fire Gate. In the inner court this watch divided itself into two companies, each carrying a burning torch; one company turned west, the other east, and so they compassed the court to see whether all were in readiness for the Temple service on the following morning. In the bakehouse, where the Mincha ("meat offering") of the High Priest was baked, they met with the cry, `All well.' Meanwhile the rest of the priests arose, bathed themselves, and put on their garments. They then went into the stone chamber (one half of which was the hall of session of the Sanhedrim), and there, under the superintendence of the officer who gave the watchword, and one of the Sanhedrim, surrounded by the priests clad in their robes of office, their several duties for the coming day were assigned to each of the priests by lot. Lu 1:9." —J.J. Stewart Perowne.

Behold. The Psalm begins with the demonstrative adverb Behold setting the matter of their duty before their eyes, for they were to be stimulated to devotion by looking constantly to the Temple. We are to notice the Psalmist's design in urging the duty of praise so earnestly upon them. Many of the Levites, through the tendency which there is in all men to abuse ceremonies, considered that nothing more was necessary than standing idly in the Temple, and thus overlooked the principal part of their duty. The Psalmist would show that merely to keep nightly watch over the Temple, kindle the lamps, and superintend the sacrifices, was of no importance, unless they served God spiritually, and referred all outward ceremonies to that which must be considered the main sacrifice, —the celebration of God's praises. You may think it a very laborious service, as if he had said, to stand at watch in the Temple, while others sleep in their own houses; but the worship which God requires is something more excellent than this, and demands of you to sing his praises before all the people. —John Calvin.

Behold. The first word in this verse, "Behold", seemeth to point at the reasons which the priests in the Temple had to bless Jehovah; as if it had been said, Behold, the house of God is built, the holy services are appointed, and the Lord hath given you rest from your enemies, that you may serve him acceptably; set about it, therefore, with gratitude and alacrity. We read (1Ch 9:33) that the Levitical singers were "employed in their work day and night"; to the end, doubtless, that the earthly sanctuary might bear some resemblance to that above, where St. John tells us, the redeemed "are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple": Re 7:15. —George Horne.

Behold, bless ye the LORD, all ye servants of the LORD. From the exhortation to the Lord's ministers, learn, that the public worship of God is to be carefully looked unto; and all men, but especially ministers, had need to be stirred up to take heed to themselves, and to the work of God's public worship, when they go about it; for so much doth "behold" in this place import. —David Dickson.

By night. Even by night the Lord is to be remembered, and his praises are to be rehearsed. —Martin Geier, 1614-1681.

Stand in the house of the LORD. The Rabbins say, that the high priest only sat in the sanctuary (as did Eli, 1Sa 1:9); the rest stood, as ready pressed to do their office. —John Trapp.

Which stand in the house of the LORD. YOU who have now a permanent house, and no longer, like pilgrims, have to dwell in tents. —Robert Bellarmine.

Which stand in the house of the LORD. Let not this your frequent being in his presence breed in you contempt; as the saying is, "Too much familiarity breeds contempt; "but bless him always, acknowledge, and with reverence praise his excellency. —John Mayer, 1653.

Lift up your hands, etc. The lifting up of the hands was a gesture in prayer, it was an intimation of their expectation of receiving blessings from the Lord, and it was also an acknowledgment of their having received the same. —Samuel Eyles Pierce.

In the sanctuary. The Hebrew work signifying holiness as well as the holy place may here be taken in the former sense, the latter having been sufficiently expressed (Ps 134:1) by "the house of the Lord" ...The priests (which are here spoken to) before their officiating, which is here expressed by lifting up their hands, were obliged to wash their hands. —Henry Hammond.

The LORD that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion. He doth not say, the Lord that made the earth bless thee out of heaven; nor, the Lord that made heaven bless thee out of heaven; but "bless thee out of Zion." As if he would teach us that all blessings come as immediately and primarily from heaven, so mediately and secondarily from Zion, where the Temple stood. If ever, therefore, we would have blessings outward, inward, private, public, secular, spiritual; if ever we would have blessing in our estate, blessing in our land, blessing in our souls, we must pray for it, and pray for it here, in Zion, in God's house: for from the piety there exercised all blessings flow, as from a fountain that can never be drawn dry. —Abraham Wright.

The LORD that made heaven and earth, etc. The priestly benediction brings God before us in a twofold character. He is described first as the Creator of the universe. He is described, in the second place, as dwelling "in Zion." In the first aspect, he is represented as the God of nature; in the second, as the God of grace. When I contemplate him as the Creator of the universe, there is abundant proof that he can bless me. When I contemplate him as dwelling in the Church, there is abundant proof that he will bless me. Both of these elements are essential to our faith. —N. M`michael.

The LORD that made heaven and earth, etc. As the priests were called upon to bless God in behalf of the people, so here they bless the people in behalf of God. Between the verses we may suppose the previous request to be complied with. The priests, having blessed God, turn and bless the people. The obvious allusion to the sacerdotal blessing (Nu 6:23-27), favours the optative construction of this verse, which really includes a prediction —the Lord will bless thee. —Joseph Addison Alexander.

The LORD bless thee. All men lie under the curse, till God brings them into the fellowship of his church, and pronounce them blessed by his word, as "The LORD bless thee" doth import. —David Dickson.

The LORD bless thee out of Zion. The Church is the conservator of Divine revelation; the Church is the offerer on earth of true worship; it consists of a company of priests, a royal priesthood, part of whose mission is "to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." The Church is the heritor of the covenants. God's covenants are made with his Church, and his promises are addressed chiefly to his Church. The Church is the scene of special Divine ministrations, God shows himself to his Church as he does not to that which is called the world. It is also the scene of special heavenly influences: and in a sense next to that in which God is said to reside in heaven, the Church is the dwellingplace of the Most High. Now, what is it to be blessed out of Zion? It is surely to be blessed with Zion's blessings, and to have Zion's endowments and gifts rendered sources of advantage and profit to us. —Samuel Martin.

Bless thee. The singular instead of the plural "bless you", because the words are taken from the form used by the High Priest in blessing the people. Nu 6:24. —J.J. Stewart Perowne.

Bless thee. It is addressed to the church as one person, and to each individual in this united, unit like church. —Franz Delitzsch.

Whole Psalm. There are two things in this Psalm.

1. Our blessing God: Ps 134:1-2. a) How? By gratitude, by love, by obedience, by prayer, by praise. b) Where? "in the house of the Lord", "in the sanctuary." c) When? Not in the day merely, but at night. Some of old spent the whole night, others part of the night, in the temple, praising God. As Christ spent whole nights in prayer for his people, they should not think it too much occasionally to spend whole nights in praise of him. Evening services should not be neglected on the Sabbath, nor on other days of the week.

2. God blessing us: Ps 134:3. a) The persons blessed: "bless thee" —every one who blesses him. b) The condition: "out of Zion." In the fulfilment of religious duties, not in the neglect of them. c) The blessing itself: of the Lord. They are blessed whom he blesses. —R.

Whole Psalm.

1. God —Jehovah —the fountain of blessing.

2. The heavens and the earth, evidence of divine capacity to bless.

3. The church, a channel of blessing.

4. The saints, the means of spreading blessing, through the spirit of blessing.

5. The riches involved in the divine benediction. —Samuel Martin.

Whole Psalm.

1. Unique service: temple watching, night sentinelship. 2 Sublime society: the awful things of the sanctuary.

3. Holy uplifting: hands, hearts, eyes.

4. Praise in the darkness heard far up in the light.

5. Response from the stars fulfilling the prayer: "The Creator Lord bless thee." —W.B.H.

1. Night settles on the holy place: dark periods of church story.

2. But God has his guards: Wycliffe and his band watching for the Reformation; Waldenses, etc. Never a night so dark but God is praised and served.

3. Be it night or day, let the Levites fulfil their courses. —W.B.H.

The Lord's servants exhorted to be,

1. Devout and joyful in their service. Sing at your work, though it be in the dark.

2. Zealous to employ every season of service aright. "By night", as by day, "bless the Lord."

3. Careful to avoid all hindrances to devotion in their service. When tempted to indolence and drowsiness, say:

"Wake, and lift up thyself, my heart,

And with the angels bear thy part,

Who all night long, unwearied, sing

High praise to the Eternal King." W.H.J.P.

Directions for worship.

1. It should be with great care: "Behold."

2. With grateful joy: "Bless ye the Lord."

3. Unanimously: "all ye."

4. With holy reverence, as by "servants of the Lord."

5. With unflagging constancy: "stand by night."

Ye that stand by night. The night watchmen of the Lord's house, their value, their obscurity, their danger slumber, their consolation, their dignity, their reward.

Ingredients of worship.

1. Uplifted hands. Energy, courage, prayer, aspiration.

2. Uplifted hearts. Thank, praise, adore, and love the Lord.

The Divine Benediction.

1. From the Creator: ample, new, varied, boundless, enduring —all illustrated by his making heaven and earth.

2. From the Redeemer: blessings most needful, rich, effectual, abiding, —all illustrated and guaranteed by his dwelling among men, purchasing a church, building an abode, revealing his glory, reigning on his throne.

The .134. Psalme. Behold, prayse ye the Lord.

This is the last of the Psalmes which are called the Psalmes of degrees. In the which ye haue heard many weighty and profitable pointes of doctrine as touching all the articles in a maner, What points of doctrine Dauid intreateth of in the Psalmes of degrees. of Christian doctrine, namely of Iustification or remission of sinnes, of the crosse, of charitie and brotherly loue, of matrimony, of ciuill gouernment, &c. as though the Prophet had studied to comprise in these short Psalmes the fumme and effect of all suche thinges as are to be taught vnto the people. Nowe therefore he concludeth in this Psalme, the whole matter which he tooke in hand to entreat of: As we also doe when in the ende of our preachings we pray that God would preserue his word amonges vs, and that we may continue in the same vnto the ende. For when the word is purely taught, all thinges are safe, holy & pure, although the gates of hell rage against vs neuer so much, and we lose, not only our goods, but also our liues. For what harme haue we therby, so that our soules may be saued? It is the word therefore alone that preserueth all good thinges. But if that be lost or corrupted, then all good thinges are lost. For like as, if the Sunne and light of the world should be taken away, he that walketh walketh in darkenes: so if the word be darkned and corrupted, in what misery and daunger is the common wealth? For then neither Magistrate, nor subiect, nor seruant knoweth what he ought to doe, but all thinges are wrapped vp in error and horrible darknes.

Wherefore this Psalme exhorteth vs to pray, that the Lorde would preserue and continue his word amongest vs, and euery one of vs to endeuour with this seruice to helpe the Church. For although the Church is neuer without heretikes, like as also the common wealth is neuer without seditious persons: yet so long as the word remayneth found and vncorrupt, it can not be but that many good thinges and many good men also wil remayne. I take this Psalme therfore to be as a conclusion of those things whiche were spoken of before. This Psalme is as it were a conclusion of those thinges that goe before. In yt which he exhorteth vs to giue thanks vnto the Lord for the benefite of his word, and to pray for the preseruation and continuance thereof, for as much as, if it flourish, there will alwaies be founde some good men which will leade a godly and a holy life. Therefore he saith: Verse. 1. Behold, praise ye the Lord all ye seruants of the Lord, ye that by night stand in the house of the Lord.

To blesse signifieth not onely priuatly to giue thankes vnto the Lord, To blesse what it signifieth. but also publikely to praise the Lorde, to preach and to publish his word. And this can not be done without the praise also of the mercie and goodnes of the Lord our Creator, our defender and our redeemer, which hath prouided for vs and giueth vnto vs all thinges perteining not onely to this our corporall life, but also to our euerlasting life & felicitie in the kingdom of God. And albeit this clause: seruaunts of God, belongeth here properly to the ministers of the Church, yet generally it comprehendeth all those which professe and embrace the true and sincere doctrine of the Gospell. For it is the duty euen of those which are not in the ministery of the word, to confesse the word, & to acknowledge and praise the benefites of God. Wherefore with one hart and minde (saith he) ioyne ye all togither: continue in the worde, confesse, preach, praise and magnifie the worde, that whiles all the worlde befids dishonoreth & blasphemeth God, ye may blesse him, because he is mercifull. Then shall it come to passe, that ye shall ouercome all your enemies, though ye be to them in number farre vnlike.

But what meaneth he by these wordes? which by night stande in the house of the Lorde? Did they obserue certaine howers in the night after the maner of the Papistes? You must note that it is a kinde of speech proper vnto the Hebrewes, and is as much to say, as morning & euening, that is to say, continually. As he saith also in an other Psalme: From the morning watche euen vntill the night. Psal. 129. Coloss. 3.16. Paule expresseth this sentence with other wordes: Let the word of Christ dwell in you plenteously, saith he. And our Sauiour Christ teacheth, Luke, 18.1. that we must pray alwaies. For wheras the night season is appointed for sleepe, he that will blesse in the night, will do ye same also in the day, & so he wil be alwaies blessing.

Verse. 2. Lift vp your hands to the Sanctuary & praise the Lord.

As much to say, as when ye pray in the Sanctuary, lift vp pure and holy hands. For he that prayeth in that holy place, must offer vp pure and holy prayers. So saith S. Paule also: lifting vp pure hands, 1 Tim. 2.8. &c. for else ye shall pray in vaine. Pure hands signifie innocencie, from blood, extortion, spoile & robbery. The Prophet therfore setteth forth here two sortes of men comming to the temple & praying. Some there be that come and pray in innocencie and holines. Some againe pray in hipocrisie, hauing their hands defiled with blood.107.7. The prayer of such is sinne, as the Psalme sayth. Paul teacheth in like maner concerning prayer: Timo. 1.2. Pray (saith he) without wrath or doubting. Also our Sauiour Christ saith: If thou bring thy gift to the altar, Matth. 5.25. and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee, goe thy way and first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. For this is a common thing, that hypocrites, when they haue done all ye iniury they can against their brethren, are not only without all remorse of cō science, but also they make a great shew of religion and holines, & bragge of the Gospell more then the true Christians doe. Against these the psalme speaketh & warneth them that when they pray in the holy place, they ought to be pure & holy. For who so euer praieth, & is possessed with the sinne of couetousnes, fleshly lust or any other deuil, Psal. 50.16. to him the Lord sayth: VVhat hast thou to do to declare mine ordinances, that thou shouldest take my couenant in thy mouth, seeing thou hatest to be reformed, and hast cast my words behinde thee? For when thou seest a theefe, thou runnest with him, & thou art partaker with the adulterers &c. Such was ye prayer of the Pharisey, Luke. 18.14. which departed out of ye temple vniustified. For this is a common euil among men, yt they which are most impure & wicked, doe glory more of God & his word, then such as are godly & feare God in deede. Wherfore the Scripture expresly declareth, yt such there be as take ye name of God in their mouths, and yet in hart & life are polluted and wicked. And in this place the prophet inueyeth against hipocriets, whiche thinke that when they pray, God seeth not ye vncleannes of their hart. This is therfore a necessary prayer, ye first God would giue vnto vs his word, & defend the same against all vaine spirits & heresies: and secondly that he would preserue vs in innocēcie & keepe vs from hipocrisie.

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.