Psalms 134

Psalms 134:1-3

Psalms 1341. (Psalms 134:1) A Song of Ascents. Behold! bless Jehovah, all ye servants of Jehovah, those standing in the house of Jehovah by night. The whole series of pilgrimage songs closes, in the most appropriate manner, with a summons to bless the Lord, addressed by the people on arriving at the sanctuary to the priests there in attendance, Psalms 134:1-2, and indirectly answered by a priestly blessing on the worshippers themselves, Psalms 3. The lo or behold at the beginning is equivalent to saying, See, we are here, or we are come. To bless God, as in all other cases, is to praise him in a reverential and adoring manner. The servants of the Lord here meant are not his people indiscriminately, but his official servants, and most probably the priests, as will appear from Psalms 134:3 below.

The (ones) standing, the appropriate posture of attendants, even in the courts of earthly monarchs. By night, literally in the nights, which does not, however, necessarily mean all night (1 Chronicles 9:33), as appears from Psalms 92:3, where it stands opposed to in the morning, and may therefore denote simply in the evening, with specific refer-ence, as some suppose, to the evening sacrifice, with which the daily service of the priests concluded. We may then assume, although we cannot prove, that the pilgrims were accustomed to reach the sanctuary at that hour, singing this last “song of ascents.” 2. (Psalms 134:2) Raise your hands to the holy place, and bless Jehovah! The gesture mentioned in the first clause symbolized the raising of the heart to God. See above, on Psalms 28:2; Psalms 63:4. The word for holy place or sanctuary is the same in form with that so frequently translated as an abstract, holiness. For its local meaning, see above, on Psalms 20:2. It here denotes the temple or its site, as distinguished from the courts around it. As to the act of praying to or towards it, see above, on Psalms 5:7; Psalms 99:5.

3. (Psalms 134:3) Jehovah bless thee out of Zion, Maker of heaven and earth. 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, Numbers 6:23-27, favours the optative construction of this verse, which really includes a prediction (the Lord will bless thee). Out of Zion, as in Psalms 128:5. Maker of heaven and earth, and therefore infinitely able to fulfil this prayer. See above, on Psalms 115:15; Psalms 121:2; Psalms 124:8.