This psalm is an exhortation to praise God in his sanctuary. This is the last of fifteen Psalms 120–134 to each of which is prefixed the title “A Song of Degrees.” Four of these psalms are ascribed to David, one of them to Solomon, and the rest are by unknown authors. It is of the nature of a doxology as now sung in our places of worship.
The author of Psalm 134 is
unknown although John Gill in his commentary writes that one bible manuscript
(the Syriac) claims David as the author. It reads: "a psalm of David,
concerning the priests, whom he appointed to wait on the ministry of the Lord
in the nights; but, spiritually, an instruction of life.''
Psalm 134 is intimately
connected with the two preceding Psalms, and is an
exhortation to the priests and Levites who kept nightly watch in the temple, to
the assiduous in praising the Lord. This Psalm consists of a greeting, Psalm 134:1-2,
and the reply Psalm 134:3. The greeting is addressed to those priests and Levites
who have the night-watch in the Temple;
The psalm is a summons to
praise. Commentators agree it seems to be written in two parts, to be sung by two
different groups. They do not agree as to which groups sing the first part. One
commentator says it would seem not improbable that it was designed to be sung
by alternate choirs - the first Psalm 134:1-2 representing the people
approaching the sanctuary, calling on those who habitually serve God there -
the ministers of religion - to lift up their hands in the sanctuary and to
praise the Lord; the second Psalm 134:3, the response of the priests or the
ministers of religion, pronouncing a blessing on the people - a blessing as
proceeding out of Zion. A second commentator believes that it consists of: first,
an exhortation, possibly from the high priest, to those priests and Levites who
kept watch in the temple by night, to spend their time profitably, and duly
celebrate the praises of God, Psalm 134:1-2. The second part, which is
contained in the Psalm 134:3, is the prayer of the priests and Levites for the
high priest, who seems now to be going to his rest.
Song of Degrees or Song
of Ascent - Also called Song of
Steps. A title given to 15 psalms (Psalms 120-134). There are several
interpretations of what it refers to. One such view suggests they were sung as
one went up a set of stairs in the temple, unlikely, as at least four were
written before there was a temple with steps. Tourists today often read the 15
psalms as they climb the Southern Steps of the Second Temple. Rabbinic
tradition does not associate these stairs with the Songs of Degrees. Another
unlikely view is that it refers to the step-like progressive rhythm of their
thoughts. Other scholars suppose that the title is a musical term, and that the
reference is to something special in the rhythm, which in the East would be
called “steps” or “ascents.” Some early church fathers suggested they are traveling
songs of the returning exiles, although many of them indicate they are meant
for the temple. The prevailing view is that the hymns were sung by pilgrim
bands on their way to the three great festivals of the Jewish year. The journey
to Jerusalem was called a “going up,” regardless of which direction they came
from.
Exodus
34:24 For I will cast out the nations before thee, and enlarge thy
borders: neither shall any man desire thy land, when thou shalt go up to appear
before the LORD thy God thrice in the year.
1 Kings
12:27 If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at
Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even
unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam
king of Judah.
Psalm
122:1 A Song of degrees of David. I was glad when they said unto me, Let
us go into the house of the LORD.
Many scholars refer to
this collection of psalms as Pilgrim Psalms. All of the songs of degrees fit
these annual pilgrimages. In reality, it is impossible to say for sure which is
the correct meaning behind the phrase “Song of Degrees.”
Psalm
134:1 A Song of degrees. Behold, bless ye the LORD, all ye servants of
the LORD, which by night stand in the house of the LORD.
Behold - As if calling attention to the fact that they were
there, or had come.
Bless ye the Lord - Praise the Lord. Making known their desire that God
should be praised, and calling on those who presided over the public worship of
the sanctuary to engage now in that service as expressive of their feelings.
Behold, bless ye the
Lord - employ your hearts and tongues
in singing forth the praises of the Lord.
All ye servants of the
Lord - The priests or ministers of
religion, appointed especially to this service.
Which by night stand in
the house of the Lord – The
Septuagint adds in the courts of the house of our God. Psalm 134:1 A Song of Degrees. Behold now, bless ye
the Lord, all the servants of the Lord, who stand in the house of the Lord, in
the courts of the house of our God. (Septuagint)
It comes from
Psalm
135:2 who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of
our God. (Septuagint)
Psalm
135:2 Ye that stand in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our
God, (KJV)
Which by night stand in
the house of the Lord - There was a
class of singers in the temple who devoted the night, or a part of the night,
to praise; and it is possible that this service may have been, as it was
subsequently in some of the monasteries, continued by succeeding choirs, during
the entire night. Thus in 1 Chronicles
9:33 And these are the singers, chief of the fathers of the Levites, who
remaining in the chambers were free: for they were employed in that work day
and night. This class is particularly addressed in this psalm,
as if they were especially favored, or as if they especially possessed the ear
of God in the silence of the night, and when the world slumbered around them.
There is something favorable to devotion in the silence of the night; when the
world sleeps; when we are alone with God; the effect may be to make the mind
more solemn, and better suited for devotion.
which by night stand in
the house of the Lord - it is
generally interpreted of the priests and Levites, who watched in the temple by
night, that it might not be profaned nor plundered; and they were obliged to
stand, for none might sit in the temple but a king of the house of David. The
psalmist called on them to praise God even at night.
stand in the house of
the Lord - The word “stand” refers to
the Levites’ office.
Deuteronomy 10:8 At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Levi, to
bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister
unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day.
Deuteronomy
18:5 For the LORD thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes, to stand
to minister in the name of the LORD, him and his sons for ever.
Deuteronomy
18:7 Then he shall minister in the name of the LORD his God, as all his
brethren the Levites do, which stand there before the LORD.
Bless ye the Lord - Notice, then, that the priests’ duty is to praise. It
is because they are the servants of the Lord that, therefore, it is their
business to bless the Lord. It is because they stand in the House of the Lord
that it is theirs to bless the Lord.
So for us Christians. We
are servants of the Lord-His priests. That we ‘stand in the House of the Lord’
expresses not only the fact of our great privilege of confiding approach to Him
and communion with Him, whereby we may ever abide in the very Holy of Holies
and be in the secret place of the Most High, even while we are busy in the
world, but it also points to our duty of ministering; for the word ‘stand’ is
employed to designate the attendance of the priests in their office, and is
almost equivalent to ‘serve.’ ‘To bless the Lord,’ then, is the work to which
we are called. If we are made a ‘royal priesthood,’ it is that we ‘should show
forth the praises of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous
light.’
Whatever the form in which
praise may come, whether it be in the form of vocal thanksgiving, or whether it
be the glad surrender of the heart, manifested in the conscious discharge of
the most trivial duties, whether we ‘lift up our hands in the Sanctuary, and
bless the Lord’ with them, or whether we turn our hands to the tools of our
daily occupation and handle them for His sake, alike we maybe praising Him. Hebrews 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the
sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving
thanks to his name.
But observe, further, the
two kinds of blessing which answer to one another-God’s blessing of man, and
man’s blessing of God. The one is communicative, the other receptive and
responsive. God blesses us when He gives. We bless God when we thankfully take,
and praise the Giver. God’s blessing then, must ever come first. 1 John 4:19 We love him, because he first loved
us. Ours is but the echo of
His.
1 Chronicles 9:33 shows
that the Levitical singers worked day and night. 1
Chronicles 9:33 And these are the singers, chief of the fathers of the
Levites, who remaining in the chambers were free: for they were employed in
that work day and night. The earthly sanctuary might bear some
resemblance of that above, as in Revelation
7:15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and
night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among
them.
Psalm
134:2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the LORD.
Lift up your hands in
the sanctuary - The lifting up of the
hands is properly expressive of prayer, but the phrase may be used to denote
praise or worship in general. Lifting up of the hands displays the anticipation
of gratefully receiving from God, and the sense of surrender to Him.
Lift up your hands in
the sanctuary - The expression seems
very similar to that in 1 Timothy 2:8 I
will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath
and doubting.
Lift
up your hands in the sanctuary - Psalm 141:2 Let my prayer be set forth before thee as
incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. which should be in a holy manner
Lift up your hands in
the sanctuary - or towards the holy
place; the oracle in the holy of holies, and the ark of the covenant, typical
of Christ; Psalm 28:2 Hear the voice of my
supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy
oracle.
Bless the Lord - That is, speak good of his name: tell the wonders he
has wrought, and show that his name is exalted. Repeating the admonition to
bless the Lord, to offer up praise, for emphasis, to show the importance of the
work, that it might not be forgotten and neglected; this being a principal part
of spiritual service, and greatly acceptable to God.
Psalm 134:3
The LORD that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion.
The Lord that made heaven and earth - The great
Creator of all things. This is probably the language of those who were thus
employed in the service of the Lord at night; their response to the address in
the first two verses.
The Lord that made heaven and earth - Who governs
and possesses all things; and who can give you every spiritual and earthly
blessing.
The Lord that made heaven and earth - commonly used for designating the majesty and
glory of God, exalting Him above all beings.
Psalm 115:15 Ye are blessed of the
LORD which made heaven and earth.
Psalm 121:2 My help cometh from the
LORD, which made heaven and earth.
Isaiah 37:16 O LORD of hosts, God
of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou
alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth.
Bless thee out of Zion - That is,
bless those who thus approached the sanctuary, and called on those within to
praise the Lord. This is the answer. Let the blessing of God rest on you. It is
language showing that they appreciated the kind and encouraging salutation, and
that they reciprocated the feelings and the good wishes of those who came to
worship. In the name of the Lord whom they served, therefore, and appealing to
him, they pronounced a blessing on those who thus approached the sanctuary.
Bless thee out of Zion – Many commentators compare to the Aaronic blessing in Numbers
6:22-27.
Numbers 6:22
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Numbers 6:23 Speak unto Aaron and
unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel,
saying unto them,
Numbers 6:24 The LORD bless thee,
and keep thee:
Numbers 6:25 The LORD make his face
shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
Numbers 6:26 The LORD lift up his
countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
Numbers 6:27 And they shall put my
name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.
Bless thee out of Zion – they are the words of the psalmist, promising a
blessing from the Lord to those that blessed him; as an encouragement to them,
to everyone of them, to be constant and diligent in this service.
Bless thee out of Zion – where God
dwells, Psalm 132:13 For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath
desired it for his habitation.
Bless thee out of Zion – The line is
taken from the priestly blessing in Numbers 6:24
The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: with the addition of out of
Zion. Psalm 128:5 The LORD shall bless thee
out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy
life.
