Commentary on Psalms Volume 3 John Calvin
Psalm 134
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, 590 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." 591 But it is evident, from the close of the Psalm, that the inspired penman addresses priests only, since he prescribes the form ".קדשSome 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.