Psalm 134
This last psalm of the "Songs of Ascents" series is quite brief, but it deals with a vast subject: worshipping the Lord and sharing His blessings with others. It is a short psalm—117 is the shortest—but it deals with a subject that could fill volumes. The psalm closes the collection with a benediction and leads into a series of psalms that emphasize praising the Lord. The inferences we draw
When the high priest was anointed, the oil ran down his beard to the front of his body and over his
Psalm 134—135
Lord sang a song in the night before He went out to Gethsemane and then Calvary (Matt. 26:30). The greatest responsibility and highest privilege of individual believers and of churches is to worship God, for everything that we are and do flows out of worship. Yet today, worship is often trivialized into cheap, clever entertainment, and the sanctuary has become a theater. As the choir in the temple lifted their hands to heaven (see on 28:2), they were pointing to the Source of all good things and praising Him for His mercy and grace. True worshippers lift "clean hands and a pure heart" to the Lord (24:4; James 4:8), for the Lord looks on the heart. We will worship God for all eternity (Rev. 4— 5), so we had better start learning now.
from this psalm ought to encourage us in our own pilgrim journey and make us a blessing to others.
A God Who Never Sleeps (v. 1) As you review these fifteen psalms, you see that the pilgrims had a variety of experiences on their journey, but they arrived safely in the Holy City, fulfilled their obligations, and were now preparing to return home. It was night and they wanted to make one last visit to the temple. Directed by the high priest, the temple priests and Levites were responsible to make sure everything was in order for the next day's ministry. They also checked the building to see that nothing dangerous or defiling had gotten past the doorkeepers and was hidden in the sacred precincts. The pilgrims heard a temple choir singing the praises of Jehovah, and their ministry would continue all night. Pagan temples were silent at night, because their gods had to rest (1 Kings 18:27), but "He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep" (121:3–4 nkjv). The Lord gives sleep to His beloved people, but He stays awake and guards the city and watches over the family (127:1–2). He also hears the praises of His people.
A Blessing That Never Stops (v. 3) As the pilgrims left the temple, a priest on duty called, "May the Lord bless you from Zion" (NASB; see 20:2; 128:5). The pronoun "you" is singular, for the blessing of God is for each of us personally. It is also singular in the priestly benediction found in Numbers 6:22–27. To leave God's house with God's blessing upon us is a great privilege, but it is also a great responsibility, for we must share that blessing with others. If it is a joy to receive a blessing, it is an even greater joy to be a blessing. Spiritually speaking, God blesses us from Zion, for "salvation is of the Jews" (John 4:22). From the day He called Abraham and gave him His covenant (Gen. 12:1–3), God has blessed the nations because of the Jewish people, for they have given us the knowledge of the true and living God as well as the gifts of the Word of God and the Savior. If God never sleeps and our worship never ends, then the blessing will not stop. Like the precious gift that Mary of Bethany gave to Jesus, the fragrance of the blessing will reach around the world (Mark 14:1–9).
"The Lord that made heaven and earth" (v. 3) also made the day and the night (Gen. 1:14–19), and the darkness and the light are both alike to Him (139:11–12). When we go to sleep, we know that the Father is caring for us, and when we awaken, He is there to greet us (91:1–6). If we awaken in the night, we can fellowship with Him and meditate on His Word (119:55, 62, 157–148). If God never slumbers nor sleeps, why should we stay awake all night, tossing and turning and fretting? "Be still, and know that I am God" (46:10).
A Worship That Never Ends (v. 2) Visitors at churches sometimes ask, "When does the worship service end?" If you had asked that question of a priest or Levite in the temple in Jerusalem, he would have replied, "Never!" David arranged that the temple choirs praise the Lord day and night (92:1–2; 1 Chron. 9:33; 23:30). While you and I are asleep in our part of the world, somewhere else on the globe, believers are worshipping God. Even more, our High Priest in heaven intercedes for us and enables us to pray and to worship. Some people find it difficult to stay awake and alert during an hour's church service. What would they do if the Lord commanded them to praise Him all night long? "Any man can sing in the day," said Charles Spurgeon, "but he is the skillful singer who can sing when there is not a ray of light by which to read—who sings from his heart…."