A Song of Ascents. Of David.
1 Praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord
who minister by night in the house of the Lord.
2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary
and praise the Lord.
3 May the Lord bless you from Zion,
he who is the Maker of heaven and earth.
Studying Psalm 134
- The Genre of Psalm 134 is a Hymn.
- Hymn Psalms are songs of praise that exalt God’s greatness, majesty, and works.
C.S. Lewis said, “The most valuable thing the Psalms do for me is to express that same delight in God which made David dance” (Reflections on the Psalms 45).
“Praise the LORD, all you servants of the LORD”
Hebrew: (Hinnêh, Barak et- Yahweh kôl ebed Yahweh!)
New King James Version “Behold, bless the LORD, All you servants of the LORD.”
Q: What word is missing from the NIV?
Behold = hinnêh (hin-nay’) – behold, look now!
- “Praise the LORD” is not hallelujah in Psalm 134
- Hallelujah – A joyful and exuberant call to worship, Found in Psalms 146-150
- Hallelujah is used in many Psalms such as Psalm 150:1 “Praise the LORD (hallelujah) Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in His mighty heavens.”
- The Hebrew for Praise the LORD in Psalm 134 is Barak (baw-rak’) et-YHWH
- Barak (בָּרַךְ) – to bless, kneel, or show reverence.” Psalm 103
- et-YHWH
- Et – indicates the direct object (YHWH).
- YHWH (The full, sacred Name of God (Yahweh).
Behold, Praise the LORD! = Hinnêh, Barak et-Yahweh
- All you servants of the LORD
- All = kôl
- Servants = ‛ebed (eh’-bed) – a servant, a slave
- “James, a servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” James 1:1
- Greek – Servant = Doulos = slave, a bond servant.
- Hebrew is ebed.
- Abraham, Joshua, Moses, and David were all call “Ebed” slaves of God.
- Matthew 25:21 “Well done good and faithful servant (doulos)
All you servants of the LORD! = kôl ebed Yahweh!
Behold, Praise the LORD! All You Servants of the LORD!
Hinnêh, Barak et-Yahweh kôl ebed Yahweh!
- “Who minister by night in the house of the LORD.”
Ralph Wilson (Songs of Ascent):
“For hundreds of years, a cadre of priests and Levites would be assigned to remain in the temple all night. to keep the lampstand lit, to keep the sacrifices burning, and to guard the gates (Exodus 27:21; Leviticus 6:9; 1 Chronicles 9:22-27). Their duties also included audible worship.
1 Chronicles 23:30 “They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD. They were to do the same in the evening.”
Q: Can you guess which king established that the priests would sing praises to the LORD day and night?
- King David. – This was one of his final acts before he died.
1 Chronicles 23:1;4
“When David was old and full of years, he made his son Solomon king over Israel.
2 He also gathered together all the leaders of Israel, as well as the priests and Levites. 3 The Levites thirty years old or more were counted, and the total number of men was thirty-eight thousand. 4 David said, “Of these, twenty-four thousand are to be in charge of the work of the temple of the Lord and six thousand are to be officials and judges. 5 Four thousand are to be gatekeepers and four thousand are to praise the Lord with the musical instruments I have provided for that purpose.”
1 Chronicles 23:30 “They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD. They were to do the same in the evening.” 30
Q: Why did David have the priests sing praises night and day?
- We worship a God “who neither slumbers nor sleeps” (Psalm 121:4)
Q So, how are we told to bless the LORD in Psalm 134?
“Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the LORD!”
“I encourage you, my friend, to practice the command of this psalm with your own arms, your own hands. Even if lifting hands in worship isn’t your tradition, try it! Like the posture of kneeling, the posture of lifted hands helps your whole body participate in praise to the one who loves you and gave his life that you might have eternal life” ~ Ralph Wilson.
Eugene Peterson answers the question, “What if I don’t feel like raising my arms?”
He says, “You can lift up your hands regardless of how you feel; it is a simple motor movement. You may not be able to command your heart, but you can command your arms. Lift your arms in blessing; just maybe your heart will get the message and be lifted up also in praise. We are psychosomatic beings; body and spirit are intricately interrelated. Go through the motions of blessing God and your spirit will pick up the cue and follow along.
He quotes John Calvin: “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?”
“Act your gratitude; pantomime your thanks; you will become that which you do.” ~ Eugene Peterson
- The Psalms of Ascents End in a Blessing From the LORD
3 May the LORD bless you from Zion, He who is the Maker of heaven and earth
Dr. Constance Cherry, “a good ending to a service contains both a charge and a blessing.”
Katie Ritsema Roelofs ((Director of “Worship for Workers” initiative at Fuller Theological Seminary.)
Speaking at the Calvin Worship Symposium 2025
Charge: “God sends His people out on mission and purpose with words of charge: “Go! Go out into God’s world and redeem what is broken. Be faithful to your calling, people of God. Go!“
Blessing: “But you are also sent with blessing: “The LORD bless you and keep you,” for we go with the presence of the One who never leaves us or forsakes us and who promises that through the work of the Holy Spirit, we will never face any of our charges alone.”
The Cycle of Blessing
- Psalm 134 has a cycle of blessing: We Bless the LORD together and we leave with the blessing of the LORD upon us.
- When we bless the LORD through worship, obedience, and gratitude, He blesses us with His presence, guidance, and provision.
- It’s a beautiful relationship where our hearts align with His will, and He pours out His goodness upon us.
A Long Obedience in the Same Direction.
“Worship does not satisfy our hunger for God—it whets our appetite.” ~ Eugene Peterson
“Our need for God is not taken care of by engaging in worship—it deepens. It overflows the hour and permeates the week.” ~ Eugene Peterson
- “Permeate” – to spread throughout or to fill every part of something.
Q: What does it look like for worship to permeate your week?
SENT
“There’s a big difference between leaving and being sent.” ~ Katie Ritsema Roelofs
“So, dear children of God, do not leave this place but rather go, for you are sent. And the sending expects a return. The God who blesses and sends you into the world today will welcome you back into communities of worship once again.
So go. God is calling you to live and to work, to play, to imagine, and to dream. Go, for God is calling you to the work of justice and reconciliation in this beautiful but oh-so-broken world. Go, for God is calling you to tenderly care, to love deeply in Spirit-filled ways.”
Go and as you go “May the LORD the Maker of heaven and earth, bless and be with you both now and forevermore.”
Prayer
Choose either early morning or after nightfall to pray Psalm 134. Find a private area and stand before the LORD, praying:
“I bless You, LORD. As I stand and lift my hands to you, I bless You, LORD. May You, the Maker of heaven and earth, bless me, and may I be Your servant. In Your holy Name. Amen.”
As the weather gets better (hopefully!), think about taking a prayer walk and make this prayer your own. You can either walk silently, put on worship music, or walk with someone else. As you move forward, incline your heart in praise. As you step forward, pray, “I bless You, LORD.” Pray whatever is on your heart to pray and take pauses to just bask in thankfulness over God’s creation. As you return to your house, consider intercessory prayer requests for blessing for yourself and others who come to mind.
