Psalm 134:1-2

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 134:1-3

This psalm instructs us concerning a two-fold blessing:? I. Our blessing God, that is, speaking well of him, which here we are taught to do, Ps. 134:1, 2. 1. It is a call to the Levites to do it. They were the servants of the Lord by office, appointed to minister in holy things; they attended the sanctuary, and kept the charge of the house of the Lord, Num. 3:6-10 Some of them did by night stand in the house of the Lord, to guard the holy things of the temple, that they might not be profaned,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 134:1

Behold, bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord ,.... All men are of right the servants of God being his creatures; and are under obligation, through his providential goodness, to bless and praise him; though they are not all in fact so: but all good men are, being made so by the power of divine grace; which frees them from the servitude of sin, Satan, and the world, and makes them willing to serve the Lord; as they do in righteousness and holiness, with reverence and godly fear,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 134:2

Lift up your hands in the sanctuary ,.... Which Aben Ezra interprets of the priests lifting up their hands to bless the people; but Kimchi, better, of lifting up of the hands to God in prayer; see Psalm 141:2 ; which should be done "with holiness", as the Targum renders it, in a holy manner; and is the same with lifting up holy hands, 1 Timothy 2:8 ; or towards the holy place; the oracle in the holy of holies, and the ark of the covenant, typical of Christ; see 1 Kings 8:29 , Psalm... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 134:1

Behold, bless ye the Lord - I believe הנה hinneh should be taken here in the sense of take heed! Be upon your guard; you serve a jealous God; provoke him not. Which by night stand - Who minister during the night. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 134:2

Lift up your hands in the sanctuary - קדש kodesh , "in holiness:" or, as the Syriac, lekoudishe , "to holiness;" in sancta, Vulgate; and εις τα ἁγια , Septuagint; "in holy things; or, as the Aethiopic, in the house of the sanctuary." The expression seems very similar to that of St. Paul, 1 Timothy 2:8 ; : "Lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting." Bless the Lord - That is, speak good of his name: tell the wonders he has wrought, and show that his name is exalted. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 134:1

Verse 1 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.” (150) But it is evident, from the close of the Psalm, that the inspired penman addresses priests only, since he prescribes the form of benediction which they were to offer up... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 134:1

Behold . The word calls attention to an immediate need—something that is to be done, and to be done at once. Bless ye the Lord. This must mean "for us"—"on our behalf." Thank God for having brought our journey to a prosperous end. All ye servants of the Lord, which by night stand in the house of the Lord ; i . e . ye special servants of the Lord, priests and Levites, now standing within his courts, and engaged in his worship. The temple was never left without a body of priests and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 134:1

Representative worshippers. From a Targum we learn that "the custom in the second temple appears to have been this: After midnight the chief of the doorkeepers took the key of the inner temple, and went with some of the priests through the small postern of the Fire Gate. In the inner court this watch divided itself into two companies, each carrying a burning torch; one company turned west, the other east; and so they compassed the court to see whether all were in readiness for the temple... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 134:1-3

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 134:1-3

God and man; reciprocal relations. "It must needs be a matter of conjecture who the speakers are" in this short psalm; but these three verses bring before us the reciprocal relations existing between our God and ourselves, particularly as those engaged in his worship. "Bless ye the Lord … the Lord bless thee." I. IN APPROACH AND NEARNESS OF SPIRIT . We draw nigh unto him, and he draws nigh unto us ( 2 Chronicles 15:2 ; James 4:8 ). We come up to his house to "seek his... read more

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