Psalms 134:1 - Meaning and Application

This psalm teaches us about a twofold blessing.

First, we are called to bless God, that is, to speak well of him. The psalm begins by calling the Levites to do this, because they were the Lord’s servants by office. They had been set apart to serve in holy things, to care for the sanctuary, and to guard the house of the Lord (Numbers 3:6). Some of them stood watch in the Lord’s house at night to protect the holy things from being profaned and the temple treasures from being stolen. Since the ark was kept in curtains, it needed guards all the more. They also watched so that neither the fire on the altar nor the lamps in the lampstand would go out.

It was likely that some devout Israelites kept them company through the night. We read of one such person, Anna, who did not leave the temple day or night (Luke 2:37). These servants are called to bless the Lord, and in doing so they must stay awake by staying useful. They should make use of empty time for holy thoughts and short prayers. What better use can we make of our time than praising God? It is both modest and right to speak with God when we have nothing else to do.

Those who stood in the house of the Lord needed to remember where they were. Holiness and holy work fit that house. So let them bless the Lord, together or one by one. Let them lift up their hands as they do it, showing that their hearts are being lifted too. Some read this as “in holiness” or “in sanctification,” which fits well, since they were lifting their hands in a holy place. They were also taught this by the washings required before they went in to serve, which pointed to holy hands in prayer and praise.

This call also comes to us. As Christians, we are made priests to our God, and servants in his house (Isaiah 66:21). We belong to him, and we have a place and a name in his sanctuary. We stand before him to serve him, and even by night we are still under his eye and can come to him. So let us bless the Lord, and bless him again. Let us think and speak of his greatness and goodness. Let us lift up our hands in prayer, praise, and promises, and do our work with care, joy, and a lifted spirit.

The word “Behold!” at the start is meant to wake us up and get our attention. When you are in God’s presence, look around and act accordingly.

Second, we are taught to desire God’s blessing on us. Whether this is the watchmen blessing their leader, or the Levites blessing the high priest, or one person blessing many, the main point is the same, “The Lord bless you.” The exact form does not matter. What matters is that those who bless God also seek blessing from him.

We learn several things here. We need nothing more to make us truly happy than to be blessed by the Lord, because those he blesses are truly blessed. The best blessings are the blessings that come out of Zion, spiritual blessings, the blessings of the covenant, and the blessings of fellowship with God. These are the blessings we should want most. And when we come to God for blessing, we have strong reason for hope, because he made heaven and earth. He holds all the blessings of both in his hand.

We should ask for these blessings not only for ourselves, but for others too. We should not only pray, “The Lord bless me,” but also, “The Lord bless you.” That shows our trust that God’s blessings are enough for others as well as for us, and it shows kindness toward others. We should pray for those who call us to worship. Even though the less is blessed by the greater (Hebrews 7:7), the greater still should be prayed for by the less.