Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 134:3
The LORD that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion.
3. The response of the priests,
Jehovah bless thee out of Zion,
Even the maker of heaven and earth.
The first line is taken from the priestly blessing in Num 6:24, with the addition of out of Zion (Psa 128:5). The singular thee may denote the congregation as a whole or each individual in it. The attribute Maker of heaven and earth implies Jehovah’s power to bless. Cp. Psa 115:15, note.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The Lord that made heaven and earth – The great Creator of all things. This is probably the language of those who were thus employed in the service of the Lord at night; their response to the address in the first two verses.
Bless thee out of Zion – That is, bless those who thus approached the sanctuary, and called on those within to praise the Lord. This is the answer. Let the blessing of God rest on you. It is language showing that they appreciated the kind and encouraging salutation, and that they reciprocated the feelings and the good wishes of those who came to worship. In the name of the Lord whom they served, therefore, and appealing to him, they pronounced a blessing on those who thus approached the sanctuary. People do not come near the house of God – the place of public worship – with kind and sympathizing feelings without a blessing from the sanctuary, without a response that welcomes them, and that meets all their aspirations. There is always in Zion – in the church – a voice, by day and night, which pronounces a blessing on those who wish it well, who seek its good, and who desire to partake of the favor of God.
Out of Zion – That is, may God speak to you out of Zion; may he confer on you such blessings as properly go out of Zion; or such as Zion (or his church) can furnish. Go not away unblessed; go not without a token of divine favor – for God will bless you.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 134:3
The Lord that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion.
Mutual benediction
We may suppose these words to be addressed to the sacred sentinels by the head of their course, or by the captain of the guard, or even by the high priest. We can imagine the captain of the guard coming in during the night watches, and saying to the priests who were guarding the temple (verse 1). Or we could imagine the high priest, when the watch was set for the first part of the alight, going to the priests who were under his control, and addressing to them these same soul-stirring words. Now our text is the response of these sacred sentinels. As they listened to the captain of the guard, or to the high priest, telling them to worship by night in the courts of the Lord–to lift up their hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord–they answered him, The Lord that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion. So that here you have brought before you the interesting and instructive subject of mutual benediction–the saints blessing each other.
I. Jehovah–the fountain of blessing. There is in the Divine nature an infinite and everlasting disposition to do us good; and connected with that infinite and everlasting disposition to do us good are all power, all knowledge, all wisdom, absolute independence and eternity of being. And we find actual blessings on Gods part according to that capacity. He does not bless as His creatures bless–often unwisely, often insufficiently, often half-heartedly–but when God blesses, He blesses with all that is within Him; with all that can be employed in that particular act and work of blessing.
II. The heavens and the earth, evidence of Divine capacity to bless. While we, of course, look chiefly and supremely to the manifestation of Gods goodness in our Lord and Saviour, we ought not to overlook the expressions of His care and kindness which we find in the grass of the field, and in the very dust which we tread beneath our feet.
III. The Church a channel of blessing. The Church is the conservator of Divine revelation,–the Church is the offerer on earth of true worship–it consists of a company of priests, a royal priesthood, part of whose mission is to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. The Church is the heritor of the covenants. Gods covenants are made with His Church, and His promises are addressed chiefly to His Church. The Church is the scene of special Divine ministrations, God shows Himself to His Church as He does not to that which is called the world. It is also the scene of special heavenly influences: and in a sense next to that in which God is said to reside in heaven, the Church is the dwelling-place of the Most High. Now, what is it to be blessed out of Zion? It is surely to be blessed with Zions blessings, and to have Zions endowments and gifts rendered sources of advantage and profit to us.
IV. The saints as the means of spreading the blessing, and that, too, by the spirit of blessing. The Lord that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion. Bless thee! You know where this was first said, and when. The Fountain of Blessing first said it. He said it in Paradise to our first father and mother when, beautiful in holiness, and glorious in uprightness and goodness, they came fresh from His hand. As their Creator, He said to them both, Bless thee; and we have learned to say, Bless thee, from our Father in heaven, the Fountain of Blessing. We never should have said to each other, Bless thee, had not God taught us; and when we say it, we but echo His voice. Bless you, said the Son of God to the multitude around Him. And, Bless you, said He emphatically to His apostles when He was about to leave them–when He was about to ascend from Olivet, and depart out of their sight. He lifted up His hands, and blessed them. Bless you, said the apostles to the Churches. How full of benedictions are these glorious epistles! Grace, mercy, and peace be with all who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. And what has this to do with spreading the Divine blessing? Much every way. Such benediction, when sincere, and when not a mere form of words, is prayer. And every promise that is made to prayer is made to benediction. So that he who is possessed by the spirit of blessing, and who expresses it in his behaviour, and in his deportment, is constantly supplicating the throne of the heavenly grace on behalf of others.
V. The riches involved in the Divine benediction. It means, The Lord speak comfortably to thee. It means, The Lord keep thee; the Lord be thy shepherd; the Lord restore thy soul when thy spirit wanders; the Lord keep thee in the paths of righteousness for His names sake; the Lord hold up thy goings in His paths, that thy footsteps slip not; the Lord be thy light and thy salvation; God be thy refuge and strength, thy present help in trouble. May morning follow the night, and the night be driven away by the lifting up of the light of the countenance of the loving God–by expressions of His love adapted to the time of sorrow, and to the state of depression and despondency. The Lord give thee peace,–that is, prosperity, well-being, health in the soul, comfort in the heart, rest, joy, quiet in the spirit. (S. Martin.)
The universe
I. The universe had an origin. The heaven and the earth are not eternal, they had a beginning (Gen 1:1).
II. The originator of the universe was One. The Lord. He created it alone. There was no one to instruct Him in planning it, no one to aid Him in building it up.
III. The One Originator of the universe is the object for universal praise. Bless the Lord. True worship should be, therefore–
1. Unaided. There is no one to share the praise.
2. Enthusiastic. This One Being should be the all-in-all of the soul.
3. Incessant. He is ever-present, ever-giving, ever-sustaining, ever-inspiring. (David Thomas, D. D.)
God, more than His gifts
At a camp at Goshen, N.Y., a minister was shouting to inquirers to persevere in seeking the blessing, when Rev. Dr. Inskip, the master spirit, cried out, Get the blessing! Hump! Get the Blessert Says Monod: You cannot separate any one gift of Christ from Himself, from His person. He that hath the Son hath life. (E. P. Thwing.)
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Psa 135:1-21
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 3. The Lord that made heaven and earth] Who governs and possesses all things; and who can give you every spiritual and earthly blessing.
Bless thee out of Zion.] As if they had said, “We will attend to your orders; go in peace, and may God shower down his blessings upon you!” The blessing pronounced by the priests was the following: “The Lord bless thee and keep thee! The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and he gracious unto thee! The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace!” Nu 6:24-26.
ANALYSIS OF THE HUNDRED AND THIRTY FOURTH PSALM
In this Psalm the prophet –
I. Exhorts the Levites and ministers of religion to attend the appointed hours of prayer.
II. Then the ministers bless the people.
1. 1. “Behold, bless ye the Lord.”
2. Yet principally, “all ye servants of the Lord:” Choose out of the people to this service.
3. “Which by night stand in the house of the Lord,” c.: In the temple ye ought not to be sleepy, or forget your duty.
4. Therefore, “lift up your hands,” c., before the ark of the covenant which was the symbol of his presence.
5. “Bless the Lord,” &c.
II. The other part of your office is to bless the people let not that be forgotten, but say, –
1. “The Lord bless thee:” Let them know from whom the blessing comes.
2. “Out of Zion:” So long as they remain in the unity of the Church there was none to be expected out of Zion.
3. “The Lord that made:” c. He that hath power to bless hath given, and must give, his blessing to all creatures, without which they will not be blessed to thee therefore, bless him.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Thee; either,
1. Thee, whosoever thou art, who dost faithfully perform the duty here commanded. Or,
2. Thee, O king, or priest, who dost engage and encourage us in this blessed work.
Out of Zion; where God dwells, and from whence he heareth the prayers of his people, and giveth them the blessings which they desire and need.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3. After the manner directed (Nu6:23).
out of Zionthe Church,as His residence, and thus seat of blessings. Thus close the songs ofdegrees.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The Lord, that made heaven and earth, bless thee out of Zion. These are not the words of the priests blessing the people in this form, as some; but rather, as others, the wish of the servants of the Lord, that he would bless him that exhorted them to this service; whether one of the priests, or the captain of the temple, or the psalmist: though, according to Kimchi, and which seems agreeable, they are the words of the psalmist, promising a blessing from the Lord to those that blessed him; as an encouragement to them, to everyone of them, to be constant and diligent in this service. For so it may be rendered, “the Lord shall bless thee” f; all blessings come from the Lord, whether spiritual or temporal; and are to be asked of him, and expected from him: and the blessings here promised or asked for are blessings out of Zion, the church, where God blesses his people with his word and ordinances, with his presence, and with communion with himself. Wherefore it is good to be there waiting on him and worshipping him, praying to him and praising of him; and he that made heaven and earth is able to bless both with heavenly and earthly things: and this description of the Lord is no doubt given to encourage faith in him; for, what is it he cannot do?
f “benedicet tibi”, Junius & Tremellius, Cocceius, Gejerus, Michaelis.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Calling thus up to the Temple-hill, the church receives from above the benedictory counter-greeting: Jahve bless thee out of Zion (as in Psa 128:5), the Creator of heaven and earth (as in Psa 115:15; Psa 121:2; Psa 124:8). From the time of Num 6:24 jebarechja is the ground-form of the priestly benediction. It is addressed to the church as one person, and to each individual in this united, unit-like church.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
3. Jehovah bless thee out of Zion! We have conclusive proof in my opinion from this verse that the Psalm is to be considered as referring to the priests and Levites only, for to them it properly belonged under the law to bless the people. (Num 6:23.) The Psalmist had first told them to bless God; now he tells them to bless the people in his name. Not that God meant by any such injunction that the people might themselves indulge in a life of carnal security an opinion prevalent among the Papists, who think that if the monks chant in the temples, this is all the worship necessary on the part of the whole body of the people. What God intended was, that the priests should lead the way in divine service, and the people take example by what was done in the temple, and practice it individually in their private houses. The duty of blessing the people was enjoined upon the priests, as representing Christ’s person. Express mention is intentionally made of two things, which are in themselves distinct, when the God who blessed them out of Zion is said to be also the Creator of heaven and earth. Mention is made of his title as Creator to set forth his power, and convince believers there is nothing that may not be hoped from God. For what is the world but a mirror in which we see his boundless power? And those must be senseless persons indeed, that are not satisfied with the favor of Him who is recognized by them as having all dominion and all riches in his hand. Since many, however, are apt, when they hear God spoken of as Creator, to conceive of him as standing at a distance from them, and doubt their access to him, the Psalmist makes mention also of that which was a symbol of God’s nearness to his people and this that they might be encouraged to approach him with the freedom and unrestrained confidence of persons who are invited to come to the bosom of a Father. By looking to the heavens, then, they were to discover the power of God by looking to Zion, his dwellingplace, they were to recognize his fatherly love.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(3) Made heaven and earth.For this style, as frequent in this group of psalms, see Psa. 121:2.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
3. This verse is the response of the priests within to the call of Psa 134:1-2, from the people without.
The Lord that made heaven and earth A common formula for designating the majesty and glory of God and exalting him above all beings. Psa 115:5; Psa 121:2; Psa 146:6; Isa 37:16.
Bless thee out of Zion It was, as we have said, the priests’ special function to bless the people. The blessing must come from God out of Zion, or through the Church. God ordinarily channels his grace in the ordinances of his house. See Psa 128:5. The verb should be taken optatively, as in Num 6:24: may he bless, not he shall bless.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 134:3. Bless thee i.e. the high priest, or perhaps the precentor, or some one of the priests who was superior to the rest, and who had sung the two foregoing verses. Out of Zion, means, “from the ark, which is placed here, in this temple upon mount Zion, where Jehovah hath his special residence.”
REFLECTIONS.In the courts of the tabernacle, the Levites kept constant watch and ward night and day; and in these hours of their attendance the Psalmist directs them,
1. How to employ their time in blessing, praises, and prayer to God, the happy occupation of all God’s faithful people, who delight in the courts of his sanctuary, ceaseless watch unto prayer, and in every thing give thanks.
2. They thank and pray for him who gives them this good advice; the Lord that made heaven and earth, bless thee out of Zion. Or these words may be considered as an encouragement to engage their praises, because the Lord out of Zion shall bless thee, returning in blessings upon themselves the praises they offered up to him. Note; They who wait upon God shall find the blessedness of his service; he will bless us, and we need nothing more than a continuance of his blessings to make us happy, now and for evermore.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
REFLECTIONS
BLESSING work, is not only necessary, but grateful work among the faithful. Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous, for it becometh well the just to be thankful. How, Lord, shall I ever testify, even through a whole eternity, the obligations I owe thee? What everlasting praise will the redeemed in heaven have to offer to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, for the blessings to which they are begotten. Oh! ye ministers of the sanctuary, of whom it is said, Ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord, men shall call you the Ministers of our God! what lifting up of hands, what holy acclamations of praise, may ye be supposed to bring, that preach among the people the unsearchable riches of Christ. And ye no less who are ministered unto; were ye to hold your peace, in whose hearts Christ is formed the hope of glory, might not the stones of the earth be expected to cry out? Oh! for grace that everyone, high and low, young men and maidens, old men and children, might praise the name of the Lord, for his name only is excellent, and his praise above heaven and earth! And may He, that dwelleth in Zion, even Zion’s King and Husband, bless each, and everyone that praiseth him! And the Lord of heaven and earth, who hath both the upper and nether spring blessings, bless his redeemed here with grace, and hereafter with glory!
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 134:3 The LORD that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion.
Ver. 3. The Lord that made heaven and earth ] And therefore hath the blessings of both lives in his hand to bestow. See Num 6:24 .
Bless thee out of Zion
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
heaven and earth. The reference is to 2Ch 32:19. 2Ki 19:15. Isa 37:16. See App-67.
Bless thee. The reference may be to 2Ch 30:27; 2Ch 31:10. This is the last of the fifteen Songs of THE Degrees, which are referred to in Isa 38:20. See App-67.
out of Zion. See note on “there”, Psa 133:3.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Lord: Psa 124:8, Psa 146:5, Psa 146:6
bless thee: Psa 14:7, Psa 20:2, Psa 110:2, Psa 128:5, Psa 135:21, Rom 11:26
Reciprocal: Gen 1:1 – God Exo 20:24 – will bless thee Num 6:24 – The Lord Psa 118:26 – we have Jer 31:23 – The Lord Eph 1:3 – who
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
MUTUAL BENEDICTION
Bless ye the Lord. The Lord bless thee.
Psa 134:1; Psa 134:3
I. This psalm forms a worthy close to these exquisite psalms of ascents.The stream of pilgrims has reached the city, visited the holy Temple, and is on the point of retiring; but before they do so they greet the priests who had charge of the nightly service of the Temple, and had just come on duty. Farewell, cries the pilgrim band: see to it that ye fill the night with adoration and prayer. Let your voices arise through the silent watches of the night, and form a canopy of peace over the sleeping city.
II. God has many night watchmen still.Large numbers of His saints, such as policemen on duty, night nurses, watchmen, Christian sentries, and specially those who rarely get a nights full rest, because pain keeps them tossing on their weary couches, compose the Lords night-watch. And as we, who are privileged to sleep deeply and soundly, consign ourselves to slumber, it becomes us to send a loving thought to all suchthe day-watch saluting the night-watch; the active workers consigning the charge of the world to the intercessors and choristers.
III. And these in turn transmit their benediction.The Lord bless thee out of Zion. It is an individual blessing, thee. It is well, in our intercessions, not to pray generally, but specifically and particularly. We do our work best when we make individuals the subjects of our solicitudetaking them as representatives of a class. Each one whom we pray for is dear to God, our Creator and Redeemer. We are in the current of His will when we bless in His Name.
Psa 135:1
SENTIMENT AND ARGUMENT
Praise ye the Lord.
Psa 135:1
This psalm both begins and ends with the word hallelujah; and we have this word or equivalents for it many times besides in the other verses. The psalm is a jet, or series of jets, of joyous emotion; and yet it is not at all lacking in solid substance. The emotion is held in check by logic, as is indicated by the frequency of the argumentative for.
I. Those who sing Hallelujah.At the beginning and at the end of the psalm different groups of people are called upon to join in the hymn of praise; and, if we think of the psalm as having been used at one of the feasts or on some other great ceremonial occasion, we can understand how piquant must have been this appeal to the different sections; and it is quite possible that the singing may have been so arranged that the various bodies joined in when their names were mentioned. Every country has its own reasons for praising God; so has every class or profession. The piety of the young is not exactly the same as that of the old, nor is that of the man identical with that of the woman. But this is all the better; because it enriches the music that rises from the world to the ear of God.
II. The reasons for singing Hallelujah.As I have said, there is in this psalm a fine blending of logic and emotion; nowhere are the reasons for praising God more fully or suggestively stated.
The first is (Psa 135:3) that He is good; and perhaps we ought also to read, He is pleasant. It is hardly in accordance with modern feeling to speak of God as beautiful; but the Scripture does not shrink from this statement. And we need a strong word to designate the attractive side of God.
The second reason given for praising Him flows directly out of this one. It is the choice of His people, which is the highest exercise of His love (Psa 135:4). The whole idea of the Old Testament religion dates back to a Divine choice, springing out of free grace, by which Israel was separated from the rest of the world to be a people to Jehovah. In the New Testament the same mystery still continues under another form. He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love: having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace.
The third reason for singing Hallelujah is the power of God (Psa 135:5-6). His love is first, His power second. He is able to carry out what His love has purposed: nothing in heaven or on earth or under the earth can resist Him. Here the inspired singer is glancing at the heathen deities, on whom he swoops down in scorn towards the close (Psa 135:15-18), ridiculing the impotence of gods that are the work of mens hands. What he there says is not without a message for our own times.
The fourth reason for praising God is the exhibition of His power in nature (Psa 135:7). To this only a single verse is given, but the instances selected would admit of endless expansion. The process of evaporation alone, which is first touched on, is one of the most extraordinary phenomena of nature, and the more it has been investigated by modern science the more remarkable has it appeared. The seers of old had a genuine feeling for nature; and it performed for them its highest service, when it evoked from their hearts the praise of God.
The fifth reason for singing Hallelujah is the exhibition of Gods power in history (Psa 135:8-12). This was a theme of which the harp of Israel never tired.
Lastly, hallelujahs are to be sung for blessings yet to come (Psa 135:13-14). The Psalmist acknowledges that God already has done enough to be worthy of everlasting praise; the memory of His great acts, just touched upon in the preceding verses, must remain for all generations. But God is not going to live on His past renown. His power is not exhausted. On the contrary, the future will witness far more than the past has seen.
Illustration
It is difficult to understand God, but we may always praise Him for what He is in Himself, and for what He has promised to be to those who trust Him.
Here are arguments for praise! That He is good, that praise-singing is pleasant: that He has chosen His people to be His peculiar treasure: that He is great as well as good: that His good pleasure is love: that vapours, lightnings, rain, and wind, obey His absolute behest: that He will smite our foes to the ground: that out of our dark times He will give lands for an inheritance: and that His name will be unchanged amid the fret and passage of the generation of time.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
Psa 134:3. The Lord that made heaven and earth And therefore has all the blessings of both at his disposal, those of the upper and those of the nether springs; bless thee O priest, who dost engage and encourage us in this blessed work; out of Zion Where he dwells, and from whence he hears the prayers of his people, and gives them the blessings which they need.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
134:3 The LORD that {c} made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion.
(c) And therefore has all power, bless you with his fatherly love declared in Zion. Thus the Levites used to praise the Lord, and bless the people.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
2. A prayer that God would bless His servants 134:3
The pilgrim then asked God to bless these special servants of His. The reference to God being the Maker of heaven and earth recalls His greatness (cf. Psa 115:15; et al.). This verse is also an appropriate conclusion to the collection of ascent psalms (Psalms 120-134).