Commentary on the Psalms of Ascent, Section 15
The .134. Psalme. Behold, prayse ye the Lord.
This is the last of the Psalmes which are called the Psalmes of degrees. In the which ye hauehave heard many weighty and profitable pointes of doctrine as touching all the articles in a maner,What points of doctrine Dauid intreateth of in the Psalmes of degrees. of Christian doctrine, namely of Iustification or remission of sinnes, of the crosse, of charitie and brotherly louelove, of matrimony, of ciuill gouernment, &c. as though the Prophet had studied to comprise in these short Psalmes the fumme and effect of all suche thinges as are to be taught vntounto the people. Nowe therefore he concludeth in this Psalme, the whole matter which he tooke in hand to entreat of: As we also doe when in the ende of our preachings we pray that God would preserue his word amonges vsus, and that we may continue in the same vntounto the ende. For when the word is purely taught, all thinges are safe, holy & pure, although the gates of hell rage against vsus neuer so much, and we lose, not only our goods, but also our liues. For what harme hauehave we therby, so that our soules may be saued? It is the word therefore alone that preserueth all good thinges. But if that be lost or corrupted, then all good thinges are lost. For like as, if the Sunne and light of the world should be taken away, he that walketh walketh in darkenes: so if the word be darkned and corrupted, in what misery and daunger is the common wealth? For then neither Magistrate, nor subiect, nor seruant knoweth what he ought to doe, but all thinges are wrapped vp in error and horrible darknes.
Wherefore this Psalme exhorteth vsus to pray, that the Lorde would preserue and continue his word amongest vsus, and eueryevery one of vsus to endeuour with this seruice to helpe the Church. For although the Church is neuer without heretikes, like as also the common wealth is neuer without seditious persons: yet so long as the word remayneth found and vncorrupt, it can not be but that many good thinges and many good men also wil remayne. I take this Psalme therfore to be as a conclusion of those things whiche were spoken of before.This Psalme is as it were a conclusion of those thinges that goe before. In yt which he exhorteth vsus to giuegive thanks vntounto the Lord for the benefite of his word, and to pray for the preseruation and continuance thereof, for as much as, if it flourish, there will alwaies be founde some good men which will leade a godly and a holy life. Therefore he saith:
Verse. 1.
Behold, praise ye the Lord all ye seruants of the Lord, ye that by night stand in the house of the Lord.
To blesse signifieth not onelyonly priuatly to giuegive thankes vntounto the Lord,To blesse what it signifieth. but also publikely to praise the Lorde, to preach and to publish his word. And this can not be done without the praise also of the merciemercy and goodnes of the Lord our Creator, our defender and our redeemer, which hath prouided for vsus and giueth vntounto vsus all thinges perteining not onelyonly to this our corporall life, but also to our euerlasting life & felicitie in the kingdom of God. And albeit this clause: seruaunts of God, belongeth here properly to the ministers of the Church, yet generally it comprehendeth all those which professe and embrace the true and sincere doctrine of the Gospell. For it is the duty euen of those which are not in the ministery of the word, to confesse the word, & to acknowledge and praise the benefites of God. Wherefore with one hart and minde (saith he) ioyne ye all togither: continue in the worde, confesse, preach, praise and magnifie the worde, that whiles all the worlde befids dishonoreth & blasphemeth God, ye may blesse him, because he is mercifull. Then shall it come to passe, that ye shall ouercome all your enemies, though ye be to them in number farre vnlike.
But what meaneth he by these wordes? which by night stande in the house of the Lorde? Did they obserue certaine howers in the night after the maner of the Papistes? You must note that it is a kinde of speech proper vntounto the Hebrewes, and is as much to say, as morning & euening, that is to say, continually. As he saith also in an other Psalme: From the morning watche euen vntill the night. Psal. 129. Coloss. 3.16.Paule expresseth this sentence with other wordes: Let the word of Christ dwell in you plenteously, saith he. And our Sauiour Christ teacheth,Luke, 18.1. that we must pray alwaies. For wheras the night season is appointed for sleepe, he that will blesse in the night, will do ye same also in the day, & so he wil be alwaies blessing.
Verse. 2.
Lift vp your hands to the Sanctuary & praise the Lord.
As much to say, as when ye pray in the Sanctuary, lift vp pure and holy hands. For he that prayeth in that holy place, must offer vp pure and holy prayers. So saith S. Paule also: lifting vp pure hands, 1 Tim. 2.8.&c. for else ye shall pray in vaine. Pure hands signifie innocencie, from blood, extortion, spoile & robbery. The Prophet therfore setteth forth here two sortes of men comming to the temple & praying. Some there be that come and pray in innocencie and holines. Some againe pray in hipocrisie, hauing their hands defiled with blood.107.7. The prayer of such is sinne, as the Psalme sayth. Paul teacheth in like maner concerning prayer:Timo. 1.2. Pray (saith he) without wrath or doubting. Also our Sauiour Christ saith: If thou bring thy gift to the altar, Matth. 5.25.and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee, goe thy way and first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. For this is a common thing, that hypocrites, when they hauehave done all ye iniury they can against their brethren, are not only without all remorse of cō science, but also they make a great shew of religion and holines, & bragge of the Gospell more then the true Christians doe. Against these the psalme speaketh & warneth them that when they pray in the holy place, they ought to be pure & holy. For who so euer praieth, & is possessed with the sinne of couetousnes, fleshly lust or any other deuil,Psal. 50.16. to him the Lord sayth: VVhat hast thou to do to declare mine ordinances, that thou shouldest take my couenant in thy mouth, seeing thou hatest to be reformed, and hast cast my words behinde thee? For when thou seest a theefe, thou runnest with him, & thou art partaker with the adulterers &c. Such was ye prayer of the Pharisey,Luke. 18.14. which departed out of ye temple vniustified. For this is a common euil among men, yt they which are most impure & wicked, doe glory more of God & his word, then such as are godly & feare God in deede. Wherfore the Scripture expresly declareth, yt such there be as take ye name of God in their mouths, and yet in hart & life are polluted and wicked. And in this place the prophet inueyeth against hipocriets, whiche thinke that when they pray, God seeth not ye vncleannes of their hart. This is therfore a necessary prayer, ye first God would giuegive vntounto vsus his word, & defend the same against all vaine spirits & heresies: and secondly that he would preserue vsus in innocēcie & keepe vsus from hipocrisie.
Verse. 3.
The Lord that hath made heauen & earth, blesse thee out of Sion.
As touching Sion we hauehave sayd before, that God would hauehave, not only certeine ceremonies & certeine persons, but also a certein place for his seruice & worship, lest the people should wander vncerteinly, and choose vntounto them selues peculiar places to worship God in. Now, for as much as this thing was not without offence, (for what can be more absurd and contrary to reason, then that the God of heauen and earth should be shut vppe in that darkenes?) therefore to confirme their mindes herein, he sayth that the Lord which dwelleth in Sion, is the maker of heauen and earth.
This hauehave we often declared, and necessary it is that it should be often repeted, lest we should chose vntounto our selues straunge and peculiar kindes of worship. For as in the olde Testament there was a certaine place, certeine persons and certeine times to the which God had bound, as you would say, his seruice: so we in the newe Testament do find the father in Christ. In Christ the father is worshipped: but without Christ he can neither be worshipped nor found: but what so euer is deuised for the seruice of God without Christ, is damnable and accursed.
The summe and effect therefore of all togither is this: O ye Priestes, ye Pastors and Ministers of the word, to you I speake, you I do admonish, that ye follow the word faithfully and do your office purely. For whiles the word and the ministery are sound & vncorrupt, there is nothing that can hurt vsus. For although Satan & the world do assaile vsus, what then? If God be with vsus, who can be against vsus? Let this be therefore your speciall care and endeuour, that the word may remaine pure and vncorrupt, and pray that the Lord would assist you herein and blesse your labours, for of all the blessinges of God this is the greatest. Which might be sayd in moe wordes, but let this suffice. Now it is our duetie likewise in this light of the worde, to endeuour by all meanes to doe the same, lest that through our vnthankfulnes the worde be taken from vsus againe: and to pray for the Churches, that God would blesse them for Iesus Christ his sonnes sake our Lord & our Redemer. Amen.
THE ENDE.
End of the text · Martin Luther, Commentary on the Psalms of Ascent (1577)