A Brief Explication of the Last Fifty Psalms, Psalm 134
PSALME CXXXIV.
In this short Psalme, the Spirit of the Lord, by the mouth of the Psalmist, exhorteth the Lords Ministers to go about the exercise of their publick Ministery, in praying, preaching and praising God, v. 1, 2. and blessing the congregation met together. v. 3.
Vers. 1. BEhold, blesse ye the LORD: all ye servants of the LORD: which by night stand in the house of the LORD.
2. Lift up your hearts in the Sanctuary: and blesse the LORD.
From the exhortation to the Lords Ministers; Learn, 1. The publick worship of God is to be carefully looked unto: and all men, but especially Ministers, had need to be stirred up to take heed to themselves, and to the work of Gods publick worship when they go about it: for so much doth behold, in this place import. 2. The scope and special end of publick worship is to set forth the blessednesse of God in himselfe, and in his operation for, and toward his Church: for all the parts of publick worship and service, in prayer, reading of Scripture, preaching, praising, and thanksgiving, singing of Psalmes, and blessing of the people, do aime at this: Behold, blesse ye the Lord. 3. The discharging of the publick worship of God, requireth that there be publick Ministers, appointed by God, and separated unto this holy function; Blesse ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord. 4. It was commanded in the Law, Exod. 27▪ 20, 21. that so soon as day-light began to fall at even, lamps should be lighted, and shine all night in the Tabernacle, till the morning, and that the Priests and Levits should by course waite upon his service, that there should not be darknesse in the Lord house, but light alwayes night and day: whereby was signified, that howsoever the world lieth in the darknesse of ignorance, of sinne and misery, yet in the Lords Church remedy against all those evils, and relief from them is to be had: and that God hath ordained Ministers, and publick Officers, to entertaine and hold forth the shining of the light unto the Church; and to this end not to stand to break their nights rest, when the service doth call for it: Blesse the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord, which by night stand in the house of the Lord. 5. Prayer to God, as the mouth of the people, is a part of the office of the Lords Ministers: for so much is imported by pointing at the gesture of the supplicant: Lift up your hands in the Sanctuary, that is, in the place where the people assemble. 6. To praise the Lord, and to teach the people what the Lord is, what blessednesse is to be found in him, and how they should acknowledge this, and make use of it, is another part of the Ministers office: Lift up your hands in the Sanctuary, and blesse the Lord.
Ver. 3. The Lord that made heaven and earth: blesse thee out of Sion.
In this verse the Lords Ministers as they are directed, so they go about to blesse the people out of Sion, in the Name of the Lord: Out of Sion, because there was the Arke of the Covenant, the figure of Christ, God incarnate, through whom alone the Lords blessing is derived unto his Church. Whence learn, 1. All men lie under the curse▪ till God bring them into the fellowship of his Church, and pronounce them blessed by his Word, as, The Lord blesse thee, doth import. 2. It is a part of the office of the Lords Ministers, to pronounce with authority Gods blessing upon his people, which is no more then a wish or prayer for them; for they are sent of God with commission to say. The Lord blesse thee, 3. No blessing is to be expected but from Christ, represented by the Arke of the Covenant, which was in Sion: The Lord blesse thee out of Sion. 4. The confidence of the believer to obtain whatsoever is promised in the Lords Word, is builded upon the Covenant of God, and the omnipotency of God: and what can a soul stand in need of, which this fountaine cannot yield? The Lord that made heaven and earth, blesse thee out of Sion.