Ps 134 is a psalm of blessing and praise. Ps 132 has looked at blessing for Zion and Ps 133 at blessing in Zion, but here, there is blessing from Zion. (Alec Motyer, P 388) Other psalms have rightly looked at distress, power, security, but in this psalm, we are securely at home in Zion throughout; the key word in this psalm is BLESS.
Like so many psalms, this one involves a call and a response. We are urged to come and bless God (Ps 134:1-2) and the response is that God blesses us (Ps 134:3). The call appears to be addressed to the priests and Levites whose duty was to recite the nightly service of praise (see 1 Chron 9:33). It reminds us that praise is a choice, often indicated by the simple act of raising hands (see also Ps 28:2, Neh 8:6). It is not about feelings as such, but about obedience (see Heb 13:15).
All Christians are called priests (we are a royal priesthood, Peter says (1 Pet 2:9)). We all therefore have this obligation to lift our hands and bless God. As the pilgrims reached their journey’s end and gathered to worship God in the temple at Jerusalem, there must have been a sense of exhilaration and fulfilment. We are looking forward to meeting God and worshipping Him for eternity. We might as well start now!
