Psalm 134

Psalm 134 was written to encourage the priests on night watch in the Temple. The priests were in the Temple to serve the Lord 24/7. During the times of festivals, the Israelites would also be in the Temple during the night, and they would join in worship of the Lord. However, often the priest would be alone in the Temple. Night time can be scary, especially if we are alone. The psalmist is encouraging the priests to continually “Lift up holy hands in prayer, and praise the Lord” (v.2). Psalm 134 was good counsel for the priests then, and it is good counsel for us today.

We all go through periods of darkness; sometimes literally and sometimes the sense of darkness is brought on by great emotional distress. Praising God through the darkness will help us hold on to the truth of God’s faithfulness. In the fourth chapter of Second Corinthians, the Apostle Paul teaches us that the gift of God’s presence in our lives is a great treasure hidden within our mortal bodies, or as he refers to them, clay pots: “For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).

There are times when we are so distressed; we do not know how to pray. In those times, we remember “the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will” (Romans 8:26b-27).

You may want to look ahead and bookmark Psalm 136, which is composed of twenty-six praises of thanksgiving to God, and twenty-six affirmations that “His faithful love endures forever.” In times of distress, this is a great prayer!

Sē’lah

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What word or phrase in today’s reading of the Psalms

 attracts your attention?

Reflect on that word or phrase.

What insights come to you?

How does this passage touch your life today?

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

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Reading for September 13, 2012          Psalm 135