Blessing Is a Two-Way Street ~ Psalm 134

Behold,
bless ye the LORD,
all ye servants of the LORD,
which by night stand in the house of the LORD.
Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the LORD.
The LORD that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion.

This is not the shortest psalm, but with only three verses, it is the second shortest. It sounds like a song of encouragement to those who work the night shift, to help keep their spirits high as they watch for the morning. Twice they are enjoined to bless the Lord, but then the psalmist says that the Lord will bless them. Their nighttime labor has not gone unnoticed by the all-seeing eye of Jehovah. I find it interesting to note that this psalm lies in such close proximity to Psalm 130, which also speaks of those who watch for the morning.

Perhaps one of these night watchmen had also been up all day. His wife told him the kitchen sink was leaking. His son had a baseball game that afternoon, and his daughter had a ballet recital that evening. Sure, he could have called a plumber, but it was an easy fix. And it would have broken his children’s hearts if he had not been there for them. They know their daddy needs his sleep, but they also need their daddy. So out of love for them, he sacrificed his own needs to do what mattered to them. Now he is singing praises to the Lord as he works in the temple by the light of a candle, while his family rests comfortably at home in their beds. He sings as much to stay awake as to praise God. Are there others working with him tonight? Or is he alone? I can assure you that he is not alone. Even if he is the only man in the temple, Jehovah is with him. How do I know? Because the night watchman invited him there with his praise.