Psalms 134:2

Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the LORD. LIFT UP YOUR HANDS. The gesture signified elevation of the heart in prayer (). IN THE SANCTUARY. The Chaldaic Targum has 'with holiness;' the Syriac, 'to holiness;' the Septuagint, Vulgate, Ethiopic, and Arabic, 'toward the sanctuary.' favours the last....

Verse Psalms 134:2. _LIFT UP YOUR HANDS_ IN _THE SANCTUARY_] קדש _kodesh_, "in holiness:" or, as the SYRIAC, [Syriac] _lekoudishe_, "to holiness;" _in sancta_, VULGATE; and εις τα ἁγια, SEPTUAGINT; "in holy things; or, as the AETHIOPIC, in the house of the sanctuary." The expression seems very similar to that of St. Paul, 1 Timothy 2:8: "Lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting." _BLESS THE LORD._] That is, speak good of his name: tell the wonders he has wrought, and show that his name is exalted....

LIFT UP YOUR HANDS IN THE SANCTUARY - Margin, In holiness. The Hebrew word properly means holiness, but it may be applied to a holy place. See Psalms 20:2. The lifting up of the hands is properly expressive of prayer, but the phrase may be used to denote praise or worship in general. AND BLESS THE LORD - In the night-watches - while all around is still, - let there be one place where the voice of praise shall ascend on high....

EXPOSITION THE" Little Psalter" of" Songs of Ascents" terminates here with a short psalm, due probably to the compiler—a psalm of four lines only. It consists of two portions: (1) A call from those without the temple, upon God's servants, who conduct his service within his house during the night season (1 Chronicles 9:33), to praise and thank the Lord in their name for his met-ties vouchsafed to them (Psalms 134:1, Psalms 134:2); and (2) a response from those within the temple, who ask God to" bless out of Zion" those who have addressed them. The psalm is very suitable for pilgrim-bands arriving, as they commonly would, late in the day

LIFT UP YOUR HANDS [IN] THE SANCTUARY,.... Which Aben Ezra interprets of the priests lifting up their hands to bless the people; but Kimchi, better, of lifting up of the hands to God in prayer; see Psalms 141:2; which should be done "with holiness", as the Targum renders it, in a holy manner; and is the same with lifting up holy hands, 1 Timothy 2:8; or towards the holy place; the oracle in the holy of holies, and the ark of the covenant, typical of Christ; see 1 Kings 8:29 Psalms 28:2; so Kimchi; or rather, according to Arama, unto the holy name of God, to whom prayer is to be directed; and bless the

PSALM 120-134 The Psalms of Degrees Fifteen brief Psalms follow, called songs of degrees, or, ascents. They were in all probability used by Israel going up to Jerusalem three times a year to celebrate the feasts of the Lord--”Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, a testimony for Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the LORD.” They are indeed Psalms of “the goings-up” for we rise higher and higher as we read through them. Prophetically they give us again the steps from trial and suffering to the glorious consummation. As they are so simple in language and construction no lengthy annotations are needed. Psalms 120:1 begins with distress, picturing again the suffering of the righteous godly remnant. In Psalms 121:1 the Keeper of Israel, the Covenant Keeping God, is revealed

CXXXIV. EXHORTATION TO THE NIGHTLY SERVICE OF YAHWEH. Psalms 134:1 f. may be addressed by a band of pilgrims to Levites who were about to begin their nocturnal service. To them in response comes the priestly blessing of Psalms 134:3. Psalms 134:2. Primitive men worshipped towards the place where their God dwelt. We have a survival of this custom here in the exhortation to lift up the hands to the Sanctuary. Psalms 134:3. read, bless you....

_Lift up your hands_ The gesture of prayer. Cp. Psalms 28:2; 1 Timothy 2:8. in _the sanctuary_ Rather to _the sanctuary_, towards the most holy place, as the earthly dwelling-place of Jehovah. The rendering of R.V. marg., _in holiness_, is less probable....

PSALMS 134 DESCRIPTIVE TITLE The Night Service in the Temple. ANALYSIS (See Inserted Headlines.) (Lm.) Song of the Steps. (ADDRESSED TO NIGHT-WATCHERS IN THE TEMPLE.) 1 Lo! bless ye Jehovah all ye servants of Jehovah, who stand in the house of Jehovah in the dark night:[777] [777] So Br. in the nightsDr. 2 Lift up your hands in holiness[778] and bless ye Jehovah. [778] Or: unto the sanctuary. (THEIR REPLY.) 3 May Jehovah bless thee out of Zion[He who is] Maker of heaven and earth! (Nm.)[779] [779] See Psalms 135 (beginning). PARAPHRASE Psalms 134 Oh, bless the Lord, you who serve Him as watchmen in the Tem

134:2 in (h-5) Or 'to.' sanctuary, (i-7) Or 'of holiness,' _ Kodesh_ . see Psalms 89:5 ....