Anticipating Worship: Blessing The LORD
Psalms 134
July 24, 2022
Tonight we come to the final of these Psalms which carry the distinction “A Song of Ascents”
We have loved them because they remind us again of
The absolute privilege and blessing of worship.
As we picture these caravans
• Traveling to Jerusalem;
• Navigating the roadways;
• Enduring the weather;
• And all with the anticipation of beholding God in His temple.
We have been reminded that actually attending worship
With the congregation of the saints is a tremendous blessing.
We were not intended to simply worship God privately in the solitude of our homes
But rather we were intended to gather with one another and sing God’s praises in the great congregation.
Well TONIGHT we come to this 15th and final Psalm
In this unofficial hymn book of the eager worshipers.
• We clearly see that the first two verses deal with instruction given to the night
servants of the temple,
• And the final verse seems to be the response of these servants to those who
encouraged them.
Many commentators like to see this
As the parting farewell after the week of worship.
Namely that the caravans are leaving and on their way out they shout words of encouragement to the night servants stationed on the wall.
I DON’T THINK THAT’S CORRECT.
• It doesn’t make sense even in our day to depart for home at night,
• Much less for a traveling caravan to depart at the end of the day.
• Beyond that, this is “A Song of Ascents”, not a song of descent.
• This is a song sung for those traveling to Jerusalem, not away from it.
I THINK RATHER we should look upon this Psalm
As though the CARAVAN IS JUST ARRIVING; just before dark.
• They have journeyed all day and they are approaching the city late
• And as they enter they greet those who are stationed to serve at night
• And receive a greeting in return.
Indeed, in this study we have already discussed Psalms that anticipated arrival to the city.
Psalms 122:1-5 “I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD.” Our feet are standing Within your gates, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that is built As a city that is compact together; To which the tribes go up, even the tribes of the LORD— An ordinance for Israel— To give thanks to the name of the LORD. For there thrones were set for judgment, The thrones of the house of David.”
This scene feels more like that than a departure.
As I pondered this Psalm I thought about this coming Friday.
We’re going to load up 20 teenagers and 5 adults in a small traveling caravan and head out to Glorieta, NM for camp REGEN.
• 950 other students will meet us there.
• Certainly there is excitement in hearing John MacArthur preach along with his
staff.
• Certainly the teenagers look forward to the games and activities.
• Certainly the sponsors are looking forward to cooler weather.
• But the real excitement is all that God might do in the lives of those who
are going.
And reading this Psalm it was sort of easy to put myself in the shoes of these travelers.
• When we turn in to Glorieta we will immediately be greeted by volunteer
servants who are working the camp.
• John MacArthur will not be one of them.
• Neither will Josh Petras or Austin Duncan or anyone from the band.
• It will be a group of people we don’t know. People who might be seen as
otherwise insignificant.
• But they are there for a purpose.
• At that moment, their job is to greet all the students who are arriving at camp
and encourage them with regard to the week ahead.
• And those who are tasked to do it are called to do it like they are greeting Jesus
Himself.
We’ll roll down the window. They’ll yell something like welcome! And we’ll yell something back, and that will be the extent of the discourse.
But both sides will be filled with the same anticipation.
We are here to worship the living God!
And we expect that an encounter such as this
Will have a profound effect upon our lives.
That is how I see this small Psalm here.
It is but a passing greeting.
Some are arriving, some are greeting,
And in this brief passing there is a tremendous encouragement
And one that sets our heart straight regarding worship.
We can break this Psalm down into 3 points tonight and learn a great deal about
THE PURPOSE AND BLESSING OF WORSHIP.
#1 THE PRIORITY OF WORSHIP
Psalms 134:1
“Behold, bless the LORD, all servants of the LORD, Who serve by night in the house of the LORD!”
It is clear to us that we are here dealing with those “who serve by night in the house of the LORD”
You may or may not have realized it,
But service of God in His temple never stopped.
It was a 24/7 endeavor.
David outlined that there would be shifts of servants whose job was to serve God while Jerusalem slept.
1 Chronicles 9:33 “Now these are the singers, heads of fathers’ households of the Levites, who lived in the chambers of the temple free from other service; for they were engaged in their work day and night.”
There singers are mentioned who served all night.
• And in their case, this was their one service.
• They had no other task but to sing the praises of God throughout the night.
You may remember:
Psalms 84:4 “How blessed are those who dwell in Your house! They are ever praising You.”
• Others served all night for things like keeping the fires going or the candles trimmed.
• Others served as sort of a security to keep from vandalism or irreverent behavior.
But the point first is to note that the service to God never stopped.
It occurred around the clock.
Incidentally, this was but a foretaste of heaven.
Revelation 7:15 “For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them.”
We are now talking about those who take the night shift.
• Some things very practical and necessary as preparation for the next day
• Some things very spiritual and for no other reason than to worship God.
And when you think of these men
I want you to imagine their service for a moment.
We often use the analogy today that when we come to a worship service,
We have an “AUDIENCE OF ONE”.
That is to say that
• All that we do here is for no one else but God.
• He is our sole audience.
• He is the One we seek to please.
Now people say that, but honestly, that is hard to maintain such a focus.
When we sing, though we should not, we still think of how we sound to those around us.
When a special is sung or an instrument is played, it is near impossible to not give any thought to how it might sound to everyone else who is here.
When a sermon is preached, though the desire is to honor and please God, certainly thought is given to those who will hear it.
The point is that it is a neat sounding statement
To say we serve an audience of one,
But I’m not sure how true that always is in our practice.
BUT THESE PEOPLE…
These night servants…
That is absolutely who they served.
• They served during a shift when there was no congregation to benefit from
their service.
• These singers sang all night to an empty chapel.
• There would be no applause from the congregation when they finished.
• There would be no encouraging word after the service.
THEY SANG, AND THEY SANG FOR AN AUDIENCE OF ONE.
Those who did the practical labor did it without anyone seeing.
• Like a janitor who comes and cleans the church.
• No one notices their job unless it isn’t done.
• They work in anonymity.
So these people did.
Perhaps, if you wanted to, you could even see their service in a sort of METAPHORICAL sense for those who “serve in times of darkness.”
Like when Paul instructed Timothy
To be faithful “in season and out of season”.
You could see it as a reference to those who serve
In a climate where no one cares or appreciates it.
Men like Isaiah who was called to preach to deaf, blind, and spiritually dead people.
Men like Jeremiah who was told that they would war against him whenever he opened his mouth.
Men like Ezekiel whom God told they hear your words but have no interest in obeying them.
Throughout the ages there have been a host of
Ministers and singers and servants who performed their calling
With absolutely no human acknowledgment.
Those are the people we are talking about here.
It is those “Who serve by night in the house of the LORD”
BUT DESPITE THE FACT that no one would hear their songs…
DESPITE THE FACT that no one would witness their service…
They are here given a profound piece of encouragement
From the caravan as they enter.
“Behold, bless the LORD, all servants of the LORD,”
“Behold” as in listen up! Pay attention! Get your mind right!
“bless the LORD”
You have been commissioned with one task.
(In all actuality this is the task of every worshiper every time they worship, but perhaps it is even more real to one who serves at night.)
• You are commissioned not to please men, but to please God.
• You are commissioned not to make men happy, but to make God happy.
• You are commissioned not to bless men, but to “bless the LORD”
We think of the admonition of Paul to the Colossians:
Colossians 3:23-24 “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.”
It is a most necessary mindset among the redeemed.
• Your job may not include stage lights or a microphone.
• Your job may not be acknowledged with salary or payment.
• Your job may not be recognized with fame or amazement.
• Your job may not even be seen during the hours of daylight.
At that moment remember:
It is the Lord that you serve.
It is the objective of the worshiper to please the Lord.
So you see the encouragement here
As the priority of worship is discussed.
Those who served at night had the sacred duty
Of blessing God throughout the night.
Could anything be more important in Israel while the nation slept than to make God happy through worship?
This was a vitally important task as all worship is.
And the caravan shouted up to those who served at night
TO DO IT WITH ALL THEIR MIGHT.
“Behold, bless the LORD, all servants of the LORD, Who serve by night in the house of the LORD!”
• Give Him the best songs He’s ever heard!
• Trim the lamps as though you serve the God of the universe!
And with this reminder we are forced to examine our motives in worship.
Our Sunday school class is currently in the book of Malachi.
It is a book that confronts apathy.
Hear God address the lazy priests:
Malachi 1:13-14 “You also say, ‘My, how tiresome it is!’ And you disdainfully sniff at it,” says the LORD of hosts, “and you bring what was taken by robbery and what is lame or sick; so you bring the offering! Should I receive that from your hand?” says the LORD. “But cursed be the swindler who has a male in his flock and vows it, but sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord, for I am a great King,” says the LORD of hosts, “and My name is feared among the nations.”
What a priest!
• He doesn’t care if the offering is suitable to God…
• He doesn’t care if the protocols are followed…
• He doesn’t care how the whole thing looks…
• I’m tired!
• This is boring!
• It’s too long!
And God rightly takes offense reminding that “I am a great King…and My name is feared among the nations.”
When we worship, do we consider such a thing?
• When we sing a song, do we care how we sing it?
• When we preach, does it matter if we have labored or studied or tried at all?
• Is any excuse acceptable as to why we didn’t feel the need to gather with the saints?
Oh, I know there are times when our ox is in a ditch
And it is not possible to gather with the saints.
But I think I am correct in stating that it is amazing
How many incidents in life have now come to be declared
Equal to an ox in a ditch.
When Jesus gave the analogy I didn’t realize he was talking about:
• Television shows being on…
• Sporting events taking place…
• Opportunities for more money to be made…
• Groceries to be bought or shopping to be done…
And I know the argument.
Well, I had to do it on Sunday because…
Because why?
It is more acceptable to neglect God than your boss or your kids.
What we are talking about here is PRIORITY IN WORSHIP.
• How important is worship?
• And how important is it that your worship actually pleases God?
Do you remember David’s cry?
Psalms 19:14 “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.”
Paul reminded us about worship:
Romans 12:1 “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”
Should we go and read again all those Old Testament passages where God outlines how much He hates the worship of Israel?
• “bring your worthless offerings no longer”
• “who requires of you this trampling of My courts?”
• “I hate your appointed feasts”
• “If I were hungry I would not tell you”
• “Oh that someone would shut the gates that thy not needlessly kindle fire on My altar”
Over and over and over God announces that
He hates their heartless worship
Which is not meant to please Him in the least.
Isaiah 58:5 “Is it a fast like this which I choose, a day for a man to humble himself? Is it for bowing one’s head like a reed And for spreading out sackcloth and ashes as a bed? Will you call this a fast, even an acceptable day to the LORD?”
We must understand that WORSHIP IS A PRIORITY.
• What could be more important than blessing God?
• What could be more important than making God happy?
Even if you are tasked with doing it when no one else will see.
It is such a fitting word of encouragement to these night servants.
• It is true O servant that we will never hear your songs…
• It is true O servant that we will never see your labor…
But do it well!
• Do it in a manner that pleases our God!
That is our encouragement to one another.
• You encourage me to preach worthy of the God of the universe,
• And I encourage you to listen worthy of the God of the universe.
• We encourage one another to sing as God deserves it!
Don’t bring what is lame or broken or withered to God.
“Study to show yourself approved,
a workman who does not need to be ashamed.”
Worship is priority.
We see that here.
#2 THE POSTURE OF WORSHIP
Psalms 134:2
Even as the caravans cry out to the night servants
To worship God in a manner that will bless Him.
It is quite obvious to all what that means.
“Lift up your hands to the sanctuary And bless the LORD”
The phrase “to the sanctuary”
Literally translates the word “holiness”
Obviously the translators of the NASB
Thought it to speak of the direction of worship.
• Namely that the holiness was a reference to God
• And therefore the calling is for you to focus on God in your worship.
There is certainly nothing wrong with that interpretation.
God is certainly the object of our worship.
Focusing on God is what we do.
However,
It is possible that David instead meant to “Lift up your hands in holiness”
Paul spoke of this to Timothy:
1 Timothy 2:8 “Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension.”
The idea there would be that
We come to God with pure hearts and with clean hands.
James 4:7-10 “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.”
Psalms 24:3-6 “Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood And has not sworn deceitfully. He shall receive a blessing from the LORD And righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is the generation of those who seek Him, Who seek Your face—even Jacob. Selah.”
Perhaps this is what David had in mind.
Perhaps he is reminding those who serve
When no one is watching
That God is watching and holiness still matters.
AND I THINK THE EXHORTATION HERE IS FITTING.
Sometimes serving alone or at night or in the dark or in the shadows can produce for us the false assurance of anonymity.
• No one sees.
• No one will applaud, but no one will criticize either.
Those who serve at night would need the strongest character
For there would be NO ACCOUNTABILITY.
Who would know if the singers put their all into the songs?
Who would know if they cared to learn the words?
Who would know if they sang out or just mumbled?
ONLY GOD.
John Calvin commented on this text:
“Many of the Levites, through the tendency which there is in all men to abuse ceremonies, considered that nothing more was necessary than standing idly in the Temple, and thus overlooked the principal part of their duty. The Psalmist would show that merely to keep nightly watch over the Temple, kindle the lamps, and superintend the sacrifices, was of no importance, unless they served God spiritually, and referred all outward ceremonies to that which must be considered the main sacrifice – the celebration of God’s praises.”
(Spurgeon, Charles [The Treasury of David; Volume 3 – Part 2 – Psalm CXX to CL; Hendrickson Publishers; Peabody, MA] pg. 179)
Samuel Martin commented as well:
“Those priests renewed the altar fire, fed the lamps, and guarded the sacred structure from intrusion and from plunder. The Psalm before us was prepared for the priests who served the sacred place by night. They were in danger of slumbering; they were in danger of idle reverie…of vain thoughts, of useless meditation, and of profitless talk; and therefore it is written – “Behold the LORD”. Is it your duty to spend the night in watching? Then spend the nigh in worship. Do not let the time of watching be idle, wasted time; but when others are slumbering and sleeping, and you are necessarily watchful, sustain the praises of God’s house; let there be praise in Zion.”
(ibid. pg. 178)
You understand the danger they speak of.
Often times when human recognition is removed
The satisfaction of God doesn’t seem like enough to men.
They only want to worship if people are watching or if others will join.
This was the very worship that Jesus warned the hypocrites against.
• When you give, give in secret.
• When you pray, pray in your closet.
• When you fast, wash your face.
Matthew 6:18b “… and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”
This is a tremendous reminder to us about the posture of worship.
David says “Lift up your hands”
I realize that in our culture this is almost always associated
With a charismatic worship preference.
But I think Biblically speaking it should be seen as a longing.
• Think of it as a toddler lifting his hands to his mother.
• There is a dependence here.
• There is a desire here.
And so both the DIRECTION and the PURITY matter.
• If a toddler wants his mother to pick him up he needs to lift his hands toward his mother.
• And it will help if his hands aren’t covered with ketchup or something worse.
And so the reminder here is that of devotion to God.
These night servants are encouraged to be wholly
And holy devoted to God and to bring Him their best.
You are serving God!
Serve Him well!
We think of Nadab and Abihu who had the audacity to offer strange fire to God of an incense concoction which God did not desire and fire from the altar came and consumed them.
We think of Moses being forbidden to enter the promised land for God said that he failed to treat God as holy before the people.
We think again of the warning of Malachi not only to the priests who were tired of the sacrifice, but also of the people who brought such a worthless offering.
Malachi 1:8-11 “But when you present the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you present the lame and sick, is it not evil? Why not offer it to your governor? Would he be pleased with you? Or would he receive you kindly?” says the LORD of hosts. “But now will you not entreat God’s favor, that He may be gracious to us? With such an offering on your part, will He receive any of you kindly?” says the LORD of hosts. “Oh that there were one among you who would shut the gates, that you might not uselessly kindle fire on My altar! I am not pleased with you,” says the LORD of hosts, “nor will I accept an offering from you. “For from the rising of the sun even to its setting, My name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense is going to be offered to My name, and a grain offering that is pure; for My name will be great among the nations,” says the LORD of hosts.”
It matters that we worship God
AND that we worship Him in a manner that pleases Him.
For us, these holy hands are a reference to
Our imputed righteousness in Christ.
No one can stand before God
Except if they are covered in the righteousness of Jesus.
We worship God through Him.
We lift up holy hands through Him.
To try to worship God in your own goodness is but a filthy rag and an offense.
• You can be like Cain and work hard and bring your vegetables to God,
• But all the while you must remember that those are fallen vegetables harvested from a cursed earth.
• You might as well dig in the dumpster behind the grocery story and find the thrown out produce and serve it.
It is that offensive to the God of the universe.
Take note of yourself and come to Him through Jesus Christ.
Approach Him and lift up holy hands.
Worship Him and worship Him as He desires and deserves to be treated.
That is the encouragement given to these night servants of the LORD.
The priority of worship and the posture of worship.
#3 THE PLEASURE OF WORSHIP
Psalms 134:3
Now the night watchmen respond.
Those servants at the gate, just greeted to serve God with all their heart
Now return a word to those who just greeted them.
“May the LORD bless you from Zion, He who made heaven and earth.”
• We know you have traveled far to get here.
• And we know that here you expect an encounter with God.
This was based upon God’s answer to Solomon.
2 Chronicles 7:12-16 “Then the LORD appeared to Solomon at night and said to him, “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. “If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people, and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land. “Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place. “For now I have chosen and consecrated this house that My name may be there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.”
God agreed to meet His people here.
And based on that promise
These night watchmen return a blessing to the people.
“We hope that your time in Zion
Proves to be the blessing you have anticipated!”
There is a reminder that you have arrived to seek “He who made heaven and earth.”
• You are here to commune with the God of the universe!
• You are here to seek the favor of the God of all creation!
• He will meet you here!
• And may you be satisfied with His presence!
Psalms 84:1-4,10 “How lovely are Your dwelling places, O LORD of hosts! My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the LORD; My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God. The bird also has found a house, And the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, Even Your altars, O LORD of hosts, My King and my God. How blessed are those who dwell in Your house! They are ever praising You. Selah…For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand outside. I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.”
In other words the time of worship is so worth it!
• We think of Zacchaeus who was so satisfied to follow Jesus that he gave up half his possessions.
• We think of the satisfaction of those 4 friends who tore a hole in the roof and lowered their friend down. What blessing when Jesus said, “Your sins are forgiven”
• We think of the crowds who came to be healed or delivered and ended up hearing words of eternal life from Jesus.
We come to worship with the singular desire to bless God
And yet it is us who always ends up with the blessing.
Derek Kidner wrote:
“The word bless is perhaps the keynote of the Psalm, sounded as it is in each verse. So far, it has been directed Godward; now it returns from God to man. But the exchange is quite unequal: to bless God is to acknowledge gratefully what he is; but to bless man, God must make of him what he is not, and give him what he has not.”
(Kidner, Derek [Kidner Classic Commentaries; Psalms 73-150; InterVarsity Press; Downers Grove, IL] pg. 490)
That is such a true statement.
• We attend worship to give God what He most certainly deserves and what we give is so much less than He deserves.
• And without fail God grants us in return that which we do not deserve and which far exceeds what we do not deserve.
That is the absolute pleasure of worship.
We come to bless God and in return He blesses us!
It is always worth it!
And this song concludes that unofficial hymnbook.
Reminding us of the priority of worship
And the posture we bring
And at the same time filling our hearts with anticipation that
Leaving our homes behind and traveling to worship will not disappoint.
