EXPOSITION. PSALM OXXXIV. tion to o.n immediate need-something that is to be done, and to be done at onoe. Bless TRl!l" Little Psalter" of" Songs of Aeoents" ye the Lord. This must mean" for us"- terminntes here with n short psalm, due "on our behalf." Thank God for having probably to the oompiler-a psalm of four brought our journey to a prosperous end. All yo serva.nts of the Lord, which by night lines only. It consists of two portions: stand in the house of the Lord; i.e. ye (1) A call from those without the temple, epeoial servants of the Lord, prier.ta and upon God's servants, who conduct his Levites, now standing within bis courts, service within his house during the night 0.11d engaged in his worship. The temple season (1 Chron. ix. 33), to pmise and wo.s never left without a body of priests 11nd thank the Lord in their name for his mer- Levites, to keep it all<l siag praises in it. Ver. 2.-Lift up yonr hands. The attitude cies vouchsafed to them (vere. I, 2); and of prayer and praise (Pss. lxiii. 4; oxiL 48; (2) a response from those within the temple, cxli. 2). In the eauotuary; rather, toward, who ask God to " bless out of Zion" those tile sanctuary; i.e. towards the holy of who hnvo addressed them. The psalm is holies. Others render, "in holiness." And very suitable for pilgrim-bands arriving, as bless the Lord ( oompare the first clause of ver. 1). they commonly woohl, late in the day at Ver. 3.-Tho Lord that made heaven and the temple gates, and announcing their earth (comp. Gen. i I; Pss. cxv. 15; cxxi. arrival to those within, who would be ex- 2; cxxiv. B; cxlvi 6). Bless thee ont of pecting thom, and would call on God to Zion. God woe regarded o.s dwelling in bless their pilgrimngi< to them ( ver. 3). Ziou, nnd therefore as giving hie blessing• out of Zion (oomp. Pss. X.L 2; liii. 6; Ver. 1.-Behold, The word culls atten- oxxviii 5).
HOMILETICS. Vere. 1-3.-Goa anci man; reciJ rocal relations. "It must needs be II mntter of conitcture who the s11eakers are" in this short psalm; but t:1ese three verses bring btfore us the reciµrocal relations existing between our God an1 ourselves, particularly as those engaged in his worship. "Bless ye the Lord . , , tha !,ord ble~s thee," 27G THE BOOK OF PSALMS. [rs. CXXXIV. 1-3.
I. IN APPROACH AND NEARNESS OF SPIRIT. We draw nigh unto him, and he draws .iigh unto us (2 Chron. xv. 2; Jas. iv. 8). We come up to his house to" seek his face" (Ps. xxvii. 8), ancl he seeks us; he finds us ; he makes us conscious of hie presence. He manifests himself unto us as not unto the world. And when we leave the i;anctuary, and (partly through the help we have gained there) cherish the sense of God's near presence, and feel that ,re are "with hiru" everywhere, then is he "with us," not only in nearness of S!Jiritual presence (Ps. cxxxix.), but in fulnese of Divine sympat.hy and the putting forth of Divine power on our behalf. II. IN PRAYER ON OUR PART, AND IN COMMUNICATION OF TRUTH ON HIS PART. We speak to him in prayer (ver. 2). Wi1h uplifted hands, in reverent adoration, we pour out our heart in humble, earnest supplication, or in renewing before him and unto him our solemn vows. We may do well to put it to ourselves in these simple terms-that we are together, that with one voice and one thought and hope we may "speak to God." '!'hen we listen as he speaks to us. As we listen to the reading of bis Word, we may foci-Surely this is nothing other than God speaking to our hearts. Such a thought should make him that reads and those who bear feel that this is not the least important part of Divine worship, and is not undeserving of our best effort and atten- tiou, The preacher in the sanctuary should set before him as his high aim, as his noble and holy function, so to declare bis message that, through his human voice, God will be speaking to the people of his charge. Thus, before leaving the house of God, we shall bave reverently spoken to him; he will have graciously spoken to us. Ill. IN BLESSING. " Bless ye the Lord ... the Lord bless thee." 1. We bless God as we offer him our lowly but sincere adoration; as we ascribe to him all power, wisdom, faithfulness, holiness, mercy, patience; as we present to him the tribute of our praise for all his past kindness to us, and especially for his grace to us in Christ Jesus; as we thank him for all he has promised to us in the near and in the further future. 2. He blesses us as he lifts on us the light of his reconciled countenance; as he enlightens our understanding, and enables us to perceive new and fuller truth, or recognize familiar truth more clearly or vividly; as he kindles in our waiting heart a stronger flame of gratitude and love; as he stablishes and strengthens our soul in our purpose of devo- tion; as he drawi; out our sympathies with all that suffer and are in need; as he sends us forth from his presence confirmed and enlarged in heart, rejoicing in himself and in his service. It may be added that: (1) If we honour him, he will honour us (1 Sam. ii 30). (2) If we love him, he will love us (John xiv. 21). (3) If we crown him Lord of our heart and life, he will crown us with the crown of eternal life.
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vere. 1-3.-The songs of degree,' doxology. This series of psalms ends, as all service of worship should, with the voice of praise and thanksgiving. It is ill if our prayers and varied waiting upon God do not bring us into the spirit which would bless the Lord, and bid all others do the same. That spirit is present in this psalm. Note- I. THE EXHORTATION HERE GIVEN. "Behold, bless ye the Lord." Now, this psalm, bei □ g placed here at the end of the series, bids us look back an,! trace, in the psalms that have gone before, the manifold reasons wherefore we shoulJ. bles~ the Lord. _The first of these psalms, Ps. cxx., t~lls of deliveranceJrom. cruel ene1;01es; P~. cx~1., of God's co □ tinual preservation of his people; Ps. cxxn., of JOY and delight reahzed m the worship of the Lord; Ps. cxxiii., of waiting continually upon ~od in times ~f tronb}e; Ps. cxxiv of deliverance from fierce foes; Ps. cxxv., of expenence of Gods guardian care; Ps.~xxvi., of the joy of God's salvation; P8, cxxvii., of the L_ord alone being our sure Keeper; Ps. cxxviii., of God's grace and goodness sweetenmg the home; Ps. cxxix., of afflictions many, but of preservation in them all; P8. cxxx., ~~ God's blessed uplifting• Ps. cxxxi. of the ooul kept in the peace of God; Ps. cxxxn., of the pros- perity or'the Church'; and Ps. cxxxiii., of her unity; and now in Ps. cxxxiv. there is, as there well may be, the comm11nd to bless the Lord. What a long list it is of mercies, and help, and deliverances, and blessings unspeakable I lf men will look. back along their liv~s, they too will bless the Lohl. PS. CXXXIV, 1-3.] TllE IlOOK OF PSALMS. 277