Behold, bless ye the LORD, all ye servants of the LORD, which by night stand in the house of the LORD.
Psalms 134:1-3.-Call to Yahweh's servants, who stand by night in the sanctuary, to bless Yahweh (Psalms 134:1-2); their blessing in reply (Psalms 134:3). In Psalms 134:1-2 the pilgrims arriving in the afternoon address Yahweh's servants, the priests assembled at the evening sacrifice in the Lord's house, and ask them to bless Him in their and the people's name, and to prey. In Psalms 134:3 the priests in reply bless the people as represented by the pilgrims. When we bless God, He immediately blesses us. Compare the interchange of blessing between man and the Most High, Genesis 14:19-20. This psalm is the epilogue to the collection of pilgrim-songs, in all fifteen.
Behold, bless ye the Lord, al ye servants of the Lord, which by night stand in the house of the Lord. "Behold" vividly realizes the scene before the eyes. The priests alone, not also the Levites, had power to pronounce the blessing (Psalms 134:3). To "bless the Lord" in the praise and glorify Him. The people, represented by the pilgrims, are not hereby reminding the priests to fulfill the duty of their office; but are desiring the priests to offer their (the people's) blessings and thanksgivings to the Lord, which are virtually prayers for help; because they bless the Lord as One who has saved them in times past, and who therefore can and will save them now. "By night" does not imply that the priest stood all night serving the Lord; nor does 1 Chronicles 9:33 prove that even the Levite singers were engaged throughout the night; though watches were kept by night in the temple: the reference is to the evening sacrifice with which the service of the priests terminated. Compare Psalms 92:2.