We’ve come to the last of the 15 Psalms of Ascent:
- Come, bless GOD, all you servants of GOD! You priests of GOD, posted to the nightwatch in GOD’s shrine,
- Lift your praising hands to the Holy Place, and bless GOD.
- In turn, may GOD of Zion bless you— GOD who made heaven and earth! (Psalm 134.1 – 3, MSG)
Eugene Peterson opens his commentary on Psalm 134 with the observation that often people work really hard for a particular goal, and when they achieve it, they find it’s not fulfilling. The life of faith and discipleship is NOT such an unfulfilling journey. He writes:
Psalm 134, the final Song of Ascents, provides the evidence. The way of discipleship that begins in an act of repentance (tĕshubah) concludes in a life of praise (bĕrakah). It doesn’t take long to find the key word and controlling thought in the psalm: bless God, bless God, God bless you.
The text says, “Lift your praising hands to the Holy Place, and bless God.”
We’re quick to lift our hands to our favorite sports teams. Some of us don’t do such a good job lifting hands to GOD. And Peterson reminds us that we are called to bless God whether we feel like it or not.
Peterson ends his meditation by reminding us that the Westminster Catechism reminds us that “The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.” Expanding:
A fitting ending. 15 Psalms of Ascent. Here are the first 14: