November 1, 2015
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

Bless the Lord, O My Soul

Please see the links to our EXTRA Bible Study notes at the bottom of the page.

Opening Prayer

Thank You, Lord, for the fellowship of believers, the Church of Jesus Christ. Some have gone to be with You and I thank You for them.

Read PSALM 134:1-135:21

For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.

[1]A song of ascents. Praise the LORD, all you servants of the LORD who minister by night in the house of the LORD. [2] Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the LORD. [3] May the LORD bless you from Zion, he who is the Maker of heaven and earth. [1] Praise the LORD. Praise the name of the LORD; praise him, you servants of the LORD, [2] you who minister in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our God. [3] Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; sing praise to his name, for that is pleasant. [4] For the LORD has chosen Jacob to be his own, Israel to be his treasured possession. [5] I know that the LORD is great, that our Lord is greater than all gods. [6] The LORD does whatever pleases him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths. [7] He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth; he sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses. [8] He struck down the firstborn of Egypt, the firstborn of people and animals. [9] He sent his signs and wonders into your midst, Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants. [10] He struck down many nations and killed mighty kings- [11] Sihon king of the Amorites, Og king of Bashan, and all the kings of Canaan- [12] and he gave their land as an inheritance, an inheritance to his people Israel. [13] Your name, LORD, endures forever, your renown, LORD, through all generations. [14] For the LORD will vindicate his people and have compassion on his servants. [15] The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by human hands. [16] They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. [17] They have ears, but cannot hear, nor is there breath in their mouths. [18] Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them. [19] All you Israelites, praise the LORD; house of Aaron, praise the LORD; [20] house of Levi, praise the LORD; you who fear him, praise the LORD. [21] Praise be to the LORD from Zion, to him who dwells in Jerusalem. Praise the LORD.

Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Reflect

Open your heart and mind to the spirit of praise which these two psalms invoke!

The singing processions, for which these “Songs of Ascent” were especially appropriate, began far away in foreign territory (Psa. 120:5), but now end with this beautiful song sung, finally, in the house of the Lord (134:1). The two psalms encourage us to bless the Lord and be blessed by him. In Psalm 134 the word “bless” (NRSV, ESV) appears in each verse, turning in verse 3 to call on the Lord to bless us. We can imagine the worshippers standing in the courts of the Lord, blessing him and longing for his blessing.

Our first duty and joy is to bless the Lord: to express in his presence our gratitude and thanksgiving for who he is and what he has done. The servants of the Lord in the psalm are called to do so day and night, and, inasmuch as we should “pray continually” (1 Thess. 5:17), perhaps it is also our joyful responsibility to regularly turn our hearts and minds to God, blessing him for his worth and praising him for his work. If only we were able to live with such a spirit of praise, how much it would change our disposition if such blessing were to be on our lips more frequently! 

Psalm 135 is not listed as one of the “Songs of Ascent,” but such an outburst of praise must have been on the lips of the pilgrims once they reached their destination. Now that they had safely arrived in Zion, they would sing about all he had done–choosing his people to be his treasured possession (135:4), overseeing the elements (135:5-7), delivering his people and granting them an inheritance (135:8-12) and showing his compassion at every turn (135:13,14). As those who have received all such benefits through Christ, let us join their song of blessing–and receive the Lord’s blessing as we do so!

Apply

Spend a moment identifying some specific blessings you have received from the Lord’s hand, and turn them into expressions of praise.

Closing prayer

Gracious God, I lift my voice in praise to You for Your goodness and greatness. I tremble to think where I would be without Your hand upon my life.

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