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Psalm 134 · a question people ask

Who are "all you servants of the LORD, who stand by night" (134:1)?

In the text

The psalm doesn't say more than it says: "all you servants of the LORD, who stand by night in the LORD’s house" (134:1). It names no tribe, no office and no task besides blessing the LORD and lifting their hands (134:1-2). Psalm 135 calls "you servants of the LORD" (Psalm 135:1) and goes on, "you who stand in the LORD’s house, in the courts of our God’s house" (Psalm 135:2); Psalm 113 calls "you servants of the LORD" too (Psalm 113:1). Elsewhere the Bible says the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi "to stand before the LORD to minister to him, and to bless in his name" (Deuteronomy 10:8), with the same Hebrew verbs for stand and bless as Psalm 134 (tap stand), but with no word of night. Psalm 134 doesn't name Levi or priests, and these notes don't say it means them.

The verses

“A Song of Ascents. Look! Praise the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, who stand by night in the LORD’s house! Lift up your hands in the sanctuary. Praise the LORD!”
Psalm 134:1-2 · World English Bible
“Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD’s name! Praise him, you servants of the LORD, you who stand in the LORD’s house, in the courts of our God’s house.”
Psalm 135:1-2 · World English Bible
“Praise the LORD! Praise, you servants of the LORD, praise the LORD’s name.”
Psalm 113:1 · World English Bible
“At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to bear the ark of the LORD’s covenant, to stand before the LORD to minister to him, and to bless in his name, to this day.”
Deuteronomy 10:8 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of Psalm 134

Psalm 134: By night in the LORD's house

Psalm 134, the last Song of Ascents, calls all the LORD's servants "who stand by night in the LORD’s house" (134:1) to lift their hands and praise him. In Hebrew that Praise is bless, the same verb as the last verse's "May the LORD bless you from Zion" (134:3): the servants bless the LORD, and the LORD blesses, many called and one blessed.

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions