01/19/2023 – Day 326 – Psalm 134 – 136 // “If God is in possession of all, how can a worshiper further enrich Him?”
Last cycle – 04/08/2021, we took a look through Matthew Henry at the twenty six verse repetition of “His love is eternal”. And then John Gill, who I call “my closer” for single verse commentary, gave a sublime comment on Psalm 135:3. Sometimes my cognitive just doesn’t click in until I’ve finished my 1st cup of coffee. When I searched, on “Day 326” to review the post from last time, up popped Jonathan Cahn’s: “The Uncaused Cause” from his book: “The Book of Mysteries”. I thought: “This is beautiful but what does it have to do with Psalm 134 – 136?” Well, it doesn’t (chuckle at self), it is day 326 I’m Jonathan’s daily devotional. So, I encourage you to read and pray over that as well by doing the same search. I’ve noted this before, but the “Book of Mysteries” remains my favorite devotional book.
https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/psalms-135-3.html
Now , we’ll look at our three chapters again, for we never run out of priceless treasure. I am going to share with you my footnote on 134: 1-2 in my “Apologetics Study Bible”:
Chapter 134 is titled “Call to Evening Worship”
“134: 1-2 The psalmist invited worshipers to praise the Lord, using the word barak, which means ‘bless’ or ‘enrich.’ If God is in possession of all, how can a worshiper further enrich Him? Yet the psalms are full of such expressions (e.g. 34:1; 63:4; 68:26; 96:2; 103:1-2, 20-22; 104: 1,35; 135: 19-20). Praise is the worshiper’s obligation under the covenant, his expression of homage to the great King. By praising Him, people extend His reputation in the world and open themselves to receiving His blessing in return. The worshipers in this psalm were priests, offering their praise in the sanctuary continuously (‘at night’), as David instructed Asaph and his musicians to do (1 Chronicles 16: 5-7).”
I am still starting each day with a reciting of Psalm 145, a practice that has been going on for years. Why still Psalm 145? It just never gets stale for me, and more importantly, I am convinced it doesn’t get stale with the Lord either. A funny side note: I had thought I could memorize the entire Psalm, but that hasn’t worked. For memorization, I think you have to break it down in parts, building from the base. I have a list of twenty four “memorization” verses; they will come in handy if I ever get thrown into prison without a Bible.
Soli Deo Gloria!