A manual of the book of Psalms · Martin Luther
PSALM CXXXIV.
_An exhortation to bless God._ A song of degrees. Behold, bless ye the LORD, all _ye_ servants of the LORD, which by night stand in the house of the LORD. Lift up your hands _in_ the sanctuary, and bless the LORD. The LORD, that made heaven and earth, bless thee out of Zion. This again is a very short and brief Psalm, but it contains a most blessed doctrine. It teaches and exhorts priests and Levites, to perform the duties of their office diligently, and to be constant and careful in the worship of God; that they be instant day and night in teaching and exhorting by the word; as Paul exhorteth Timothy to the continual preaching of the word; saying, “be instant in season and out of season.” As if he had said, Be thou ever at the duty of thy office; teach, exhort, rebuke; exercise both thyself and others unto godliness by a constant preaching of the word; and continue therein, even though some be turned unto fables, and others despise thee.
For where the pure word of God is not sought and learnt, there, most certainly, is no worship of God; there, of necessity, perishes all true religion; and there as surely perishes also, the good and prosperity of the nation; which is certainly either deserted of God, or involved in darkness, errors, and the power of the Devil. But where the word of God continues in truth, and the scriptures are rightly set forth, there God gives his blessing. And although Satan will there greatly oppose himself to, and will afflict both the church and the state; yet God, who made the heavens and the earth, and who is therefore greater than all creatures and the Devil also, preserves that state and that church; and, on account of their holding fast his name and his word, he saves them, even though they be ungrateful and unworthy of his salvation. Let all ministers, and preachers, and bishops therefore, know, that this Psalm, beginning “Behold, bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord,” &c. pertains unto them; teaching them to know that the highest worship of God is the preaching of the word; because, thereby are praised and celebrated the name and the benefits of Christ.
Text from Project Gutenberg, public domain in the United States.