Psalm 135:19

EXPOSITION

Verse 19. Bless the LORD, O house of Israel. All of you, in all your tribes, praise the one Jehovah. Each tribe, from Reuben to Benjamin, has its own special cause for blessing the Lord, and the nation as a whole has substantial reasons for pouring out benedictions upon his name. Those whom God has named "the house of Israel", a family of prevailing princes, ought to show their loyalty by thankfully bowing before their sovereign Lord. Bless the LORD, O house of Aaron. These were elected to high office and permitted to draw very near to the divine presence; therefore they beyond all others were bound to bless the Lord. Those who are favoured to be leaders in the church should be foremost in adoration. In God's house the house of Aaron should feel bound to speak well of his name before all the house of Israel.

EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS

Verse 19. Bless the LORD. Blessing of God is to wish well to, and speak well of God, out of goodwill to God himself, and a sense of his goodness to ourselves. God loves your good word, that is, to be spoken of well by you; he rejoiceth in your well wishes, and to hear from you expressions of rejoicings in his own independent blessedness. Though God hath an infinite ocean of all blessedness, to which we can add nothing, and he is therefore called by way of eminency, "The Blessed One" ( Mark 14:61 ), a title solely proper and peculiar to him, yet he delights to hear the amen of the saints, his creatures, resounding thereto; he delights to hear us utter our "so be it." --Thomas Goodwin.

Verse 19. Bless the LORD. And not an idol ( Isaiah 66:3 ), as the Philistines did their Dagon, and as Papists still do their he saints and she saints. --John Trapp.

HINTS FOR PASTORS AND LAYPERSONS

Verse 19. House of Israel. The Lord's great goodness to all his people, perceived and proclaimed, and the Lord praised for it.

Verse 19. House of Aaron. God's blessing on Aaron's house typical of his grace to those who are priests unto God.

Verse 19-21.

1. The Exhortation.
   1. To bless the Lord.

b) To bless him in his own house.

1. To whom it is addressed.
   1. To the house of Israel, or the whole church.

b) To the house of Aaron, or ministers of the sanctuary.

c) To the house of Levi, or the attendants upon ministers, and assistants in the services.

d) To all who fear God, wherever they may be. Even they who fear God are invited to praise him, which is a sure sign that he delighteth in mercy. -- G. R.