Psalms 134 Footnotes

134:1-2 The psalmist invited worshipers to praise the Lord, using the Hebrew 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 (1Ch 16:5-7).