PRAISE THE LORD, ALL YOU SERVANTS

Passage: Psalms 134:1-135:21

Key verse: 134:1

NIV

Psalm 134
A song of ascents.

1 Praise the Lord, all you servants(A) of the Lord
    who minister(B) by night(C) in the house of the Lord.
2 Lift up your hands(D) in the sanctuary(E)
    and praise the Lord.(F)

3 May the Lord bless you from Zion,(G)
    he who is the Maker of heaven(H) and earth.

Psalm 135(I)

1 Praise the Lord.[a]

Praise the name of the Lord;
    praise him, you servants(J) of the Lord,
2 you who minister in the house(K) of the Lord,
    in the courts(L) of the house of our God.

3 Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;(M)
    sing praise to his name,(N) for that is pleasant.(O)
4 For the Lord has chosen Jacob(P) to be his own,
    Israel to be his treasured possession.(Q)

5 I know that the Lord is great,(R)
    that our Lord is greater than all gods.(S)
6 The Lord does whatever pleases him,(T)
    in the heavens and on the earth,(U)
    in the seas and all their depths.
7 He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth;
    he sends lightning with the rain(V)
    and brings out the wind(W) from his storehouses.(X)

8 He struck down the firstborn(Y) of Egypt,
    the firstborn of people and animals.
9 He sent his signs(Z) and wonders into your midst, Egypt,
    against Pharaoh and all his servants.(AA)
10 He struck down many(AB) nations
    and killed mighty kings—
11 Sihon(AC) king of the Amorites,(AD)
    Og king of Bashan,(AE)
    and all the kings of Canaan(AF)—
12 and he gave their land as an inheritance,(AG)
    an inheritance to his people Israel.

13 Your name, Lord, endures forever,(AH)
    your renown,(AI) Lord, through all generations.
14 For the Lord will vindicate his people(AJ)
    and have compassion on his servants.(AK)

15 The idols of the nations(AL) are silver and gold,
    made by human hands.(AM)
16 They have mouths, but cannot speak,(AN)
    eyes, but cannot see.
17 They have ears, but cannot hear,
    nor is there breath(AO) in their mouths.
18 Those who make them will be like them,
    and so will all who trust in them.

19 All you Israelites, praise the Lord;(AP)
    house of Aaron, praise the Lord;
20 house of Levi, praise the Lord;
    you who fear him, praise the Lord.
21 Praise be to the Lord from Zion,(AQ)
    to him who dwells in Jerusalem.(AR)

Praise the Lord.

Footnotes
  1. Psalm 135:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah; also in verses 3 and 21
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Come, Bless the Lord

A Song of (A)Ascents.

134 Come, bless the Lord, all you (B)servants of the Lord,
    who (C)stand (D)by night in the house of the Lord!
2 (E)Lift up your hands to (F)the holy place
    and bless the Lord!

3 May the Lord (G)bless you (H)from Zion,
    he who (I)made heaven and earth!

Your Name, O Lord, Endures Forever

135 (J)Praise the Lord!
Praise the name of the Lord,
    give praise, O (K)servants of the Lord,
2 who (L)stand in the house of the Lord,
    in (M)the courts of the house of our God!
3 Praise the Lord, for (N)the Lord is good;
    sing to his name, (O)for it is pleasant![a]
4 For the Lord has (P)chosen Jacob for himself,
    Israel as his (Q)own possession.

5 For I know that (R)the Lord is great,
    and that our Lord is above all gods.
6 (S)Whatever the Lord pleases, he does,
    in heaven and on earth,
    in the seas and all deeps.
7 (T)He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth,
    who (U)makes lightnings for the rain
    and brings forth the wind from his (V)storehouses.

8 He it was who (W)struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
    both of man and of beast;
9 who in your midst, O Egypt,
    sent (X)signs and wonders
    against Pharaoh and all his servants;
10 (Y)who struck down many nations
    and killed mighty kings,
11 (Z)Sihon, king of the Amorites,
    and (AA)Og, king of Bashan,
    and (AB)all the kingdoms of Canaan,
12 and (AC)gave their land as a heritage,
    a heritage to his people Israel.

13 (AD)Your name, O Lord, endures forever,
    (AE)your renown,[b] O Lord, throughout all ages.
14 (AF)For the Lord will vindicate his people
    and (AG)have compassion on his servants.

15 (AH)The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
    the work of human hands.
16 They have mouths, but do not speak;
    they have eyes, but do not see;
17 they have ears, but do not hear,
    nor is there any breath in their mouths.
18 Those who make them become like them,
    so do all who trust in them.

19 (AI)O house of Israel, bless the Lord!
    O house of Aaron, bless the Lord!
20 O house of Levi, bless the Lord!
    You who fear the Lord, bless the Lord!
21 Blessed be the Lord (AJ)from Zion,
    he who (AK)dwells in Jerusalem!
(AL)Praise the Lord!

Footnotes
  1. Psalm 135:3 Or for he is beautiful
  2. Psalm 135:13 Or remembrance
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

To be a servant of the LORD is to praise him. Praising the LORD means coming to him to minister before him, to lift up our hands and hearts. Praising the LORD opens our lives to him with the full trust that he accepts us, that he made us his servants in his house. God created Israel newly—to be his chosen ones and his treasured possession. By his power and will, God called them to praise the LORD.

The LORD revealed his greatness in his creation and sovereignty over the heavens and the earth. He is almighty in power. But he also revealed himself when he called his people out of Egypt, through the desert, and gave them the land of promise as their inheritance. He placed his name on them forever by his holy compassion. He is our deliverer. The earth is full of idols and idol worship, but God’s people are called to praise the LORD. He is full of power, full of compassion, and he dwells with those he calls.

Prayer: Lord, you are the almighty and you are my deliverer. Help me to listen to your call every day and come to you full of praises.

One Word: Praise the LORD