Going with God

The Songs of Ascent

Text: Psalm 134

Title: Going with God

Introduction

We are in the temple on Zion, in the sacred precincts and the last word that is spoken is blessing. We call this the benediction. Here we have an exhortation to praise the Lord and the blessing of the Lord upon His people. I recall R.C. Sproul discussing the benediction and suggesting that for many people it is the high point of the service because it means the conclusion and now we can all go home and eat lunch or dinner. The opposite of a benediction is a malediction, which is equivalent to a curse. I am sure that most of us would rather have a benediction than a curse. Actually, therefore, the benediction is a high point of the service because therein God dismisses us with His rich blessing, and we should all want to leave the worship of the Lord with a blessing. There is extraordinary power on God’s words. By the Word of the Lord the earth was formed, and according to Isaiah 55:10 and 11, As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. And we read in Hebrews 412 and 13, For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Thus the benediction is a powerful thing. We see two things here the fount of blessing and the fruit of blessing.

I The Fount

As Robert Robertson’s hymn says, so the psalmist directs those ministering on Mt. Zion, “Come, Thou Fount of every blessing, Tune my heart to sing Thy grace; Streams of mercy, never ceasing, Call for songs of loudest praise.” The words of verses 1 and 2 are addressed to the priests and Levites who serve, Praise the LORD, all you servants of the LORD who minister by night in the house of the LORD. Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the LORD. It is as if the pilgrims, weary from their long journey arrive and call on the ministers to praise and give thanks to God. The travelers are rousing them to their task. John Calvin reminds us to “notice the Psalmist’s design in urging the duty of praise so earnestly upon them. Many of the Levites, through the tendency which there is in all men to abuse ceremonies, considered that nothing more was necessary than standing idly in the Temple, and thus overlooked the principal part of their duty. The Psalmist would show that merely to keep nightly watch over the Temple, kindle the lamps, and superintend the sacrifices, was of no importance, unless they served God spiritually, and referred all outward ceremonies to that which must be considered the main sacrifice-the celebration of God’s praises.” It might seem a very laborious service to stand at watch in the Temple, while others sleep in their own houses; but the worship which God requires is not perfunctory. The priests and levites were to model above all others the whole-hearted service of God 24 hours a day. Christians are always on duty. In I Thessalonians 5:4-8 Paul says, But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. In Romans 13:11 and 12 the Apostle says, The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. And these servants of the Lord are told to lift up their hands in the sanctuary, but in doing this they are to worship as it says in Lamentations 3:41 Let us lift up our hearts and our hands to God in heaven. So if we wish to go with God we must first be with God as the psalmist indicates. We must bless Him and He will bless us, not because we merit it, but because we are ready to receive it.

II The Fruit

The psalmist ends with the words of verse 3, May the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth, bless you from Zion. When the worship service draws to a close it is the minister who pronounces the blessing. As a man he has no power at all to bless you; it is a function of his office. He does it in the name of Jesus. This is important because the blessing in our Psalm is an adumbration of the priestly blessing in Numbers 6:22-27, and we read, The LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them: ““‘The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.”’ “So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.” This is clearly a function that belongs to the priests exclusively. And as God wanted to bless Israel under the Old Covenant Through His priests in the Aaronic priesthood, so today the blessings of God are bestowed through His Son, Jesus Christ who is our “High Priest.” Thus when we read that they are blessed out of Zion, the city of God, it means the church. To this day the Lord blesses each one of his people through his church, his gospel, and the ordinances of his house. It is in communion with the saints that we receive untold benisons. May each one of us obtain yet more of the blessing which comes from the Lord alone. Zion, a place, cannot bless us; the holiest ministers can only wish us a blessing in their own power; but Jahweh can and will bless each one of his waiting people, through his appointed messengers. So don’t leave before the benediction because it is a blessing that should be coveted. Remember the Scripture says in I Samuel 2:30, Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained; and in John 14:21 Jesus says, He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him; and James 4:8 says, Come near to God and he will come near to you. So when we bless God for His mercy, he blesses us with that mercy.