#DailyDevotions The LORD Blesses Us, We Give Thanks & He Blesses Us All The More
Psalm 134 Now bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, who stand in the LORD’s temple through the night; 2raise your hands toward the holy place and bless the LORD. 3The LORD Who made heaven and earth bless you from Zion!
Approaching closer and closer to the Temple, they may have finally arrived there. They would call out to the servants of the LORD, i.e. the priest, in particular, the priest who stood the night watch to bless the LORD. It always bothered me a bit how we can bless the LORD. Exactly how can we bless the LORD of heaven and earth. Then it was revealed to me in our communion liturgy at the dismissal. The pastor cries out, “Bless we the LORD!” The people cry out, “Thanks be to God!”
So we bless the LORD by giving thanks to Him for all His benefits to us. In the liturgy that has this, the people have received absolution. They have heard the word of God both read and preached. They have received the body and blood of the sacrificial Lamb, Jesus Christ, in which the LORD says, “I will be your God and you will be My people. I will forgive your sins and remember them no more. I will place my Instruction in your heart and you will know Me.” So of course we are going to give thanks to God our Father, the LORD Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit here.
The call to those who prepare and lead the worship to lift up holy hands and bless the LORD is called for. So indeed, throughout the worship we give thanksgiving throughout the service. We need not though be in a formal service to bless the LORD. At any point throughout the day we can give thanks for His benefits to us. So we give thanks before all our meals. If we are particularly fastidious, we may give thanks for each drink and snack throughout the day. When we are in the presence of those we love we may give thanks for them. When we go to work, we may give thanks for the opportunity to earn our daily bread. When we see the police, emergency workers, electric line workers, the trashmen and those who daily keep our society working, we can give thanks to the LORD for them.
Then there appears to be a call from those who work in the sanctuary to those who called upon them to bless the LORD. “The LORD Who made heaven and earth bless you from Zion!” First, I don’t know all the religions in the world, but there are few who have a god who made heaven and earth. The LORD is the one who made heaven and earth. We see this claim all the way back in Genesis 1. It is a theme throughout the Bible that the LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is the One who made all of creation. We see in the New Testament, it is Jesus through Whom heaven and earth was created and is maintained. It might be a fun question to those who want us to accept every religion as valid—just ask, “Which world religion gods are claimed to have made heaven and earth, all that it contains, and still maintains them?”
They bless those worshipers in the name of the LORD. Similarly, in our communion worship service we close after giving thanks to the LORD with the blessing of His name, “The LORD bless you and keep you. The LORD make His face shine upon you and be gracious unto you. The LORD lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.” So we are then blessed with and by His name to carry us through the rest of the week and live in this blessing.
Merciful and gracious Father, grant that we may bless You and give You thanks for all Your benefits to us and continually bless us with Your Name so our faith in You may be maintained unto You give us our ultimate rest. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.