Psalm 134 (133):3Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He then enriches their understanding by reminding them that God is omnipresent, and that the temple was established due to their limitations, encouraging them to seek Him everywhere, adding: ‘who made heaven and earth.’ While the Jews traditionally called upon God within the temple, we are invited to reach out to Him in any location – at home, in markets, in the wilderness, aboard ships, in inns, and wherever we find ourselves. The act of praying is not restricted by location, as long as our hearts are aligned with the spirit of prayer. With this understanding, let us call upon God in every place, and He will draw near to us, ease our burdens, and honor us with future blessings, which we may experience through the grace and compassion of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom belongs glory and authority now and always, throughout all ages. Amen.

Lift your hands in the night within the sacred space and bless the Lord. Offering praise during the day is simple; it's a time of blessing and abundance. The evening, however, may bring sorrow while the daytime brings joy. When you are healthy, you glorify the Lord. When your child is ill and then recovers, your praise flows. But if your child suffers, perhaps you have sought the counsel of fortune tellers, and the affliction did not arise solely from your words, but from your actions and your way of living. Do not take pride in your spoken blessings if your life sends forth curses. Therefore, bless the Lord when? In the night. When did Job offer his praise? In a time of deep sorrow, when everything he owned was taken from him, including his beloved children. What a grim night that was! Yet, consider whether he did not also glorify God in his darkest hour. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away; blessed be His name.

May the Lord bless you from Zion, who created the heavens and the earth. He invites many to bless, while He bestows blessings upon one, uniting the many into one, for it is good and delightful for brothers to dwell together in unity. Though "brethren" is a plural term, it reflects a singular entity. Let none among you claim, "It does not pertain to me." Do you understand to whom He speaks? May the Lord's blessings come upon you from Zion. He has blessed the one; strive for unity, and the blessing will be yours.

Yet, this is valid literally. However, through spiritual understanding, just as it is declared to the sinner, ‘Thou art earth and into earth thou shalt depart’ (Gen. 3:19), it is declared to the saint, ‘thou art heaven and into heaven thou shalt depart.’ Why do I share this? To guide the saints toward heaven. ‘The heavens declare the glory of God; the work of His hands proclaims the firmament’ (Ps. 18:2). ‘And the waters that are higher than the heavens, let them praise the name of the Lord’ (Psalm 148:4-5). ‘The heavens of heaven are unto the Lord’ (Ps. 113:24). ‘He who made heaven and earth.’ Although we are earthly beings walking upon the earth, our true home lies in heaven (see Phlp. 3:20). Our true cities are there. He who created heaven and earth. Even if you have sinned, do not lose hope: the Lord is powerful. Many earthly beings have ascended to heaven, and many heavenly beings have descended to earth. The unfortunate Judas was once heavenly but fell to earth. The Apostle Paul, in his persecution of the church, was earth but after repentance became heavenly. Neither should the heavenly become complacent, nor should the earthly lose faith in life. Jacob, fleeing to Mesopotamia from his brother, arrived at Luz (see Gen. 28:11). There, he laid a stone under his head, which symbolically represents Christ as the cornerstone. He only laid a stone under his head when escaping from his adversary. During his time in his father's home, he experienced peace in his body and did not place a stone under his head. He left his house shamefully, clad only with branches, and that night found a stone to rest upon. In light of having such a humble pillow, consider his vision: he beheld a ladder reaching from earth to heaven, with angels ascending and descending (see Gen. 28:12). He observed angels going from heaven to earth and others returning from earth to heaven. Would you like to understand why the stone under Jacob’s head represents Christ, the cornerstone? ‘The stone which the builders rejected became the head of the corner’ (Psalm 117:22; see also Matt. 21:42; Mark 12:10). This is the stone referenced in the books of Kings, Avenezer (1 Sam. 4:1). This stone signifies Christ. ‘Avenezer’ translates to ‘stone of help.’ ‘Jacob arose early.’ What declaration did he make? ‘This is the house of God.’ What actions did he take? ‘He brought oil and anointed the stone’ (see Gen. 28:16,18). If we had not discerned the mysteries within Scripture, what purpose would there have been for him to anoint the stone with oil?

The defiled and impure are forbidden even to enter the sacred space, as the House of God serves as a reflection of heaven here on earth. Just as no evil force is allowed into heaven, so too is the same true for the House of God. You have been granted a profound honor: you are now the dwelling place of the Lord. Therefore, great purity is essential—cast away all wicked thoughts, for the Lord resides within you. You partake in the body and blood of Jesus Christ, a spiritual grace that transcends human comprehension. Hence, the more you are blessed with sacred signs and awe-inspiring sacraments, the greater the call for holiness from you (Chrysostom, Theodoret).

The laying on of hands during the night is spiritually beneficial, guarding against distractions that may divert from the good being done (Matthew 6:3). During this night, the prophet advises prayer, as the stillness of night is particularly suitable for such communion. This night represents the trials and tribulations in which the faithful, like righteous Job, offer gratitude to God. It also symbolizes sin, which is countered through the laying on of hands that aim to produce deeds of light and offer support to those engulfed by the darkness of distress and sorrow. In our midnight prayers, we should recall the occasion of giving thanks to God, the solemn night of Christ’s pure suffering, and this salvific night wherein the luminescent Light shall arise from the tomb of the mortal body (Theodoret, Jerome). Zion represents both the earthly Church and the heavenly Jerusalem, of which Christ the Lord, the Creator of the universe, is the architect.