It should bring us great joy, for the subject of this Psalm is indeed a source of delight. We are called to ‘Praise the name of the Lord’ (Psalm 134:1). The reason for this call to praise the Lord is evident; the servants of the Lord are urged to lift His name. What could be more worthy of our adoration? For if He enlightens His servants—those who faithfully proclaim His Word, the leaders of His Church, and those who honor His name and adhere to His commandments—then how can we not value Him even more highly? For He, the Eternal One, instructs us in His ways, conveying truths that transcend earthly commendation and scorn. As His servants, offering praise to the Lord is entirely fitting. Indeed, if we are merely servants, our obligation to praise remains; thus, how much greater should our praise be, knowing we are called to become His children in the future?
Therefore, you who stand in the house of the Lord, in His courts, lift up your voices in praise (Psalm 133:2). Be filled with gratitude; you were once outside but are now welcomed within. As you stand here, consider the significance of praising the One who lifted you from despair and allowed you to stand in His presence to know Him and to glorify Him. Is it not a wonderful gift that we dwell in the house of the Lord? Anyone who contemplates this truth and remains ungrateful misses the depth of His love and the enormity of the gifts bestowed upon him. Lacking the ability to repay God for His abundant grace, the least we can do is offer thanks. True thanksgiving involves taking up the cup of the Lord and invoking His name. What can a servant offer in return for all He has graciously provided?
What reason can be found for your praise? Simply this: the Lord is good (Psalm 134:3). In this single declaration rests the essence of our worship of God. The Lord is good, indeed, but His goodness exceeds all creation. For all that God made is very good (Genesis 1:31); He created heaven, earth, and everything in them with great goodness. If all creation is deemed good, how much more so must the Creator be?
How deeply can we comprehend His goodness? Who can fully grasp or articulate the extent of the Lord’s benevolence? Yet let us turn our gaze inward and recognize Him through our own existence, praising the Creator for His works, for we are unworthy to behold Him directly. With the hope that we will one day see Him, purified by faith, and will rejoice in the Truth, let us reflect on His creations for now, so we may not live without extending our worship to Him. Therefore, I declare, Praise the Lord, for He is good; sing praises to His name, for He is delightful. He is our Mediator, and that is what makes Him delightful. What could be more satisfying than the sustenance of angels? How could God Himself not be delightful if humanity partakes in angelic nourishment? For both men and angels share the same food. This is the essence, this is the wisdom, this signifies the goodness of God, yet we cannot experience it in its fullness as the angels do. The Creator of angels took on human form for humanity to partake in angelic sustenance. If you savor this sweetness, glorify Him; if you appreciate how sweet the Lord is, raise your voice in praise; if that which you experience is pleasing, give thanks. Who would be so ungrateful as to ignore the cook or provider of a delightful meal? If we acknowledge human providers of pleasure, how much more should we honor Him who has granted us all?
For the Lord has chosen Jacob, Israel as His treasured possession (Psalm 134:4). Let Jacob not elevate himself, boast, or attribute his selection to his own merits, for he was known and predestined by grace long before he existed. The same goes for all the Gentiles; what merit did the wild olive tree possess to be grafted into the true olive? It was merely a wilderness tree, far from the Lord’s fields, yet, in His mercy, the wild olive was incorporated into the true vine, even though it had not been grafted until now.
Because, as the Psalmist says, I know the Lord is great, and our God is above all gods (Psalm 134:5). If one were to inquire of him to elaborate on God’s greatness, might he not respond that the very one I perceive is not as fully understood by me, thus I will speak of His works instead? Let him hold onto the greatness of God that he knows, which has been imparted to our faith; he might recount some of the marvelous deeds the Lord has accomplished. For us, who cannot envision His greatness as he can, His works serve to render Him sweet to our understanding.
Whatever the Lord has willed, He created—in heaven, upon the earth, in the sea, and throughout all depths (Psalm 133:6). Who can fathom the breadth of these wonders? Who can recount the myriad of His works across heaven, earth, the seas, and all the abysses? While we might not grasp them all, we are called to believe and cling to them without reservation, knowing that all creation, in heaven, on earth, and in the seas was fashioned by the Lord.
The lifting of the clouds from the ends of the earth (Psalm 134:7) reveals God’s craftsmanship. Clouds originate from distant reaches to rain upon the land; we do not question their origins. Thus the prophet conveys that the clouds come, whether from above or below, according to His will. He transforms lightning into rain. For lightning brings fear without the comfort of rain; yet, when it rains, we rejoice. The one who once terrified us also brings us joy. He causes the winds to emerge from His storehouses, their origins concealed, and when the wind blows, we feel its presence; yet, the throne from which it comes remains unknown (John 3:8). However, we owe God our faith and worship, for the wind would not blow had He not commanded its creation.
Thus, as we contemplate His works, let us praise and bless God; consider what He has done among His people. Who struck down the firstborn of Egypt (Psalm 134:8)? Here are divine acts meant to inspire love rather than fear. Even when angered, He accomplishes His purposes. He has sent mighty signs and wonders upon Egypt (Psalm 134:9). You know well the actions the Lord took through Moses to vanquish the proud Egyptians—Pharaoh and his forces. Yet, what did He enact after freeing His people? He crushed many nations (Psalm 134:10), securing that land meant for His people, vanquishing mighty kings like Sihon of the Amorites and Og of Bashan, along with all the kingdoms of Canaan (Psalm 134:11). These accounts, detailed in the Psalm, are also recounted in other sacred writings where the power of the Lord is magnified. When you observe the fate of the wicked, be mindful not to follow in their footsteps. Conversely, let the righteous witness the suffering of the wicked and cleanse themselves of all iniquity, lest they meet a similar end. Thus, we begin to grasp the essence of God’s actions. What did He accomplish? He expelled the wicked and granted their territory as an inheritance to Israel, His servant (Psalm 133:12).
Following this, let us express a resounding homage to His name: Thy name, O Lord, is to be praised forever (Psalm 134:13) for all that You have accomplished. For in considering Your creations, I observe the heavens, the earth, and the abundant gifts of clouds, winds, and rainfall. I honor Your people whom You have freed from bondage and who have witnessed wonders against their oppressors. You have exacted justice upon those who troubled them, driven out the unrighteous from their land, and executed judgment upon their rulers. I have seen all of these deeds, and my heart overflows with joy, declaring, O Lord, Your name endures forever.
All these things God dismantled in His tangible form when our ancestors departed from Egypt, just as He now operates in the spiritual realm. His works continue until the end of days. Thus, we should not presume that God’s marvelous acts were limited to that time alone. “Thy name, O Lord,” He says, “is forever.” Meaning, Your mercy endures, Your hand consistently acts according to the promises made in ancient days. These events serve as examples for our instruction as we live through the culmination of the ages (1 Corinthians 10:11). One generation shares the legacy of another; the very generation that fosters our faith and rebirth through baptism; the generation that elevates us from death to eternal life alongside angels. Your remembrance, O Lord, is above all generations; for now, He will not fail to summon us, nor neglect to crown us when the time comes.
The Lord has judged His people and declares He will be among His servants (Psalm 133:14). This judgment has already come to pass, save for the final judgment awaiting the Jewish people. What does this judgment entail? The righteous are removed, while the wicked remain. But if I err in stating it has been judged, consider how the Lord proclaimed, “I have come into this world for judgment, that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind” (John 9:39). The proud are rendered blind, while the humble receive enlightenment. This is the judgment upon His people, foretold by Isaiah. “Now, O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord” (Isaiah 2:5). This is indeed a modest announcement, but what lies ahead? For He has rejected the house of Israel. The house of Jacob represents Israel; thus, the judgment divides the wicked from the righteous, leading to His recognition among His servants. How vast are the nations now coming forth in faith! How many arrive from remote and inhospitable places? They come forth in numbers beyond recounting; they seek to know the glory of God. I assure you, dear brethren, we are awed by the declarations of these rural souls. They emerge from the unknown, stirred by an unseen beckoning. You might say, how so? I know who draws them, for it is written, “No one can come to Me unless the Father draws him” (John 6:44). They emerge suddenly from forests, wilderness, and the highest mountains into the Church; many of them, indeed nearly all, speak in languages where we witness the divine truth being taught to them. The prophecy is fulfilled, “And all shall be taught by God” (Isaiah 54:13). We inquire, “What do you desire?” And they respond, “To see the glory of God.” (John 6:45). For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). They believe, they seek sanctification, they long for clergy to serve them. Has this not been fulfilled, and will He not be acknowledged among His servants?
Finally, after addressing the orchestration and distribution of these events, the Spirit of God turns to the ridicule of the idols worshiped by the Gentiles. The idols of the nations are composed of silver and gold (Psalm 134:15). Since God, the Creator of heaven and earth, fashioned everything according to His will, what merit can the creations of man hold beyond mockery rather than reverence? Did He reveal the fallacy of these pagan idols made of stone and wood merely to prompt despising? No; I address what they cherish most—their idols of silver and gold, the works of human hands. Are these gods truly of worth, glistening and alluring, yet they lack the ability to see? Though they possess eyes, they do not see (Psalm 134:16); they have mouths, yet do not speak; ears, yet cannot hear; there is no breath within them (Psalm 134:17). They may possess nostrils, but they cannot smell; hands, but they do not act; feet, yet they cannot move. All that the carpenter, silversmith, and goldsmith can fabricate—eyes, ears, nostrils, mouths, hands, and feet—cannot bestow the gift of actual sight, hearing, speaking, or movement.
THEOSIS