Communion With the Christ:: Those Who Serve by Night

"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. May the Lord bless you from Zion, he who is the Maker of heaven and earth". Psalm:134

For many who serve the Lord Jesus Christ in small ways or in out-of-the-way places, and may have come to feel that their service to God is of no or little value, whether it is through what they perceive, or due to the voices of critics who wish to impose a sense of failure upon them, or, when we may perceive ourselves to be forgotten or unappreciated or even abandon by God.

Small Things

If we feel that our service to our Lord is of "little" importance to God, then, we should consider that wherever and however our Lord is working it is of eternal value regardless of its measurable size.

We each and all, should recall the words of the Prophet Zechariah which speaks to us of the hidden value in what we perceive a the "unimportant", the "trivial" or the "small".

"Who dares despise the day of small things, since the seven eyes of the LORD that range throughout the earth will rejoice when they see the chosen capstone in the hand of Zerubbabel?" Zach: 4:10

The Prophets words are a reminder that in the workings of God, regardless as to where or when it occurs or the size, it is of extreme value in the eyes of God and not to be taken lightly regardless to what the voice(s) of critics might say. This should be noted especially in the western Church cultures where "bigger" is often considered "better".

We should thank God when our ministry in this of life bears fruit in abundance, but we should also thank our Lord equally even when harvest is, in "carnal eyes”, small.

Psalm or Psalter

We find in the Book of Psalms, sometimes called the Psalter, a collection of writings, many of which are prayers while many are hymns and songs of praises to God in the Temple, and later in the Synagogues.

The Psalter was in part assembled in the Post-Exilic period by those who served at the Temple of God.

The Psalter , in its final form is divided in to five distinct books, or compilations, often each group is reflective of a thematic device used by each Psalm within a given book, and each book of Psalm parallels the first five books of Moses called the Pentateuch.

We find in the fifth book of the Psalters, a collection of fourteen Psalms called the Songs of Accent or Degrees and is referred to by some Scholars as part of a group known as the Great Hallel.

Accent or Degrees

These fourteen Psalms or Songs, begin with Psalm:120 and conclude with Psalm:134. Some Scholars believe that these Songs of Ascent were used specifically during the Fall Holy Day season enjoined between God and the people of Israel under the Old Covenant called these days were known as the Days of Awe.

The Days of Awe, was a time to be in humility and give glorification and praise for and to the Lord, specifically the days between the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Ha-Shanah) and the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur)

During this fourteen-day time period the Songs of Ascent were sung, one song a day until they were completed.

It is thought by some Scholars, that as the evening arrived concluding the Days of Awe, and at beginning of the first day of Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkoth) and the first service of the Feast of Tabernacles at the Temple of God was coming to its conclusion, then Psalm:134 would be sung as the final Song of Accent.

Psalm:134

This short or "little" Psalm, which is liturgy of praise to God. Though only three verses in length, this Psalm speaks volumes to each and all, especially those, who may feel that their service to God or ministry has no real eternal import, or, even, when the voice(s) of critics attempt to dismiss or diminish and to detract from the value of what God is doing in and through us.

"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.

May the Lord bless you from Zion, he who is the Maker of heaven and earth". Ps:134

Psalm:134 is a "two voice" Psalm. The first voice we find in verses (1-2) and the second voice is found in the verse (3) which concludes the Psalm.

The Setting of the Psalm

The setting of Psalm:134 is at the close of the final public worship service of the day; and as the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkoth) was beginning at the setting of the Sun.

Evening was come, the hymns have been sung the Scriptures have been read, the liturgy is complete , the torches have now been lit to illuminate the way through the Temple courts and to the descending abutment and stair ways which will take the worshipers out of the Temple and into the city of Jerusalem and to the surrounding area.

It is, as the assembled worshipers are about to depart for their homes and booths built for the Feast, as the services concluded, the worshipers pronounce a blessing of encouragement upon the Levities and Priests who will remain within the Temple to minister thru out the night watches.

"Praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord who minister by night in the house of the Lord."(1)

Few in the Darkness

It is in the night watches, when the activities within the Temple of God are slowed, when the natural shadow of the night surrounds the Temple courts and the Priest who remain therein to minister, when there are but a very few who enter and worship in the darkness, when only the Priest of God conduct what to some, may seem a service of little or of no importance, when there are few in the darkness. Yet, even in this time, in the night watches, with few to bear witness of the services and what may seem of little consequence, is God himself.

The Lord is there being honored and exulted, even if it might seem to some as a small thing in the passing watches of the night.

In verse (2) the departing worshipers are moved at the conclusion of the service to offer a word of encouragement to the Priest who will minister in the night watches of the Temple. That these Priest should, even in the night, give God glory and offer praise to the Lord, for the Lord is there being honored and exulted, even if it might seem to some as a small thing in the passing watches of the night with few to take note, for God himself honors this small service of few participates.

"Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the Lord" (2)

The encouragement is received by the attending Priests and they in turn pronounce a benediction of blessing upon the departing worshipers who have taken note of the Priest 's service and took the time and gave them encouragement to carry on even in the empty Temple courts a midst the night watches with only few to bear witness.

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

In Our Empty Courts

This Psalm of Liturgy of Praise to God gives us who, today minister in the Temple courts of the Church, to be encouraged and to continue on even when there are few to bear witness of what takes places.

Even ,when our church members may be few in number and our serves do not attract great crowds, when we walk alone among the empty courts of the Church.

It may seem that these night watches of small things; which we might find ourselves and our Church in the midst of are of no value; and the voice (s) of critics may have us believe that this is the case, yet, as in the unnoticed services of the Priest in the darkened empty Temple which honored the Lord, God takes note and honors the small service of only the few. It is his Holy time.

The Lord God is there and receives the honor from the gathering of the few even as he would in a full and publicly acclaimed service attended by hundreds.

The Lord has convened it for his purpose and glory not ours. It is no small thing to honor the Great God to "bless the Lord" to worship him to "lift up your hands" before him even in the night watches.

We, even now, if we are in the night watches with only few to be present; God is still there and honors that worship and revives that honor. This should encourage all who stand and minister before the Great God even if it seems a small thing in the night watches...

Benediction: May we each and all be encouraged even in the midst of the night watches of our lives and ministries, that our Lord is being honored in spite of size or scope, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.