The ministers of the sanctuary are exhorted to bless the Lord. In response blessings are invoked on the speaker.
1-2. "Behold, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, which by night stand in the house of the Lord. Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord."
Public worship is a perpetual ordinance. From age to age God's faithful servants will frequent His house and join in common prayer and praise. It will be their delight meekly to listen to the proclamation of His truth. Those who lead in the outward form should precede, also, in inward grace. Those who conduct the hymns of praise should be foremost in offering heartfelt thanksgivings. In the early Church the lighted sanctuary was not a silent place during the hours of night. We have a sweet emblem here of the white-robed congregation, from whose lips unceasing hallelujahs sound. May we soon join the hallowed service!
3. "The Lord, who made heaven and earth, bless you out of Zion."
The ministers of the sanctuary are supposed to give response. The grateful reply is, May He, whom we are thus exhorted to bless, pour blessings upon you. How vast must be the blessings which descend from Him who is the omnipotent Creator of the universe! Infinity is the measure of His goodness. All mercies surely come in accordance with His heavenly decree. But it is from Zion that His blessings go forth. Zion typifies the Church of which the blessed Jesus is the High Priest. In Him God blesses His people with all blessings in heavenly places. He who spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Heavenly Father, we bless You for Jesus; evermore bless us in Him!
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Henry Law (1797 - 1884)
Was a prominent figure in the evangelical party of the Church of England in the early nineteenth century. A prolific practical teacher of the Scripture, he who wrote The Gospel in the Pentateuch, commentaries on the Psalms and many other excellent works. One piece is a collection of family prayers to be used morning and evening, each day of the week in family worship. Over the next few weeks, I plan to share with you those prayers for your personal and family use-my own prayer is that they will be a help and an encouragement to you in your own walk with our Lord.Here is a quote from Law's work on Genesis: "For three days Abraham journeyed towards the appointed mount. This was large opportunity for unbelief to whisper many a dissuading thought. This was long time for the father’s heart to ache. He looks on his child, and there is agony. He looks up to his God, and the agony melts into the calmness of unruffled peace. He turns to his child, and his foot would sincerely falter. He turns to his God, and the step is firm in resolute resolve.. Behold God’s wondrous way. His word is honored. Faith triumphs, and is honored too. It is tried, and by the trial is confirmed and expanded. The patriarch now begins a new life of heavenly joy. For the joy of Isaac born is nothing to the joy of Isaac restored. A giving God was love in the highest. A restoring God is love in higher heights."