_An exhortation to bless God._
A song of degrees.
Behold, bless ye the LORD, all _ye_ 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.
The LORD, that made heaven and earth, bless thee out of Zion.
This again is a very short and brief Psalm, but it contains a most
blessed doctrine. It teaches and exhorts priests and Levites, to
perform the duties of their office diligently, and to be constant and
careful in the worship of God; that they be instant day and night in
teaching and exhorting by the word; as Paul exhorteth Timothy to the
continual preaching of the word; saying, “be instant in season and out
of season.” As if he had said, Be thou ever at the duty of thy office;
teach, exhort, rebuke; exercise both thyself and others unto godliness
by a constant preaching of the word; and continue therein, even though
some be turned unto fables, and others despise thee.
For where the pure word of God is not sought and learnt, there, most
certainly, is no worship of God; there, of necessity, perishes all
true religion; and there as surely perishes also, the good and
prosperity of the nation; which is certainly either deserted of God,
or involved in darkness, errors, and the power of the Devil. But where
the word of God continues in truth, and the scriptures are rightly set
forth, there God gives his blessing. And although Satan will there
greatly oppose himself to, and will afflict both the church and the
state; yet God, who made the heavens and the earth, and who is
therefore greater than all creatures and the Devil also, preserves
that state and that church; and, on account of their holding fast his
name and his word, he saves them, even though they be ungrateful and
unworthy of his salvation.
Let all ministers, and preachers, and bishops therefore, know, that
this Psalm, beginning “Behold, bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of
the Lord,” &c. pertains unto them; teaching them to know that the
highest worship of God is the preaching of the word; because, thereby
are praised and celebrated the name and the benefits of Christ.