By J.G. Bellet
Psalm 133
The preceding Psalm was an utterance of the captives, just approaching Jerusalem or the house of God. This comes in order, and suits them on their being about to enter that house. For it was the centre of the tribes, the place of the common joy of Israel, where, accordingly, the precious ointment of brotherly unity, as here declared, was shed, so as to make the place good and pleasant and fruitful under the dew of the divine blessing. I can suppose that it was recalled to mind by some of the first gatherings of New Testament saints in Jerusalem in the day of Acts 2. It may also be the breathing of the saint in the joy of his heart on beholding the concord of brethren. And it may do for the Israel of God in the latter days, when their desire for peace and restoration shall be satisfied; for the coming days of the kingdom have been thus anticipated,--"In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig-tree." (Zech. 3: 10) "Home," when reached by the returning brethren, shall witness and secure their "unity."
Blessed prospect! It should arm us with a spirit of forbearance and long-suffering while on the road; for all will be right by and by. We are on our way to "that which is perfect." "Every Christian is treading the ascent of wisdom and goodness, and an era in his course shall arrive, when supernal beings, ancient proficients in virtue, shall count him their worthy companion, and delight in his converse."
Psalm 134
Having now entered the house, the worshippers fill it at once with the blessing of the Lord. It is in the spirit of Melchizedec--suited to their standing in "the hope of glory;" for they bless the great God and bless others in His name, the name of the possessor of heaven and earth, as that king of Salem did. He had been dwelling alone in the high places of his glory, neither the ways of the world disturbing him, nor even the story of the people of God noticing him, till the servant of God had ended his warfare. But then he appeared. That was the due moment for his shining forth, bringing his rewards with him, his refreshment and his blessing. And then those solitary abodes of glory, where he had been dwelling as in a temple and a palace, were disclosed, and their rich treasures produced. As here, the voice from the same sanctuary, the Zion of Melchizedec, greets the returned captives.
This is a joyful end of their way across the desert. And, further, it is happy to observe that these two Psalms, 133, 134, give us two aspects of the house of God which the returned captives, as we have seen, have now reached--that is, the unity of the people of God, and the praise of the God of the people--the joy of the family, and the glory of their head; for the house of God ever in principle provides for and exhibits these things. It is the dwelling of love, and the court of praise.
And let me add this--that divine joy in the Lord has wondrous moral power. As Nehemiah, in the day of revival, the day of the new moon, or of the feast of trumpets, the first day of the seventh month, said to the congregation of Israel, "This day is holy unto the Lord, neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength." (Nehemiah 8: 10)
We have an instance of this in 1 Chr. 12: 30-40. It was a bright and animated moment. David was to be made king, and, as we read, "there was joy in Israel." Judah could not then have provoked Ephraim, nor could Ephraim then have envied Judah. The common joy had linked all hearts, and borne them away and made 'hem its own creatures. One tribe was therefore the ready servant of the joy of another. No private feelings could be indulged, nor separate interests consulted. It was one of the days of heaven upon earth (Deut. 11: 21); the congregation of Israel, felt the power of it, as Peter did of the Holy Mount. For how willing was he then, because of the gladness of his heart to be the servant of others. "Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias."
Psalm 135
This Psalm is of the same character as the previous one. It is not entitled "a song of degrees," nor has it, indeed, any title at all. It is a kind of adjective to the preceding Psalm. For the congregation are still at the house of God--the court of praise, which, as we saw, they had just reached. Out of Zion God is still shining.
The Lord Himself is praised, and His name is praised--His name, as distinguished from Himself, being that various honour and dignity which He has acquired by His mighty acts.
And the Lord of Israel is here glorified as the only true God who does His pleasure in heaven and on earth, and who also got Himself victory and honour in Egypt, among the Amorites, in Bashan, and in the kingdoms of Canaan, but all for the sake and on the behalf of His people. And how blessed is this association! The Lord who formed and spread out the heavens, and none other or less than He, was the one who parted Canaan by lot among the tribes. The one who measures the waters in the hollow of His hand is He who gathers the lambs in His bosom, and bears them in His arms. (Isa. 40)
And very duly this Psalm of the returned captives, prepared for those who stand in the courts of the Lord, declares the vanity of the idols; for that had just been manifested in the downfall of Babylon, and in the decree of the Persian to let Israel depart from that stronghold of idolatry. The name of the only true God, the God of Israel, thus endures for ever, while the memorials of all beside perish for ever. (See also verse 14, and Deut. 32: 36)
Psalm 136
This Psalm is of the same general character. It is still appended, without any new title, to the 134th, as we have already observed the 135th is.
It is a Psalm which awakens peculiarly happy thoughts. It tells us, and echoes again and again, the joy and the song that are prepared for eternity.
The Jews say that it is prepared for the days of Messiah, which means, in their thoughts, the days of the kingdom. And this surely is so. It is a millennial national hymn, in which everything is found, in the review of it, to draw out the nation's gratitude.
In contrast, however, with the 135th, we observe that this Psalm sees mercy where that had seen glory. The creation of the heavens and their daily courses, the divine dealings with Egypt, with the Amorites, with Bashan, and with the Canaanites, all these had declared God's name or glory, and had drawn forth Praise (135); but now the very same things are celebrated as publishing His mercy, and draw forth thanksgiving. (136) For this is so. The same ways and works of the Lord publish both His name and His mercy, His glory and His grace. With equal clearness and sureness they honour Himself and bless His people. And thus they are the theme of both the Praise and the thanksgiving of His saints. Praise first opens their lips (135), and then thanksgiving. (136) For it is at God's name or glory, as reflected in His works, they first look, and then at their own blessings or profit from those works. His name endures for ever (Ps. 135: 13) and His mercy also. (136)
And, most surely, God has linked His praise and our blessing together in all the counsels and works that He has formed and executed. And such a thing is worthy of Him. In the garden of Eden, or at creation, He provided for His own honour and His creature's happiness. In Canaan, or in the settlement of Israel, it was still the same; the sanctuary, pitched in the midst of the land and the people, witnessed the constant service both of God and the congregation; the same altar meeting His due as the Lord of the Temple, and their necessities as sinners, day by day. So, at the birth of the Lord Jesus, the word of the angels was this: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace." And in the same unchanging grace and wisdom, when at the close the holy city descends out of heaven, it will bring with it both "the glory of God," and "the tree of life"--it will witness God's honour and the creature's health and happiness. Thus, from beginning to end, in every scene and dispensation of divine energy, we see these two things joined together, as these two Psalms in their order celebrate.
But this by the way: the burden of this very joyous Psalm has been called the Jewish chorus--"for His mercy endureth for ever." It was heard at Jerusalem in the days of Solomon (2 Chr. 5), for those were, in type, the days of the glory. And it was heard before, when David brought in the Ark to its place. (1 Chr. 16) And afterwards, as the returned captives were laying the foundation of the second temple. (Ezra 3) For such occasions also savoured of the kingdom, or of the nation's joy. And here this Psalm or national chorus is sung, as the captives accomplish their journey, and stand in the sacred city again. And raised it will be in still loftier joy, when Israel learns "the songs of Zion," in the days of the kingdom.
Psalm 137
This Psalm has no title either. It may be read, therefore, like the preceding Psalms, as still the language of the captives arrived at Jerusalem. They remember their captivity in Babylon, and that then and there they had no song. (See James 5: 13) They refused to put their harps to any music but that which celebrated Zion, or to have music at all in the presence of Zion's foes. This they now remember. And this remembrance is easy and natural. They were now reaping in joy, but in the midst of the harvest, they remember how they had sowed in tears. And the feast of Tabernacles, which was the grand season of Jewish festivity, and the type of the millennial joy of the nation, retained the like recollections. For the people then dwelt in booths seven days in remembrance of the wilderness. But all such thoughts of the past only give zest and fulness to the present; as our hearts themselves well understand.
The returned Israel, also, desire judgments on their oppressors. This is still in character. And these exercises of heart are according to heavenly patterns. For, in the Apocalypse, we hear the glorified saints thus variously occupied, either telling out their present joy, remembering their past sorrow and degradation, or anticipating the coming judgment of their enemies. (See Rev. 5: 7, 11) Christ as kinsman-Redeemer they celebrate; Christ as kinsman-Avenger they look for. And, when He rises to act as Avenger, they are then prepared to triumph in His judgments (Rev. 19), as before they had been to celebrate His grace (ch. 5); as the mother in Israel of old sang, "Praise ye the Lord for the avenging of Israel." (Judges 5)
Edom and Babylon are the enemies looked at by the long afflicted Israel of God. Babylon, we know, is greatly treated as a mystery in Scripture. As to Edom, we may just notice that its judgment is awfully announced also. "When the whole earth rejoiceth, I will make thee desolate." (See Isa. 34, Jer. 49, Ezek. 35, Obad., Mal. 1) For Esau (called the "profane") deliberately took the world for his portion, giving up his interest in God in exchange for it.
But, to turn to the happier thoughts of this beautiful little volume (Ps. 120-137), we may observe that it shows us, that while Israel were in Babylon, they had no songs; while they were on their way home they had occasional songs; but after they reached home, they had constant songs--either blessing (Ps. 134), praise (Ps. 135), or thanksgiving (Ps. 136), continually. So with the believer. He learns, that all his mirth before he knew the Lord ought to be shame and sadness; he now finds mingled services of joy and heaviness, of prayer and praise; but he looks to be a dweller in God's house, and then to have undivided songs and joys for ever.
We may observe, however, in addition to this, that reading these Psalms as the utterances of the returning and returned Remnant, and seeing those captives also in the light of the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther, we may judge, that while in Babylon, they were more blessedly exercised in their souls than the nation before had been in Egypt; and during the returning, than Israel in the wilderness. There was not the same manifested glory, but more of inward spiritual energy. The cloud was not over them, but the exercised heart was in them. While in Babylon, they hang their harps on willows; when risen up to depart, they exercise beautiful faith on the banks of the Ahava; as they journey, they stir up their souls with an occasional song; and on their return, though in weakness and scorn, they set themselves to service and to singing.
