Lift up your hands the sanctuary, and bless the LORD.
two. lift up your hands ]The gesture of prayer. cop. Psalm 28:2; 1Ti 2:8.
in sanctuary ]Rather to sanctuary, towards the most holy place, as the earthly dwelling-place of Jehovah. The rendering of RV marg., in holinessis less likely.
Source: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Lift up your hands in the sanctuary – Margin, In holiness. The Hebrew word properly means holiness, but it may be applied to a holy place. see Psalm 20:2. The lifting up of the hands is properly expressive of prayer, but the phrase may be used to denote praise or worship in general.
And bless the Lord – In the night-watches – while all around is still, – let there be one place where the voice of praise shall ascend on high.
Source: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psalm 134:2
Lift up your hands in the sanctuary.
The sanctuary
The uses and meaning of this word sanctuary are very interesting and instructive. In all countries and in all ages the word has been used to denote a place set apart for special and sacred uses: among the heathen, to the temples of their first deities; among the Jews, to the temple of the true Jehovah; among ourselves, to the places of our holy assembling. But there is a yet deeper sense in which this word sanctuary is used of a holy place. It is made to denote the sacredest part of sacred places: among the heathen, to the inner shrines of their gods; among the Jews, the Holy of Holies, into which the high priest alone could enter; among ourselves, that sacredest part of our sacred places where the mysteries of the blessed Sacrament are celebrated. Then, again, the word is used to denote a place of refuge: such places the heathen had in their shrines of justice; such places the Jews had in those cities of refuge of which we read in the books of Moses; such a place we have had in Christendom until very lately; places, as the lawyers call them, places of sanctuary. One of the last of these was in the precinct of the Savoy in London; I believe there is one still remaining in the palace of Holy-rood in Edinburgh. Then, again, the word sanctuary is used to denote a place of purification. Such places the heathen had, and still have, in their various rites of ablution; such places the Jews had in the ceremonies of purification; such places we have in the font of holy baptism. And then, lastly, this word is used to denote a place of rest and refreshment, of joy and of hope. Such places both heathen and Jew had in those groves which they used to plant, and those wells which they used to dig in the arid, burning deserts, where the pilgrims found shelter from the sun, and water to quench their thirst. Such places we have in Christendom in abundance. Every hospital in this city, every orphanage, every penitentiary, every almshouse, every school,–all these are places of sanctuary, where the young can be taught to love and serve God, where the sick can be healed and gladdened, where the orphan can be cherished and cared for, where old age can be tended and sheltered from the outside world. There are times in the most sheltered life when we long to find some quiet refuge where we may pour out our souls before God. We need constant cleansing, and the word denotes a place of purification. We are ever tempted to think that in this sin-stained world such purification is impossible, and there are some who find purity in the seclusion of the convent or monastery. But most of us must find it whilst in contact with the world’s dangers and difficulties, and we may do it without missing our way. Ye may be in the world without being of the world. This aim of purity may consecrate all we do, and we can never rest until our aim of purity is every day higher, and our attainment every day richer and truer. The sanctuary is a place of refreshment, and of joy, peace, and hope. In this hard-working world we need a place where the world cannot worry us. At the time of the plague in Milan a great cardinal used to say that if it had not been for the morning and evening rest in the sanctuary he should never have been able, as he did, to pass through that trial of strength and courage which his devoted work in the city involved. And when we enter the sanctuary for rest, and for a blessing, our work itself becomes a rest and a stimulating refreshment. Lastly, the sanctuary is the home of hope. Whatever the world may have to promise us in the day of prosperity, it offers us nothing when the day of darkness and distress comes, or when disappointment overtakes us. This beautiful grace of hope may not seem so necessary for us when the sun of our life is shining brightly, when friends are many, and fortune is favourable, and prospects good; but wait until the days of loss and sickness come, when friends have taken to themselves wings, when you are covered with disaster; wait till you follow to the grave a wife, a sister, a brother, a friend; then where shall top be found? Not on earth, not in the world, but in the sanctuary we learn what true consolation is. That hope gives us to know even hero something of the life which is beyond, a hope of immortality. (H. White, MA)
Source: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
see each other two. Lift up your hands in the sanctuary]kodesh, “in holiness:” or, as the SYRIAC, lekoudishe, “to holiness;” in sancta, VULGATE; and , SEPTUAGINT; “in holy things; or, as the AETHIOPIC, in the house of the sanctuary.” The expression seems very similar to that of St. Paul, 1Ti 2:8: “Lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.”
Bless the Lord.]That is, speak good of his name: tell the wonders he has wrought, and show that his name is exalted.
Source: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Lift up your hands unto God in prayer and praises, thus expressing and exciting your inward devotion. In the sanctuary; in that holy house of God Where you stand, Psalm 134:1. Or, in or with holiness, lift up your hands, as it is prescribed, 1Ti 2:8. Do not content your selves with lifting up your hands, but see that this be done with pure and holy hearts.
Source: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
2. Lift up your hands(ComparePs 28:2).
Source: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Lift up your hands the sanctuary,…. Which Aben Ezra interprets of the priests lifting up their hands to bless the people; but Kimchi, better, of lifting up the hands to God in prayer; see
Ps 141:2; which should be done “with holiness”, as the Targum renders it, in a holy manner; and is the same with lifting up holy hands, 1Ti 2:8; or towards the holy place; the oracle in the holy of holies, and the ark of the covenant, typical of Christ; see 1Ki 8:29
Ps 28:2; so kimchi; or rather, according to Arama, unto the holy name of God, to whom prayer is to be directed;
and bless the Lord; which is repeated, to show the importance of the work, that it might not be forgotten and neglected; this being a principal part of spiritual service, and greatly acceptable to God.
Source: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(two) lift up your hands (see Note, Psa. 28:2) (in) the sanctuary.The usual meaning would be to the sanctuary (see reference above), but since the servants of Jehovah are here addressed as standing in the sanctuary, this direction seems unreasonable. Render, therefore, in holiness, and comp. lifting up holy hands (1Ti. 2:8).
Source: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
two. lift up your hands That is, in prayer and blessing. Exo 17:11; 1Ti 2:8.
In the sanctuary Towards the holy oracle, as in Psalm 28:2where see note.
Source: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 134:2 Lift up your hands the sanctuary, and bless the LORD.
See 2. Lift up your hands in the sanctuary ]Or, Lift up holy hands, as 1Ti 2:8 . One readeth it, out of the Hebrew, Lift up your hands, sanctuary, that is, ye sanctuary men, keep pro happy. Hearts and hands must both up to heaven, Lam 3:41 and God be glorified both with spirits and bodies, which are the Lord’s, 1Co 6:20 .
And bless the Lord
]Like so many earthly angels; and as if ye were in heaven already, say,
Source: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Lift up: Psa 28:2, Psa 63:4, Psa 141:2, Lam 2:19, Lam 3:41
in the sanctuary: or, in holiness, Psa 26:6, 1Ti 2:8
Reciprocal: Lev 9:22 – his hand Deu 10:8 – to stand 1Ch 6:32 – and then 1Ch 9:33 – employed 1Ch 23:30 – every morning 1Ch 29:20 – Now bless Neh 8:6 – with lifting Psa 26:7 – That Psa 29:9 – in his temple Psa 63:2 – in the Psa 150:1 – in his sanctuary Isa 1:15 – when Isa 62:6 – which Act 26:7 – instantly Rev 7: 15 – serve
Source: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
134:2 Lift up your {b} hands the sanctuary, and bless the LORD.
(b) For their charge was not only to keep the temple, but to pray there and to give God thanks.