A song of ascents. 2
134:1 Attention! 3 Praise the Lord,
all you servants of the Lord,
who serve 4 in the Lord’s temple during the night.
137:8 O daughter Babylon, soon to be devastated! 5
How blessed will be the one who repays you
for what you dished out to us! 6
1 sn Psalm 134. The psalmist calls on the temple servants to praise God (vv. 1-2). They in turn pronounce a blessing on the psalmist (v. 3).
2 sn The precise significance of this title, which appears in Pss 120-134, is unclear. Perhaps worshipers recited these psalms when they ascended the road to Jerusalem to celebrate annual religious festivals. For a discussion of their background see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 219-21.
3 tn Heb “Look!”
4 tn Heb “stand.”
5 tn Heb “O devastated daughter of Babylon.” The psalmist dramatically anticipates Babylon’s demise.
6 tn Heb “O the happiness of the one who repays you your wage which you paid to us.”