Introduction
A Song of degrees.
The psalm is responsive. Psalms 134:1-2, are an address to the priests who kept the night watches in the temple, (1 Chronicles 9:33,) and Psalms 134:3 is the reply. The address was by the people, or by one division of the watch to another. The berakah ( blessing or benediction) is the characteristic feature. With this, which it was the prerogative of the priesthood to pronounce, the house of God should be always vocal. This alternate cry of the watchers during the night was a note of time, and also a signal that they were on duty. So in the eastern Moslem caravans watch-men cry one to another through the night, “God is one, he is merciful,” and often add, “Take heed to yourselves.” Compare Isaiah 52:8; Isaiah 62:6. The psalm closes the list of “pilgrim songs,” or songs of degrees, (see note on title of Psalms 120:0,) and is purposely placed at the end of the collection, says Delitzsch, in order to take the place of a final berakah.
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