Who Are the "Servants of YHWH" in Ps 134:1?

From Psalms: Layer by Layer
Jump to: navigation, search

Back to Psalm 134

Introduction

The Masoretic text of Psalm 134:1 reads:[1]

הִנֵּ֤ה ׀ בָּרֲכ֣וּ אֶת־יְ֭הוָה כָּל־עַבְדֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה
הָעֹמְדִ֥ים בְּבֵית־יְ֝הוָ֗ה בַּלֵּילֽוֹת׃

This exegetical issue will focus on the phrase כָּל־עַבְדֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה “all the servants of YHWH”. The referent of this phrase is not clear.

  • A few modern translations hint that the phrase refers to the priesthood.
    • E.g., “Praise the LORD, all you servants of the LORD who minister by night in the house of the LORD” (NIV).
  • Others indicate that the "servants of YHWH" are in fact, the whole congregation.
    • E.g., “Everyone who serves the LORD come and offer praises. Everyone who has gathered in his temple tonight” (CEV).

These two options also generally reflect the possibilities discussed among scholars.

Argument Maps

Priesthood (preferred)


===
model:
    removeTagsFromText: true
    shortcodes:
      ":C:": {unicode: "🄲"}
      ":G:": {unicode: "🄶"}
      ":A:": {unicode: "🄰"}
      ":I:": {unicode: "🄸"}    
      ":L:": {unicode: "🄻"}
      ":D:": {unicode: "🄳"} 
      ":M:": {unicode: "🄼"}   
selection:
    excludeDisconnected: false
dot:
    graphVizSettings:
        rankdir: LR
        concentrate: true
        ranksep: 0.2
        nodesep: 0.2 
===
[Priesthood]: The phrase כָּל־עַבְדֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה refers to those who serve in the priesthood—either to the Levites, the priests, or both.
  -<Unattested designation>: The word עבדים “nowhere else refers to priests or Levites” (see Allen 2002, 283 :C:). #dispreferred
    <_<Derivatives>: The noun עבודה “service” and the verb עבד “to service” are related to the priesthood in their use (see Allen 2002, 283 :C:).
      + [Root עבד and priesthood]: E.g.,  Nu 4:19, 4:49, 8:11, 1 Ch 24:3, 24:19, 2 Ch 8:14, 31:16; Ex 38:21, Nu 4:24, 4:27, 4:27, 4:28, 4:33, 4:47, 4:47, 7:7, 7:8, 8:26, 18:21, 1 Ch 6:17, 2 Ch 31:2; 1 Ch 23:24, 23:28, 23:32, 25:6, 28:13, 28:13, 28:21, 28:21, 29:7, 2 Ch 29:35, 31:21, 35:2, Ne 10:33
  +<Ancient support>: The Targum explicitly mentions the priests as the addressee in verse 2.
    + טולו ידיכון קודשׁא כהניא ‘Lift up your hands towards the holy place, Priests!’ (Targum Psalms 134:2)
  +<עמדים>: The use of עמדים ‘standing’ suggests that the priesthood is in view.
    +<Verbal Semantics of עמדים>: The participle עמדים refers to a regularly reoccurring action (JM §121i)  
    +<‘Standing’ before God>: The priesthood are often said to ‘stand’ before God (Deut 10:8; 18:7; 1 Chron. 23:30; see Allen 2002, 283 :C:).
  +<Night-time>: The participle עמדים is modified by the phrase 'by night', and Levites and priests had various temple duties that they performed at night (1 Chron. 9:33; see Goulder 1998, 106 :M:)
    +<Second-temple routine>: During the second-temple period, the priests would make preparations throughout the night for the ministers who were to serve the following day (Keil and Deltizsch 1996, 791–792).
  +<Setting>: The servants of the Lord are said to be in the ‘house of YHWH’ without any further qualification, viz., ‘before the Temple building’ (Hossfeld and Zenger 2011, 486 :C:), where the priesthood was more likely to serve. If the עבדי יהוה referred to the congregation, the setting would have been specified as one where the congregation would have been allowed (cf. Psa. 135:1)
    + שֶׁ֣עֹֽמְדִים בְּבֵ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה בְּ֝חַצְר֗וֹת בֵּ֣ית אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃ ‘...who are standing in the house of the Lord—in the courts of the house of our God’ (Psa. 135:1)
  +<The use of ברך>: Priests are more likely to be the subject of ברך rather than congregations.
    +<The use of ברך vs. הלל>: The use of  ‘הלל is a more comprehensive description of the praise offered by the Temple singers and even by the nations’ (Hossfeld and Zenger 2011, 486 :C:)
      + [ברך vs. הלל]: Cf. Ps. 104:34; 105:145; 106:1, 48; 107:32; 111:1; 112:1; 113:1; 115:18; 116:19; 117:2; 135:51, etc.
  +<V.3>: In v. 3 the priests are blessing the people, making it likely that the people are addressing the priests in vv. 1–2.
    +<Priests blessing people>: ‘Pilgrimage to the sanctuary concluded with a blessing and dismissal by the priest’ (Hossfeld and Zenger 2011, 486 :C:)
      + [Priests blessing people]: 1 Sam. 2:20 cf. Num. 6:24–26
    +<Shift of addressee>: From v. 2 to v. 3 there is a shift of addressee.
      +[2mp to 2ms]: The addressees in v. 2 are referred to with a 2mp suffix (יְדֵכֶ֥ם) whereas the addressee in v. 3 is referred to with a 2ms suffix (יְבָרֶכְךָ֣). 
        <_<Plural congregation not singular>: A congregation consists of a plurality of people and we would therefore expect a plural suffix. #dispreferred
          -<Collective>: ‘The singular pronominal suffix used for the address more probably refers here to the community than to an individual’ (Allen 2002, 283 :C:)
           +[Aaronic blessing]: In Num. 6:24, Aaron is instructed to bless the whole people of Israel using the exact phrase found in this psalm: "יְבָרֶכְךָ יְהוָ֖ה"--including the singular pronoun.


Argument Mapn0PriesthoodThe phrase כָּל־עַבְדֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה refers to those who serve in the priesthood—either to the Levites, the priests, or both.n1Root עבד and priesthoodE.g., Nu 4:19, 4:49, 8:11, 1 Ch 24:3, 24:19, 2 Ch 8:14, 31:16; Ex 38:21, Nu 4:24, 4:27, 4:27, 4:28, 4:33, 4:47, 4:47, 7:7, 7:8, 8:26, 18:21, 1 Ch 6:17, 2 Ch 31:2; 1 Ch 23:24, 23:28, 23:32, 25:6, 28:13, 28:13, 28:21, 28:21, 29:7, 2 Ch 29:35, 31:21, 35:2, Ne 10:33n9DerivativesThe noun עבודה “service” and the verb עבד “to service” are related to the priesthood in their use (see Allen 2002, 283 🄲).n1->n9n2טולו ידיכון קודשׁא כהניא ‘Lift up your hands towards the holy place, Priests!’ (Targum Psalms 134:2)n10Ancient supportThe Targum explicitly mentions the priests as the addressee in verse 2.n2->n10n3שֶׁ֣עֹֽמְדִים בְּבֵ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה בְּ֝חַצְר֗וֹת בֵּ֣ית אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃ ‘...who are standing in the house of the Lord—in the courts of the house of our God’ (Psa. 135:1)n16SettingThe servants of the Lord are said to be in the ‘house of YHWH’ without any further qualification, viz., ‘before the Temple building’ (Hossfeld and Zenger 2011, 486 🄲), where the priesthood was more likely to serve. If the עבדי יהוה referred to the congregation, the setting would have been specified as one where the congregation would have been allowed (cf. Psa. 135:1)n3->n16n4ברך vs. הללCf. Ps. 104:34; 105:145; 106:1, 48; 107:32; 111:1; 112:1; 113:1; 115:18; 116:19; 117:2; 135:51, etc.n18The use of ברך vs. הללThe use of  ‘הלל is a more comprehensive description of the praise offered by the Temple singers and even by the nations’ (Hossfeld and Zenger 2011, 486 🄲)n4->n18n5Priests blessing people1 Sam. 2:20 cf. Num. 6:24–26n20Priests blessing people‘Pilgrimage to the sanctuary concluded with a blessing and dismissal by the priest’ (Hossfeld and Zenger 2011, 486 🄲)n5->n20n62mp to 2msThe addressees in v. 2 are referred to with a 2mp suffix (יְדֵכֶ֥ם) whereas the addressee in v. 3 is referred to with a 2ms suffix (יְבָרֶכְךָ֣). n21Shift of addresseeFrom v. 2 to v. 3 there is a shift of addressee.n6->n21n7Aaronic blessingIn Num. 6:24, Aaron is instructed to bless the whole people of Israel using the exact phrase found in this psalm: "יְבָרֶכְךָ יְהוָ֖ה"--including the singular pronoun. n23Collective‘The singular pronominal suffix used for the address more probably refers here to the community than to an individual’ (Allen 2002, 283 🄲)n7->n23n8Unattested designationThe word עבדים “nowhere else refers to priests or Levites” (see Allen 2002, 283 🄲). n8->n0n9->n8n10->n0n11עמדיםThe use of עמדים ‘standing’ suggests that the priesthood is in view.n11->n0n12Verbal Semantics of עמדיםThe participle עמדים refers to a regularly reoccurring action (JM §121i) n12->n11n13‘Standing’ before GodThe priesthood are often said to ‘stand’ before God (Deut 10:8; 18:7; 1 Chron. 23:30; see Allen 2002, 283 🄲).n13->n11n14Night-timeThe participle עמדים is modified by the phrase 'by night', and Levites and priests had various temple duties that they performed at night (1 Chron. 9:33; see Goulder 1998, 106 🄼)n14->n0n15Second-temple routineDuring the second-temple period, the priests would make preparations throughout the night for the ministers who were to serve the following day (Keil and Deltizsch 1996, 791–792).n15->n14n16->n0n17The use of ברךPriests are more likely to be the subject of ברך rather than congregations.n17->n0n18->n17n19V.3In v. 3 the priests are blessing the people, making it likely that the people are addressing the priests in vv. 1–2.n19->n0n20->n19n21->n19n22Plural congregation not singularA congregation consists of a plurality of people and we would therefore expect a plural suffix. n22->n6n23->n22


Congregation

Two translations in particular suggest that the addressees are an entire congregation of worshippers (CEV, GNT) 


===
model:
    removeTagsFromText: true
    shortcodes:
      ":C:": {unicode: "🄲"}
      ":G:": {unicode: "🄶"}
      ":A:": {unicode: "🄰"}
      ":I:": {unicode: "🄸"}    
      ":L:": {unicode: "🄻"}
      ":D:": {unicode: "🄳"} 
      ":M:": {unicode: "🄼"}   
selection:
    excludeDisconnected: false
dot:
    graphVizSettings:
        rankdir: LR
        concentrate: true
        ranksep: 0.2
        nodesep: 0.2 
===
[Congregation]: The addressees are an entire congregation of worshippers. #dispreferred
  +<Common Designation>: The servants of the Lord is a common designation for the whole of the community of ancient Israel (Claissé-Walford et. al. 2014, 940 :C:). #dispreferred
    + [Israel as 'YHWH's servants']: E.g., Is 41:8, 41:9, 44:21, 44:21, 49:3; Psa. 136:22. #dispreferred
  +<Processional Psalms>: ‘If the collection of Pss 120–34 comprises processional songs, it would be appropriate for worshipers to be called to praise in this final psalm’ (Allen 2002, 282 :C:). #dispreferred
  +<עמדים>: The use of the participle עמדים ‘standing’ suggests that the congregation is in view. #dispreferred
    +<Verbal Semantics>: A participle is the “most obvious form for the actual present” (JM §121d) #dispreferred
    +<Congregation as ‘standing’>: A congregation is said to “stand” before YHWH occasionally (Lev. 9:5; Jer. 7:10 see Allen 2002, 283 :C:) #dispreferred
  -<Note enough space>: ‘There would be no space in the house of the Lord for the people at large, nor would they be permitted access’ (Goulder 1998, 106 :M:)
    -<Inconsistent>: Goulder's objection that the temple would not have enough space for the congregation ‘sits uneasily with his interpretation of the identically described group in Ps 135:2 as “the whole gathered people” (Allen 2002, 283 :C: citing Goulder 1998, 216 :M:). #dispreferred
  +<Only congregation ‘raises hands’>: The phrase to ‘lift up hands’ is usually ‘predicated in those places of ordinary members of the community’ (Allen 2002, 283 :C:). #dispreferred
    + [Congregation ‘raises hands’]: Psa. 28:2; 63:5; 77:3 #dispreferred
  -<Inappropriate for ‘through the night’>: ‘...that it is not the persons frequenting the Temple who are addressed is at once clear from the fact that the tarrying of these in the Temple through the night, when such a thing did actually occur, was only an exception’ (Keil and Delitzsch 1996, 791 :C:).
    + [Exceptional night worship]: "She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying" (Luke 2:37, NIV).


Argument Mapn0CongregationThe addressees are an entire congregation of worshippers. n1Israel as 'YHWH's servants'E.g., Is 41:8, 41:9, 44:21, 44:21, 49:3; Psa. 136:22. n4Common DesignationThe servants of the Lord is a common designation for the whole of the community of ancient Israel (Claissé-Walford et. al. 2014, 940 🄲). n1->n4n2Congregation ‘raises hands’Psa. 28:2; 63:5; 77:3 n11Only congregation ‘raises hands’The phrase to ‘lift up hands’ is usually ‘predicated in those places of ordinary members of the community’ (Allen 2002, 283 🄲). n2->n11n3Exceptional night worship"She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying" (Luke 2:37, NIV).n12Inappropriate for ‘through the night’‘...that it is not the persons frequenting the Temple who are addressed is at once clear from the fact that the tarrying of these in the Temple through the night, when such a thing did actually occur, was only an exception’ (Keil and Delitzsch 1996, 791 🄲).n3->n12n4->n0n5Processional Psalms‘If the collection of Pss 120–34 comprises processional songs, it would be appropriate for worshipers to be called to praise in this final psalm’ (Allen 2002, 282 🄲). n5->n0n6עמדיםThe use of the participle עמדים ‘standing’ suggests that the congregation is in view. n6->n0n7Verbal SemanticsA participle is the “most obvious form for the actual present” (JM §121d) n7->n6n8Congregation as ‘standing’A congregation is said to “stand” before YHWH occasionally (Lev. 9:5; Jer. 7:10 see Allen 2002, 283 🄲) n8->n6n9Note enough space‘There would be no space in the house of the Lord for the people at large, nor would they be permitted access’ (Goulder 1998, 106 🄼)n9->n0n10InconsistentGoulder's objection that the temple would not have enough space for the congregation ‘sits uneasily with his interpretation of the identically described group in Ps 135:2 as “the whole gathered people” (Allen 2002, 283 🄲 citing Goulder 1998, 216 🄼). n10->n9n11->n0n12->n0


Conclusion

The identity of the עבדי יהוה in Psalm 134:1 may either be a gathered congregation or members of the priesthood. Good arguments can be made for both options, but a few considerations suggest that it is the former. Crucially, the blessing pronounced in v. 3 would have been customarily done by priests and/or temple officials. The fact that a participant change is signalled in v. 3 strongly supports the idea that we are to understand the speakers of vv. 1–2 as the congregation. The עבדי יהוה in v. 2 would therefore be the same ones who are speaking in v.3—the priesthood. The setting of the Psalm (in the בֵית־יְ֝הוָ֗ה ‘house of YHWH’, without further qualification) and some details of the wording used throughout also support this conclusion. For these reasons we have understood the עבדי יהוה in v. 1 to refer to the priesthood, consisting of priests and levites, or perhaps just one of these.

Research

Translations

Ancient

LXX: Ἰδοὺ δὴ εὐλογεῖτε τὸν κύριον, πάντες οἱ δοῦλοι Κυρίου, οἱ ἑστῶτες ἐν αὐλαῖς οἴκου θεοῦ ἡμῶν·
Behold now, bless ye the Lord, all the servants of the Lord, who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.
Jerome: Ecce nunc benedicite Dominum omnes servi Domini qui statis in domo Domini ÷in atriis domus Dei nostri:
Behold now bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord: Who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.
Targum: שירא דאתאמר על מסקיין דתהומא הא בריכו ית יהוה כל עבדיא דיהוה דקיימין על בית‭‬ מטרת בית מקדשא דיהוה ומשבחין בלילוון׃
Behold, bless the Lord, all servants of the Lord who stand on watch in the sanctuary of the Lord and sing praise at night.
Peshitta: ܒܪܟܘ ܠܡܪܝܐ ܟܠܟܘܢ ܥܒ̈ܕܘܗܝ ܕܡܪܝܐ ܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܩܝܡܝܢ ܒܒܝܬܗ ܕܡܪܝܐ ܒ̈ܠܝܠܘܬܐ
Bless LORD JEHOVAH, all you Servants of LORD JEHOVAH, those who stand in his house and in the courts of the house of LORD JEHOVAH at night.

Modern

Hint that the "servants" are the priesthood/Temple workers

NET: Attention! Praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, who serve in the Lord’s temple during the night.
NIV: Praise the LORD, all you servants of the LORD who minister by night in the house of the LORD.
NLT: Oh, praise the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, you who serve at night in the house of the LORD.
NJB: Come, bless Yahweh, All you who serve Yahweh, Serving in the house of Yahweh, In the courts of the house of our God. Through the night watches
NGÜ: Kommt und preist den HERRN, all ihr Diener des HERRN, die ihr nachts den Dienst im Tempel des HERRN verrichtet!
GNB: Ein Lied, zu singen auf dem Weg nach Jerusalem. Auf, dankt dem HERRN, ihr seine Diener alle, die ihr in seinem Hause steht und nachts den Dienst verrichtet!

Hint that the "servants" are the whole community/congregation of Israel (laity)

CEV: Everyone who serves the LORD, come and offer praises. Everyone who has gathered in his temple tonight,
GNT: Everyone who serves the LORD, come and offer praises. Everyone who has gathered in his temple tonight,

Preserve the ambiguity of the Hebrew

ESV : Come, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, who stand by night in the house of the LORD!
NRSV: Come, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, who stand by night in the house of the LORD!
JPS 1985: Now bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD who stand nightly in the house of the LORD.
NEB: Come, bless the Lord, All you servants of the Lord, Who stand night after night in the house of the Lord.
TOB: Allons ! bénissez le Seigneur, vous tous, serviteurs du Seigneur, qui vous tenez dans la maison du Seigneur pendant les nuits.
NBS : Bénissez le SEIGNEUR, vous tous, serviteurs du SEIGNEUR, qui vous tenez dans la maison du SEIGNEUR pendant les nuits !
NVSR : Voici : bénissez l'Éternel, vous tous, serviteurs de l'Éternel, qui vous tenez dans la maison de l'Éternel pendant les nuits !
BDS : Bénissez l’Eternel, vous tous qui servez l’Eternel, oui, vous qui vous tenez tout au long de la nuit dans le temple de l’Eternel !
PDV : Allons ! Dites merci au SEIGNEUR, vous tous qui servez le SEIGNEUR, vous qui vous tenez dans sa maison pendant les heures de la nuit !
NFC : Oui, bénissez le Seigneur, vous tous qui le servez, qui vous tenez dans sa maison pendant les heures de la nuit !
S21 : Oh! Bénissez l’Eternel, vous tous, serviteurs de l’Eternel, qui vous tenez dans la maison de l’Eternel pendant les nuits!
NVR95: Mirad, bendecid a Jehová, vosotros todos los siervos de Jehová, los que en la casa de Jehová estáis por las noches.
NVI : Bendigan al SEÑOR todos ustedes sus siervos, que de noche permanecen en la casa del SEÑOR.
DHH : ¡Vamos, siervos del Señor!¡Bendigan al Señor todos ustedes, que están en su templo por las noches!
NTX4 : Behold, bless YHVH, You all slaves of YHVH, Those of you who are in the House of YHVH at night.
Luther 2017: Ein Wallfahrtslied. Wohlan, lobet den HERRN, alle Knechte des HERRN, die ihr steht des Nachts im Hause des HERRN!
ELB: Ein Wallfahrtslied. Auf[1], preist den HERRN, all ihr Knechte des HERRN, die ihr steht im Haus des HERRN in den Nächten!
EÜ: Nächtliches Loblied im Tempel1 Ein Wallfahrtslied. Wohlan, preist den HERRN, / all ihr Knechte des HERRN, die ihr steht im Haus des HERRN in den Nächten.
ZÜR: Ein Wallfahrtslied. Wohlan, preist den HERRN, all ihr Diener des HERRN, die ihr steht im Haus des HERRN in den Nächten.

References

Allen, Leslie. 1983. Psalms 101-150. Vol. 3. Word Biblical Commentary 21. Waco: Word Books.
DeClaisse-Walford, Nancy L., Rolf A. Jacobson, and Beth LaNeel Tanner. 2014. The Book of Psalms. New International Commentary on the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.
de Claissé-Walford, Nancy, Jacobson, Rolf A. and LaNeel Tanner, Beth. The Book of Psalms. Edited by Young, E.J., Harrison R. K., and Hubbard
Goulder, Michael D. 1998. The Psalms of the Return (Book V, Psalms 107–150). Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press.
Hossfeld, Frank-Lothar, and Erich Zenger. 2011. Psalms 3: A Commentary on Psalms 101-150. Edited by Klaus Baltzer. Translated by Linda M. Maloney. Hermeneia. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress.
JM=Joüon, Paul and Muraoka t. 2006. A Grammar of Biblical Hebrew. Rome: Pontifico Istituto Biblico.
Keil, Carl F. and Delitzsch, Franz. 1996. Commentary on the Old Testament. Volume 5. Peabody, MA.

134:1

  1. ↑ Text from OSHB
Retrieved from "https://psalms.scriptura.org/mediawiki/index.php?title=Who_Are_the_%22Servants_of_YHWH%22_in_Ps_134:1%3F&oldid=65466"