Standing in the house of the Lord
You who stand in the house of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord (Ps 134:2). Be grateful; you were once outside that house, and now you are inside it. You are standing there, and do you think it a little thing that you are standing where he is to be praised who raised you when you were prostrate and enabled you to stand in his house and to acknowledge him and to praise him? Is it a slight blessing that we are standing in the house of the Lord? Here in this meanwhile, in this journeying, in this house that is also a tent for strangers, must we not be very grateful that we are standing here? Shouldn’t we think about it–that we’re standing here? Shouldn’t we think about what we have been made? Shouldn’t we think about where we were lying and where now we have been gathered? Shouldn’t we think about this: that all the wicked did not seek the Lord, but he sought those who were not seeking him, and when he found them he awakened them, and when he had awakened them, he called them, and those he called he brought into his house and enabled them to stand there? Anyone who thinks about all this and is not ungrateful for it thinks slightly of himself in comparison with the love of his Lord by whom such great gifts have been given; and because he has nothing to return to God for such great blessings, what is he to do except to give thanks, and forget about some repayment? All he can do is give thanks and to take up the cup of salvation and call upon his name. For what is a servant to return to the Lord for all the things he has given him (Ps 115: 12-13). So then: You who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God, praise the Lord. (Augustine, In Ps 134, 2; PL 37:1739)
“. , , in this house that is also a tent for strangers”
Sounds like ST. A. would approve of the Court of the Gentiles program.
I’ve been interested in this Psalm–part of the Night Prayer of Saturday–for some time. Who is the speaker? Who are those who stand in the house of the Lord?
St. Augustine is taking “standing in the house of the Lord” for being in the communion, which is a great blessing. However, the Psalm seems to be pointing to a dedicated group within the community, though, like the Temple priests. Not everyone can bless the Lord through the night. There are certain designated watchers among us.
I wonder if we could take this more eschatologically, though, and think of those who stand in the house of the Lord as the angels and the blessed, who can have a special power of intercession for us.
Taking off on a tangent here, and apologies to Kathy, but I like the notion that Ps 134 could be viewed eschatalogically.
Ps 134 is used to open short form of Compline in the BCP. It is followed by a reading from the lectionary, a period of thanks and penitence for the day, the Nunc Dimitis and the following prayer
Visit this place, O Lord, and drive far from it all snares of the
enemy; let your holy angels dwell with us to preserve us in
peace; and let your blessing be upon us always; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
The almighty and merciful Lord, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
bless us and keep us. Amen.
I have always liked this little devotion. It’s flow allows us to give up the day just passed and make each day a day of judgment and reflection, certainly seems meant to ready us for that Final Day.
Ann: The “strangers” in the tent are Christians, strangers (peregrini here on earth, living in tents, not permanent homes. Augustine was simply moving from one metaphor to another.