“Then the leaders of the Levites—Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah—called out to the people: ‘Stand up and praise the Lord your God, for he lives from everlasting to everlasting!’
Then they prayed:
‘May your glorious name be praised! May it be exalted above all blessing and praise!'”
Nehemiah 9:5 NLT
Last time we met some of our Levites standing on their stairway, platforms focused on those given them to serve and far enough apart to prevent confusion. In today’s verse they call to the people, encouraging praise and prayer.
Several of the Levites listed last time are in today’s verse. Of the three not already mentioned, the first is Hashabniah which means “Yah has accounted.” It comes from the word chashab – to think, calculate, devise, designer, esteem, pondered, purposed, value.
I’m so grateful for the additional synonyms listed in this definition. Otherwise, accounted conjures up images for me of a God simply numbering off heads of children on a field trip. Making sure we’re all here and sort of tired of the chaos.
Fortunately, we have a Creator Who esteems and values His purposeful creation. His calculations look more like an artist designing gorgeous pottery, devising its splendid purpose. We never have to wonder if we have worth to the Most High God. Yah has accounted.
Hodijah is next in the Levite list of names, and we have seen him before. His name means “My splendor is Yah” and he was one of the Temple workers helping the people understand the Scriptures. I’m grateful for this reminder from where our majesty comes.
The final new name listed is Pethahiah, which means “Yah has opened.” It comes from pathach – appear, break forth, open, loosen, unstop, free
Such a fitting name for today, as I type this on Christmas Eve. Love was about to break forth, shattering the divide of earth and heaven, human and Divine. One Baby, Lord at His birth, appeared to open our eyes, loosen our chains, unstop our deaf ears, and set us free.
It is these men who exhort the people:
“Stand up (qum) and bless (barak – to kneel, bless, salute) Yahweh Elohim from forever (olam – everlasting, antiquity, futurity, continual, eternal, perpetual, permanent) and ever (olam again).”
Our Levites were already standing on the stairs, elevated above the gathered people. Now they command the others to stand and bless Yahweh Elohim Who is from forever and ever.
Here is our God the Ancient One again. The command is only kneeling and saluting the One who is forever past, forever future, and the I AM that I AM present. Thanking and blessing the Continual Holder-Together, the Perpetual Sustainer. The Eternal and Permanent Most High. That is to Whom the Levites command praise.
“Blessed be your glorious (kabowd – weight, splendor, honor) name (shem – name, famous, renown)…”
The command to praise turns into a personal prayer: “We kneel to your weighty and honorable Name, Famous One.”
“…which is exalted (rum – rise, high, display, lift, lofty, tall, triumphant) above all (al kol) blessing (berekah – blessing, gift, peace, present) and praise (tehillah – song of praise, deep place, depth, laud, hymn. From halal – shine, boast, celebrate, give light, rave, commend)”
Your Name is higher, more lofty and triumphant above any other gift or blessing or peace we could want. It is taller, more on display, than any song we could sing, any deep hymn we could repeat 10,000 years, bright shining as the sun.
But still we praise. We say, “Hallelujah!” from a command form of this very word, halal and Yah. We shine, give light to this Name, this Worthy One. We boast, celebrate, rave about Him every time we take Him at His Word, look to Him for strength, see dignity in others, and join Him in His kingdom come.
And today we celebrate You, Father, for giving Your Son.
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Al-le-lu-ia!
Christ the Savior is born.