PSALM 63 Bless God

Psalm 63:4 NRSV

So I will bless you as long as I live;

     I will lift up my hands and call your name.

Psalm 63 is a prayer and verses 1-8 an affirmation of faith...Verse 4 is a vow .

When we sing this verse in Church, we are making a vow

before God in the midst of the congregation--a vow to praise God for our lifetime.

Before and after we make such a vow, we should know the love and support of 

fellow believers who are at one with us in faith. Joining people in a vow is unifying.

Psalm 63:4 ESV

So I will bless you as long as I live;

in your name I will lift up my hands.

      The NRSV    " I will lift up my hands and call your name"

suggests demonstrative raising of the hands as an act of prayer...

singing praise with our lips and extending blessings with both hands.

       The ESV reading   "in your name I will lift up my hands"

suggests that the actual lifting of the hands and arms is done in God's name.

i.e. in God's power with God's authority;-

i.e. as a member of the Body of Christ

i.e. as a member of the royal priesthood

i.e  as a believer....experiencing the heart of God,

i.e. in union with all those who in the name of God,

     lift up their hands and bless the Living God.