Psalms 113 Study Notes: The High God Who Lifts the Lowly
A call for the LORD's servants to praise His name at all times and in every land. God is enthroned far above the nations and heavens, yet He stoops to raise the poor to sit among princes and to give the childless woman a home and children.
General
According to 113:2-3, when and where is the LORD's name to be praised?
Answer: Now and forever, across the earth from east to west
Psalm 113 opens with Hallelujah (praise the LORD) and calls the LORD's servants to praise His name (113:1). His name is to be blessed from this time on and forever (113:2), and praised from sunrise to sunset, that is, across the whole earth (113:3). Praise of God has no limit in time or place. Through the prophet Malachi God declared that His name would be honored by the nations from east to west (Malachi 1:11), and another psalm pictures God summoning the whole earth from sunrise to sunset (Psalm 50:1). In Revelation a vast crowd from every nation, tribe, people, and language praises God and the Lamb (Revelation 7:9-10).
- Psalm 113:1-3 (BSB)“Hallelujah! Give praise, O servants of the LORD; praise the name of the LORD. Blessed be the name of the LORD both now and forevermore. From where the sun rises to where it sets, the name of the LORD is praised.”The LORD's servants are called to praise His name at all times and in every place.
- Malachi 1:11 (BSB)“For My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets. In every place, incense and pure offerings will be presented in My name, because My name will be great among the nations,” says the LORD of Hosts.”God declares that His name will be great among the nations from east to west.
- Psalm 50:1 (BSB)“A Psalm of Asaph. The Mighty One, God the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from where the sun rises to where it sets.”God summons the whole earth from sunrise to sunset.
- Revelation 7:9-10 (BSB)“After this I looked and saw a multitude too large to count, from every nation and tribe and people and tongue, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!””A countless multitude from every nation praises God and the Lamb before the throne.
Theological
What extent in time and space does 113:2-3 give to the praise of the LORD's name?
Answer: Now and forever, across the earth from east to west
The call to praise is addressed to the LORD's servants (113:1) and is unbounded in both directions: in time, the name is blessed now and forevermore (113:2); in space, it is praised from the rising of the sun to its setting (113:3). God's name is worthy of universal and unending worship. Malachi 1:11 uses the same east-to-west horizon to announce that God's name will be honored among the Gentiles, Psalm 50:1 has God summoning the earth across that span, and the vision of Revelation 7:9-10 shows a redeemed multitude from every nation ascribing salvation to God and the Lamb.
- Psalm 113:1-3 (BSB)“Hallelujah! Give praise, O servants of the LORD; praise the name of the LORD. Blessed be the name of the LORD both now and forevermore. From where the sun rises to where it sets, the name of the LORD is praised.”The LORD's servants are called to praise His name at all times and in every place.
- Malachi 1:11 (BSB)“For My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets. In every place, incense and pure offerings will be presented in My name, because My name will be great among the nations,” says the LORD of Hosts.”God declares that His name will be great among the nations from east to west.
- Psalm 50:1 (BSB)“A Psalm of Asaph. The Mighty One, God the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from where the sun rises to where it sets.”God summons the whole earth from sunrise to sunset.
- Revelation 7:9-10 (BSB)“After this I looked and saw a multitude too large to count, from every nation and tribe and people and tongue, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!””A countless multitude from every nation praises God and the Lamb before the throne.
General
What does God do for the poor and needy in 113:7-8?
Answer: Lifts them up and seats them among His people's princes
Verses 7-8 show what it means that God stoops down. He lifts the poor out of the dirt and the needy off the garbage heap, the lowest place in society, and gives them seats beside nobles and the rulers of His own people. God lifts the lowest to a place of honor. Hannah, the mother of Samuel, used nearly the same words in her song of thanks (1 Samuel 2:8), and Mary sang that God brings down rulers and lifts up the humble (Luke 1:52-53). A similar reversal appears when Paul reminds the Corinthian believers that few of them had power or high birth when God called them; God chose what the world considered weak and unimportant, leaving no one any room to boast before Him (1 Corinthians 1:26-29).
- Psalm 113:7-8 (BSB)“He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the dump to seat them with nobles, with the princes of His people.”God lifts the poor and needy from the lowest place and seats them with the princes of His people.
- 1 Samuel 2:8 (BSB)“He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap. He seats them among princes and bestows on them a throne of honor. For the foundations of the earth are the LORD’s, and upon them He has set the world.”Hannah's song uses nearly the same words: God raises the poor and seats them among princes.
- Luke 1:52-53 (BSB)“He has brought down rulers from their thrones, but has exalted the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things, but has sent the rich away empty.”Mary praises God for bringing down rulers and lifting up the humble.
- 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 (BSB)“Brothers, consider the time of your calling: Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were powerful; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly and despised things of the world, and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast in His presence.”Paul says God chose the lowly and despised things of the world so that no one may boast.
Theological
According to 113:7-8, how does the LORD reverse the standing of the poor and needy?
Answer: Lifts them up and seats them among His people's princes
Verses 7-8 illustrate the divine condescension of 113:6: God lifts the poor out of the dirt and the needy off the refuse heap, and enthrones them beside nobles and the rulers of His people. The pattern is sovereign reversal, raising the lowly by grace. Hannah's song contains almost identical language (1 Samuel 2:8), and Mary's song celebrates the same reversal, rulers brought down and the humble exalted (Luke 1:52-53). A similar reversal marks God's saving call as Paul describes it to the Corinthians: few of them had power or high birth, for God chose what the world counts weak and contemptible, leaving no human being any ground for boasting before Him (1 Corinthians 1:26-29).
- Psalm 113:7-8 (BSB)“He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the dump to seat them with nobles, with the princes of His people.”God lifts the poor and needy from the lowest place and seats them with the princes of His people.
- 1 Samuel 2:8 (BSB)“He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap. He seats them among princes and bestows on them a throne of honor. For the foundations of the earth are the LORD’s, and upon them He has set the world.”Hannah's song uses nearly the same words: God raises the poor and seats them among princes.
- Luke 1:52-53 (BSB)“He has brought down rulers from their thrones, but has exalted the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things, but has sent the rich away empty.”Mary praises God for bringing down rulers and lifting up the humble.
- 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 (BSB)“Brothers, consider the time of your calling: Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were powerful; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly and despised things of the world, and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast in His presence.”Paul says God chose the lowly and despised things of the world so that no one may boast.
General
True or False: Psalm 113 closes with God giving the childless woman a home and making her a glad mother of children.
Answer: True
This is true. The last verse gives a second example of God lifting up the lowly: He gives the barren woman a settled home and makes her a joyful mother of children (113:9), and the psalm ends as it began, with Hallelujah. In Israel a woman without children often felt shame and insecurity, and Scripture tells of several such women whom God blessed with children. The LORD kept His promise to Sarah, who bore Abraham a son when he was very old (Genesis 21:1-2). Hannah, after years of praying, gave birth to Samuel (1 Samuel 1:20). Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, conceived after long childlessness and said the Lord had taken away her disgrace (Luke 1:24-25).
- Psalm 113:9 (BSB)“He settles the barren woman in her home as a joyful mother to her children. Hallelujah!”God gives the childless woman a settled home and makes her a joyful mother of children.
- Genesis 21:1-2 (BSB)“Now the LORD attended to Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what He had promised. So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised.”The LORD did what He promised for Sarah, who bore Abraham a son when he was very old.
- 1 Samuel 1:20 (BSB)“So in the course of time, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked for him from the LORD.””Hannah, long childless, conceived and gave birth to Samuel in answer to prayer.
- Luke 1:24-25 (BSB)“After these days, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. She declared, “The Lord has done this for me. In these days He has shown me favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.””Elizabeth conceived after years of childlessness and said the Lord had taken away her disgrace.
Theological
True or False: The final verse of Psalm 113 depicts God giving the childless woman a settled household and the joy of motherhood.
Answer: True
This is true. The psalm's second example of reversal is domestic: God establishes the childless woman in her household as a rejoicing mother of children (113:9), before the closing Hallelujah. Barrenness carried deep reproach in Israel, and the narrative books repeatedly show God opening the womb as an act of sovereign grace: Sarah bears Abraham a son as God promised (Genesis 21:1-2), Hannah bears Samuel in answer to prayer (1 Samuel 1:20), and Elizabeth conceives John and testifies that the Lord has removed her disgrace (Luke 1:24-25). The exalted God of 113:5 is the God who attends to the most personal sorrows of the lowly.
- Psalm 113:9 (BSB)“He settles the barren woman in her home as a joyful mother to her children. Hallelujah!”God gives the childless woman a settled home and makes her a joyful mother of children.
- Genesis 21:1-2 (BSB)“Now the LORD attended to Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what He had promised. So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised.”The LORD did what He promised for Sarah, who bore Abraham a son when he was very old.
- 1 Samuel 1:20 (BSB)“So in the course of time, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked for him from the LORD.””Hannah, long childless, conceived and gave birth to Samuel in answer to prayer.
- Luke 1:24-25 (BSB)“After these days, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. She declared, “The Lord has done this for me. In these days He has shown me favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.””Elizabeth conceived after years of childlessness and said the Lord had taken away her disgrace.
General
What surprising contrast does 113:4-6 draw about the LORD?
Answer: He is enthroned on high, yet stoops to look on the earth
Verses 4-6 say the LORD is high above all nations, His glory is above the heavens, and no one is like Him, seated on high. Yet He stoops to look down on heaven and earth. The God who is far above everything is not distant; He bends down to see and care. This sets up the next verses, where He lifts up the poor and the childless. Moses asked the same question, which of the gods could compare with the LORD (Exodus 15:11). Isaiah says the high and holy God lives with the humble and restores the lowly (Isaiah 57:15), and another psalm says that the LORD, high as He is, pays attention to the lowly (Psalm 138:6).
- Psalm 113:4-6 (BSB)“The LORD is exalted over all the nations, His glory above the heavens. Who is like the LORD our God, the One enthroned on high? He humbles Himself to behold the heavens and the earth.”The LORD is exalted above the nations and heavens, yet humbles Himself to look upon heaven and earth.
- Exodus 15:11 (BSB)“Who among the gods is like You, O LORD? Who is like You—majestic in holiness, revered with praises, performing wonders?”Moses' song asks who among the gods is like the LORD, majestic in holiness.
- Isaiah 57:15 (BSB)“For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and humble in spirit, to restore the spirit of the lowly and revive the heart of the contrite.”The high and holy God dwells with the humble and contrite to revive them.
- Psalm 138:6 (BSB)“Though the LORD is on high, He attends to the lowly; but the proud He knows from afar.”Though the LORD is on high, He attends to the lowly.
Theological
What paradox of God's majesty and condescension does 113:4-6 present?
Answer: He is enthroned on high, yet stoops to look on the earth
Verses 4-6 join transcendence and condescension. The LORD is high above all nations, His glory higher than the skies; the question of who compares with our God, seated on high, expects the answer no one. Yet this same God humbles Himself to regard heaven and earth. His greatness is displayed not in remoteness but in stooping to care for His creatures, which the following verses illustrate in the poor and the barren. The incomparability question echoes the Song of the Sea (Exodus 15:11); Isaiah 57:15 unites the high and holy One with the contrite and lowly; and Psalm 138:6 makes the same point, that the exalted LORD cares for the lowly.
- Psalm 113:4-6 (BSB)“The LORD is exalted over all the nations, His glory above the heavens. Who is like the LORD our God, the One enthroned on high? He humbles Himself to behold the heavens and the earth.”The LORD is exalted above the nations and heavens, yet humbles Himself to look upon heaven and earth.
- Exodus 15:11 (BSB)“Who among the gods is like You, O LORD? Who is like You—majestic in holiness, revered with praises, performing wonders?”Moses' song asks who among the gods is like the LORD, majestic in holiness.
- Isaiah 57:15 (BSB)“For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and humble in spirit, to restore the spirit of the lowly and revive the heart of the contrite.”The high and holy God dwells with the humble and contrite to revive them.
- Psalm 138:6 (BSB)“Though the LORD is on high, He attends to the lowly; but the proud He knows from afar.”Though the LORD is on high, He attends to the lowly.