Psalms 113

Psalms 113:1-9

the Mighty God Uplifteth the Lowly Psalms 113:1-9; Psalms 114:1-8 We detect the song of Samuel’ s mother in the first of these psalms. She sang the Old Testament “ Magnificat” and it was embalmed by the psalmist here. Thus it passed into the psalter of the Church. Note the universality of this ascription of praise. For all time, Psalms 113:2; through all the earth, Psalms 113:3; and above all heavens, Psalms 113:4. What a wonderful God is ours! Heaven cannot contain Him, but He lifts the poor and needy out of the dust. Largeness is not greatness, and the babe in the cot is more important than the palace. In Psalms 114:1-8 Egypt represents the tyranny of sin; but we have been redeemed. Like Israel we have gone forth. We belong no more to the present world with its strange tongue. Ours is the language of Canaan, our home. This exodus of ours has made us the temple and sanctuary of God. If once the Church realized that she is God-possessed, she would become irresistible. Seas would divide, rivers would start back, mountains would cleave, and the hills would remove. “ Impossible” would be blotted from our vocabulary. The power that made Sinai tremble gave earth water-springs. When the soul finds its all in God, the world ceases to affright or attract it, and the rocks yield refreshing streams.

He raiseth up the poor This and the five following Psalms constitute the Hallel (or Praise-song), sung at the Jewish festivals, particularly at the Passover and Feast of Tabernacles. It is thought to have been the hymn of Psalm sung by our Lord and his disciples after-the celebration of the Lord’s Supper (Matthew 26:30). This Psalm is ruled by the number three; three strophes of three verses each. Three times in Psalms 113:1 we are exhorted to praise.

Psalms 113:1. Praise the name of the Lord! God’s “name” is his character.

Psalms 113:2. For evermore! This verse proceeds on the supposition that our God will forever continue to develop and unfold his glorious nature, so that there will be always some new occasion to adore Him.

Psalms 113:3. From the rising of the sun unto the going down This prediction is yet to be realized (Psalms 72:11; Malachi 1:11; Revelation 15:3-4), Then the sun’s course as it awakens the successive populations of the globe shall be tracked by songs.

Psalms 113:5-6. Our God, who humbleth Himself How humble should we be! Though we familiarly speak to God as our Father, we should never forget the immense distance between Him and us. And yet our Lord stooped through this immense distance to become man! (Philippians 2:6-8).

Psalms 113:7-8. Out of the dust! Out of the dunghill! These are almost word for word from the prayer of Hannah (1 Samuel 2:8). A woman may lead the songs of the Church.

Psalms 113:9. A joyful mother The “barren woman” here may perhaps typify the Jewish Church in her low estate or the Gentile Church (Isaiah 40:13). When God wills, and in answer to prayer, her children are multiplied.