Bible Commentaries

Praise ye the LORD. Praise, O ye servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD.

This psalm praises Yahweh as the Raiser of the poor out of the dust: Israel after the captivity primarily, and ultimately after their present dispersion (Psalms 113:1-9); praise Yahweh from this time forth from the rising to the setting of the sun (Psalms 113:1-3); His high majesty: yet His stooping to things in heaven and earth (Psalms 113:4-6); He sets the poor with princes, and giveth the barren children (Psalms 113:7-9).

Praise ye the Lord - Hallelujah.

O ye servants of the Lord - "the upright ... that fear Him ... His people" (Psalms 111:1; Psalms 111:5-6; Psalms 34:22; Psalms 69:36); "Israel His servant" (Psalms 136:22; Ezra 5:11; Nehemiah 1:10). Praise is one leading service which the Lord's "servants" owe Him.

Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and for evermore.

Blessed be the name of the Lord - i:e., the Lord as He hath manifested Himself in His glorious deeds for His people. 'The world which forms a God according to its own fancies has a nameless God' (Hengstenberg).

From this time forth and forevermore. The Psalmist takes for granted as already accomplished the deliverance and exaltation of the Lord's people, and praises the Lord for it, and for the causes of praise which faith assures him the Lord will give "forevermore." Israel shall especially say so "from the time" that the Lord shall restore her, To that time prophetically the allusion is.

From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD's name is to be praised.

From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lord's name is to be praised - i:e., is worthy of praise (Psalms 18:3), and shall be praised. At Messiah's second coming (Psalms 50:1) Israel and the Gentiles "shall fear the name of the Lord from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun" (Isaiah 59:19; Malachi 1:11).

The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens.

The Lord is high above all nations. The Gentile nations are now high, and haughtily oppress Israel. But Yahweh is high above them, for He is the "Great King over all the earth" (Psalms 47:2).

(And) his glory above the heavens - (Psalms 113:6; Psalms 8:1; Psalms 148:13.) The heavens declare His glory (Psalms 19:1); the heavenly beings ascribe all glory (Psalms 29:1; Psalms 103:20-21) and holiness to Him, (Isaiah 6:1, etc.)

Who is like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high,

Who (is) like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high? Who humbleth (himself) to behold (the things that are) in heaven, and in the earth? - literally, 'who exalteth Himself sitting, who humbleth Himself beholding,' etc. Who maketh Himself so sublimely exalted in His sitting or dwelling, and yet humbleth Himself to behold the things not only in heaven (which would be great condescension in Him who is so lofty), but also in the earth. So Isaiah 57:15. Hengstenberg connects 'Who is like unto the Lord our God in heaven and in the earth?' (cf. Deuteronomy 3:24; Psalms 73:25.) But Psalms 113:4, "His glory above the heavens" confirms the English version. All things are low beneath God, even the things in heaven.

He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill;

He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill. This prostration in the dust has been for long Israel's state (Psalms 44:25). But the Lord will raise her up (Psalms 107:41): cf. Hannah's song (1 Samuel 2:8).

That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people.

That he may set him with princes - (Job 36:7.)

He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD.

He maketh the barren woman to keep house, (and to be) a joyful mother of children - `Who maketh the barren woman to dwell (in) the house;' the Septuagint, Syriac, Ethiopic, Arabic, and Vulgate. "A house" is often put for children (Psalms 115:10; Psalms 115:12 : cf. Psalms 68:6, margin; Exodus 1:21, He made them (the midwives) houses" ). Fruitful women, as Leah and Rachel, are said to "build the house of Israel" (Ruth 4:11). Hengstenberg translates, 'He maketh the barren woman of the house (i:e., the mistress) to dwell like a joyful mother of children.' The Hebrew seems in the construct form [ ***