Bible Commentaries

Psalms 113:1 Praise ye the LORD. Praise, O ye servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD.

Ver. 1. Hallelujah] See Psalms 111:1.

Praise, O ye servants of the Lord] None but such can do it, or are fit for it; and for such praise is comely, Psalms 147:1, as unthankfulness is an ugly sin, but especially in ministers, those servants of the Lord, by a specialty.

Praise the name of the Lord] Ter repetit, Trinitatem subindicando, saith one; others note that by this threefold Praise ye, the psalmist taxeth men’s dulness, and exciteth their diligence to this divine duty.

Psalms 113:2 Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and for evermore.

Ver. 2. Blessed be the name of the Lord] Praise him with utmost intention and extension of spirit and of speech. God is therefore called, by an appellative proper, The Blessed One, Baruc-hu, Mark 14:61, Luke 1:68.

From this time, &c.] A nunc et usque.

Psalms 113:3 From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD’S name [is] to be praised.

Ver. 3. From the rising of the sun] i.e. All the world over, in all places and at all times. North and south are not mentioned (but included), because not so well peopled.

Psalms 113:4 The LORD [is] high above all nations, [and] his glory above the heavens.

Ver. 4. The Lord is high, &c.] He looketh on the earth as on an ant hill. All nations to him are but as a drop of a bucket, Isaiah 40:15 Quantilla ergo es tu istius guttae particula? (Aug.).

And his glory above the heavens] These are far beneath him in glory as in situation. Angels understand him not fully.

Psalms 113:5 Who [is] like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high,

Ver. 5. Who is like, &c.] See Psalms 89:6. He is imparallel.

Who dwelleth on high] Heb. Who exalteth to dwell. Oh that we could fly a pitch any way proportionable by exalting his name together, Psalms 34:3.

Psalms 113:6 Who humbleth [himself] to behold [the things that are] in heaven, and in the earth!

Ver. 6. Who humbleth himself] Lo, it is a condescension in God to vouchsafe to look out of himself upon the saints and angels, how much more upon us, since sin setteth us farther beneath a worm than a worm is beneath an angel!

Psalms 113:7 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, [and] lifteth the needy out of the dunghill;

Ver. 7. He raiseth up the poor, &c.] David, for instance, besides many others, as Agathocles, Numa, Maximinianus, &c., whom he raised from the lowest stair to the very highest step of honour and opulence.

Psalms 113:8 That he may set [him] with princes, [even] with the princes of his people.

Ver. 8. That he may set him with princes] See 1 Samuel 2:8, Hannah’s song, whereof this seemeth to be an abridgment.

Psalms 113:9 He maketh the barren woman to keep house, [and to be] a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD.

Ver. 9. He maketh the barren woman to keep house] Heb. to dwell in a house, that is, to have a house full of children, and so to build her husband’s house, Ruth 4:11. This is applied to the Church (which is the theatre of the world, wherein God showeth his special providence and power), Isaiah 54:1, Galatians 4:26-27.