Psalm 113

1 Praise the Lord!
Praise, O servants of the Lord,
    praise the name of the Lord!
2 Blessed be the name of the Lord
    from this time forth and forevermore!
3 From the rising of the sun to its setting,
    the name of the Lord is to be praised!
4 The Lord is high above all nations,
    and his glory above the heavens!
5 Who is like the Lord our God,
    who is seated on high,
6 who looks far down
    on the heavens and the earth?
7 He raises the poor from the dust
    and lifts the needy from the ash heap,
8 to make them sit with princes,
    with the princes of his people.
9 He gives the barren woman a home,
    making her the joyous mother of children.
Praise the Lord!

By Kevin M. Watson, Ph.D

NOTE: Today’s commentary is by Dr. Kevin Watson, who is coming to Tulsa to become the Director of Academic Growth and Formation at the Tulsa Extension Site for Asbury Theological Seminary, as well as joining our staff at Asbury Church as Scholar-in-Residence. I wrote a post announcing and explaining this move.-Andrew

Tremper Longman III offers an excellent summary of just how the call to Praise God in Psalm 113 is connected to the narrative of Scripture:

Psalm 113 calls on the congregation to praise God for being a glorious and transcendent God, who remains involved in the life of his people. In particular, this psalm gives hope to the socially vulnerable, the poor and the childless woman. In terms of the latter, the Old Testament narratives are full of stories of God opening the wombs of barren women: Sarah (Gen. 11:30; 21:1-5), Rebekah (25:21), Rachel (30:22), Samson’s mother (Judg. 13:2-3), Hannah (1 Sam. 1:2), the Shunammite (2 Kgs 4:16), Elizabeth (Luke 1:7). Of these, the story of Hannah deserves special mention, because, after she gives birth to Samuel, she sings praises [to] God in a song that shares a number of elements with Psalm 113 (1 Sam. 2:1-10). Turning to the New Testament, we, of course, read the story of the most famous birth of all, that of Jesus. Mary was not barren; she was a virgin. Even so, God opened her womb to give birth to the Saviour of the world, and she responded with a song that celebrated the One who ‘has lifted up the humble’ (Luke 1:52; see 1:46-55). As part of the Egyptian Hallel, this psalm would have been sung by Jesus and his disciples during their last Passover meal together (Matt. 26:30; Mark 14:26).

Take a moment and set aside all the cares and worries you are carrying. Fix your eyes on Jesus Christ. Read Psalm 113 again and turn your heart to give God praise for who he is in all circumstances. Praise the Lord!