He raises the poor out of the dust, And lifts the needy out of the ash heap. Psalm 113:7
God Draws Near to Us
Psalm 113 begins and concludes with the words “Praise the Lord!” (in Hebrew, Hallelujah). This psalm and Ps. 114 are regularly recited at the Passover Seder, a celebratory meal before the serving of the dinner. God is praised as an exalted person, who yet stoops to lift up the poor and seat them with princes.
113:1-3 The name of the Lord refers to the person of God. In biblical times there was a close association between a person’s name and his or her identity. The name symbolized the person. Therefore, praising the name of God centers one’s thoughts on God’s character. The rising of the sun is the east and its going down is the west. The verse does not mean at every time, from dawn to dusk, but in every place, from east to west, the name of God is to be praised.
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 going down The Lord’s name is to be praised.
113:4-6 high above all nations: Unlike the man-made gods of the ancient Middle East, the Lord is not limited to a certain tribe or territory. He is sovereign over all; He is Most High. Glory above the heavens: Not only is God supreme over all nations, His glory cannot be contained in the universe. His glory is not only beyond the universe, it is beyond the capacity of human language to fully describe. Perhaps this explains Paul’s response to his visit above the heavens (2 Cor. 12:1-4). The rhetorical words who is like the Lord represent the incomparability of God (Is. 40:25). Who humbles Himself: God draws near to us.
4 The Lord is high above all nations, His glory above the heavens. 5 Who is like the Lord our God, Who dwells on high, 6 Who humbles Himself to behold The things that are in the heavens and in the earth?
25 “To whom then will you liken Me, Or to whom shall I be equal?” says the Holy One. 26 Lift up your eyes on high, And see who has created these things, Who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, By the greatness of His might And the strength of His power; Not one is missing. Isaiah 40:25, 26
113:7 The poor might try to eke out their existence by scratching at rubbish heaps outside the city wall, that is, out of the dust (out of the dunghill in KJV). God’s care for the poor and needy is a special interest in the Psalms. In this psalm we see a marvelous picture of salvation. While we scavenge about for significance, God’s mercy in Jesus makes us citizens of heaven.
7 He raises the poor out of the dust, And lifts the needy out of the ash heap, 8 That He may seat him with princes– With the princes of His people
113:9 No image better conveys human emotional suffering in biblical times than that of the barren woman. In that time and culture, a barren woman was without significance and without joy. Note that God stoops down to bring her the joy for which she craves – happy children. Salvation is like that. Not only does God fill us with significance, but also with joy.
9 He grants the barren woman a home, Like a joyful mother of children. Praise the Lord!
** In a sense, we are all poor and needy. Oppressed during our life time and condemned to die at the end of it. Thank God that He provided us with a way out of it. No matter what we are, He is saying that we are worth it. He had made up His mind long ago. Can we emulate Him by our actions toward our poor and needy?
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 going down The Lord’s name is to be praised. 4 The Lord is high above all nations, His glory above the heavens. 5 Who is like the Lord our God, Who dwells on high, 6 Who humbles Himself to behold The things that are in the heavens and in the earth? 7 He raises the poor out of the dust, And lifts the needy out of the ash heap, 8 That He may seat him with princes– With the princes of His people. 9 He grants the barren woman a home, Like a joyful mother of children. Praise the Lord!
