Reflections on Psalms 113

 Psalms 113(Contemporary English Version)

1. Shout praises to the LORD! Everyone who serves him, come and praise his name.
   
2. Let the name of the LORD be praised now and forever.
   
3. From dawn until sunset the name of the LORD deserves to be praised.
   
4. The LORD is far above all of the nations; he is more glorious than the heavens.
   
5. No one can compare with the LORD our God. His throne is high above,
   
6. and he looks down to see the heavens and the earth.
   
7. God lifts the poor and needy from dust and ashes,
   
8. and he lets them take part in ruling his people.
   
9. When a wife has no children, he blesses her with some, and she is happy. Shout praises to the LORD!

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Psalms 113 begins and ends with "Hallelujah!" meaning "Praise you!" Although the Hallelujah serves to open and close the psalm, the opening one might be considered praise to God because of who He is, and the closing one praise because of what He does for His people.

The Lord is exalted not only above all the nations, but above the heavens. Nations represent man's greatness, but God is greater - greater than any nation. He is greater than all the heavens, leaving nothing that is as great as He is. But what may be even more amazing than God's greatness is His willingness to lower Himself (stoop down) to intervene in the lives of mankind. This is a characteristic of God that many find difficult to grasp. As they consider God, their thinking may be something like this, "If there is a God who made all that is, He is way up there and I am down here and He can't concern Himself with my life. I am unimportant in the scheme of things."

It is truly amazing that God even considers man, let alone interacts with him. That man is made in God's image and likeness is just as hard to comprehend, but it is the teaching of scripture. Therefore God has made us for personal interaction with Him. Furthermore, he interacts not only with the powers that be among mankind, but with even the poor and needy. This stretches our minds even further. A person might consider themselves as unimportant in society and therefore even less important to God. Not so. He has a special concern for those who are not in a position to help themselves. Therefore, "He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the garbage pile in order to seat them with nobles--with the nobles of His people." (113:7-8) He also, "gives the childless woman a household, making her the joyful mother of children." (113:9)

I interact every week with people who have found new life in Jesus Christ, and are seeing Him help them get free from addiction and get out of prison and put their lives back together, rebuilding relationships that have been broken because of their addictions. They are blown away by God's interaction in their lives. I am blown away anew each week as I hear their stories and watch the transformation that takes place in their lives.  Their voices join that of the psalmist in giving praise to the Lord "From the rising of the sun to its setting."