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Psalm One
Hundred Thirteen
Psalm 113
Chapter Contents
An exhortation to praise God.
God has praise from his own people. They have most reason
to praise him; for those who attend him as his servants
know him best
and
receive most of his favours
and it is easy
pleasant work to speak well of
their Master. God's name ought to be praised in every place
from east to west.
Within this wide space the Lord's name is to be praised; it ought to be so
though it is not. Ere long it will be
when all nations shall come and worship
before him. God is exalted above all blessing and praise. We must therefore
say
with holy admiration
Who is like unto the Lord our God? How condescending
in him to behold the things in the earth! And what amazing condescension was it
for the Son of God to come from heaven to earth
and take our nature upon him
that he might seek and save those that were lost! How vast his love in taking
upon him the nature of man
to ransom guilty souls! God sometimes makes
glorious his own wisdom and power
when
having some great work to do
he
employs those least likely
and least thought of for it by themselves or others.
The apostles were sent from fishing to be fishers of men. And this is God's
constant method in his kingdom of grace. He takes men
by nature beggars
and
even traitors
to be his favourites
his children
kings and priests unto him;
and numbers them with the princes of his chosen people. He gives us all our
comforts
which are generally the more welcome when long delayed
and no longer
expected. Let us pray that those lands which are yet barren
may speedily
become fruitful
and produce many converts to join in praising the Lord.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on Psalms》
Psalm 113
Verse 6
[6] Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in
heaven
and in the earth!
Humbleth — Who is so high
that it is a wonderful condescention
in him to take any notice of his heavenly host
and much more of sinful and
miserable men upon earth.
Verse 8
[8] That he may set him with princes
even with the princes
of his people.
Princes — As he did Joseph
David
and others.
His people — Who in God's account are far more
honourable than the princes of Heathen nations.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on Psalms》
Exposition
Explanatory Notes and
Quaint Sayings
Hints to the Village
Preacher
Other Works
TITLE AND
SUBJECT. This Psalm is one of pure praise
and contains but little which
requires exposition; a warm heart full of admiring adoration of the Most High
will best of all comprehend this sacred hymn. Its subject is the greatness and
condescending goodness of the God of Israel
as exhibited in lifting up the
needy from their low estate. It may fitly be sung by the church during a period
of revival after it has long been minished and brought low. With this Psalm
begins the Hallel
or Hallelujah of the Jews
which was sung at their solemn
feasts: we will therefore call it THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE HALLEL. Dr. Edersheim
tells us that the Talmud dwells upon the peculiar suitableness of the Hallel to
the Passover
"since it not only recorded the goodness of God towards
Israel
but especially their deliverance from Egypt
and therefore appropriately
opened with Praise ye Jehovah
ye servants of Jehovah
—and no longer
servants of Pharaoh." Its allusions to the poor in the dust and the needy
upon the dunghill are all in keeping with Israel in Egypt
and so also is the
reference to the birth of numerous children where they were least expected.
DIVISION. No division
need be made in the exposition of this Psalm
except it be that which is
suggested by the always instructive headings supplied by the excellent authors
of our common version: an exhortation to praise God
for his excellency
1-5;
for his mercy.
EXPOSITION
Verse
1. Praise ye the LORD
or Hallelujah
praise to JAH Jehovah.
Praise is an essential offering at all the solemn feasts of the people of God.
Prayer is the myrrh
and praise is the frankincense
and both of these must be
presented unto the Lord. How can we pray for mercy for the future if we do not
bless God for his love in the past? The Lord hath wrought all good things for
us
let us therefore adore him. All other praise is to be excluded
the entire
devotion of the soul must be poured out unto Jehovah only. Praise
O ye
servants of the LORD. Ye above all men
for ye are bound to do so by your
calling and profession. If God's own servants do not praise him
who will? Ye
are a people near unto him
and should be heartiest in your loving gratitude.
While they were slaves of Pharaoh
the Israelites uttered groans and sighs by
reason of their hard bondage; but now that they had become servants of the
Lord
they were to express themselves in songs of joy. His service is perfect
freedom
and those who fully enter into it discover in that service a thousand
reasons for adoration. They are sure to praise God best who serve him best;
indeed
service is praise. Praise the name of the LORD: extol his revealed
character
magnify every sacred attribute
exult in all his doings
and
reverence the very name by which he is called. The name of Jehovah is thrice
used in this verse
and may by us who understand the doctrine of the Trinity in
Unity be regarded as a thinly veiled allusion to that holy mystery. Let Father
Son
and Holy Spirit
all be praised as the one
only
living
and true God.
The close following of the words
"Hallelujah
Hallelu
Hallelu
"must have had a fine effect in the public services. Dr. Edersheim
describes the temple service as responsive
and says
"Every first line of
a Psalm was repeated by the people
while to each of the others they responded
by a Hallelu Jah or Praise ye the Lord"thus—
The
Levites began: Hallelujah (Praise ye the Lord).
The people repeated: Hallelu Jah.
The Levites: Praise (Hallelu)
O ye servants of Jehovah.
The people responded: Hallelu Jah.
The Levites: Praise (Hallelu) the name of Jehovah.
The people responded: Hallelu Jah.
These
were not vain repetitions
for the theme is one which we ought to dwell upon;
it should be deeply impressed upon the soul
and perseveringly kept prominent
in the life.
Verse
2. Blessed be the name of the LORD. While praising him aloud
the people were also to bless him in the silence of their hearts
wishing glory
to his name
success to his cause
and triumph to his truth. By mentioning the
name
the Psalmist would teach us to bless each of the attributes of the Most
High
which are as it were the letters of his name; not quarrelling with his
justice or his severity
nor servilely dreading his power
but accepting him as
we find him revealed in the inspired word and by his own acts
and loving him
and praising him as such. We must not give the Lord a new name nor invent a new
nature
for that would be the setting up of a false god. Every time we think of
the God of Scripture we should bless him
and his august name should never be
pronounced without joyful reverence. From this time forth. If we have never
praised him before
let us begin now. As the Passover stood at the beginning of
the year it was well to commence the new year with blessing him who wrought
deliverance for his people. Every solemn feast had its own happy associations
and might be regarded as a fresh starting place for adoration. Are there not
reasons why the reader should make the present day the opening of a year of
praise? When the Lord says
"From this time will I bless you
"we
ought to reply
"Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time
forth." And for evermore: eternally. The Psalmist could not have
intended that the divine praise should cease at a future date however remote. "For
evermore" in reference to the praise of God must signify endless
duration: are we wrong in believing that it bears the same meaning when it
refers to gloomier themes? Can our hearts ever cease to praise the name of the
Lord? Can we imagine a period in which the praises of Israel shall no more
surround the throne of the Divine Majesty? Impossible. For ever
and more than "for
ever
"if more can be
let him be magnified.
Verse
3. From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the
LORD'S name is to be praised. From early morn till eve the ceaseless hymn
should rise unto Jehovah's throne
and from east to west over the whole round
earth pure worship should be rendered unto his glory. So ought it to be; and
blessed be God
we are not without faith that so it shall be. We trust that ere
the world's dread evening comes
the glorious name of the Lord will be
proclaimed among all nations
and all people shall call him blessed. At the
first proclamation of the gospel the name of the Lord was glorious throughout
the whole earth; shall it not be much more so ere the end shall be? At any
rate
this is the desire of our souls. Meanwhile
let us endeavour to sanctify
every day with praise to God. At early dawn let us emulate the opening flowers
and the singing birds
"Chanting
every day their lauds
While the grove their song applauds;
Wake for shame my sluggish heart
Wake and gladly sing thy part."
It
is a marvel of mercy that the sun should rise on the rebellious sons of men
and prepare for the undeserving fruitful seasons and days of pleasantness; let
us for this prodigy of goodness praise the Lord of all. From hour to hour let
us renew the strain
for each moment brings its mercy; and when the sun sinks
to his rest
let us not cease our music
but lift up the vesper hymn—
"Father
of heaven and earth!
I bless thee for the night
The soft still night!
The holy pause of care and mirth
Of sound and light.
Now far in glade and dell
Flower cup
and bud
and bell
Have shut around the sleeping woodlark's nest
The bee's long murmuring toils are done
And I
the over wearied one
Bless thee
O God
O Father of the oppressed!
With my last waking thought."
Verse
4. The Lord is high above all nations. Though the Gentiles
knew him not
yet was Jehovah their ruler: their false gods were no gods
and
their kings were puppets in his hands. The Lord is high above all the learning
judgment
and imagination of heathen sages
and far beyond the pomp and might
of the monarchs of the nations. Like the great arch of the firmament
the
presence of the Lord spans all the lands where dwell the varied tribes of men
for his providence is universal: this may well excite our confidence and
praise. And his glory above the heavens: higher than the loftiest part of
creation; the clouds are the dust of his feet
and sun
moon
and stars twinkle
far below his throne. Even the heaven of heavens cannot contain him. His glory
cannot be set forth by the whole visible universe
nor even by the solemn pomp
of angelic armies; it is above all conception and imagination
for he is
God—infinite. Let us above all adore him who is above all.
Verse
5. Who is like unto the LORD our God? The challenge will
never be answered. None can be compared with him for an instant; Israel's God
is without parallel; our own God in covenant stands alone
and none can be
likened unto him. Even those whom he has made like himself in some respects are
not like him in godhead
for his divine attributes are many of them
incommunicable and inimitable. None of the metaphors and figures by which the
Lord is set forth in the Scriptures can give us a complete idea of him; his
full resemblance is borne by nothing in earth or in heaven. Only in Jesus is
the Godhead seen
but he unhesitatingly declared "he that hath seen me
hath seen the Father." Who dwelleth on high. In the height of his abode
none can be like him. His throne
his whole character
his person
his being
everything about him
is lofty
and infinitely majestic
so that none can be
likened unto him. His serene mind abides in the most elevated condition
he is
never dishonoured
nor does he stoop from the pure holiness and absolute perfection
of his character. His saints are said to dwell on high
and in this they are
the reflection of his glory; but as for himself
the height of his dwelling
place surpasses thought
and he rises far above the most exalted of his
glorified people.
"Eternal
Power! whose high abode
Becomes the grandeur of a God:
Infinite lengths beyond the bounds
Where stars revolve their little rounds."
"The
lowest step around thy seat
Rises too high for Gabriel's feet;
In vain the tall archangel tries
To reach thine height with wondering eyes."
"Lord
what shall earth and ashes do?
We would adore our Maker too;
From sin and dust to thee we cry
The Great
the Holy
and the High!"
Verse
6. Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven
and in the earth! He dwells so far on high that even to observe heavenly
things he must humble himself. He must stoop to view the skies
and bow to see
what angels do. What
then
must be his condescension
seeing that he observes
the humblest of his servants upon earth
and makes them sing for joy like Mary
when she said
"Thou hast regarded the low estate of thine
handmaiden." How wonderful are those words of Isaiah
"For thus saith
the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity
whose name is Holy; I dwell in
the high and holy place
with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit
to revive the spirit of the humble
and to revive the heart of the contrite
ones." Heathen philosophers could not believe that the great God was
observant of the small events of human history; they pictured him as abiding in
serene indifference to all the wants and woes of his creatures. "Our Rock
is not as their rock"; we have a God who is high above all gods
and yet
who is our Father
knowing what we have need of before we ask him; our Shepherd
who supplies our needs; our Guardian
who counts the hairs of our heads; our
tender and considerate Friend
who sympathizes in all our griefs. Truly the
name of our condescending God should be praised wherever it is known.
Verse
7. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust. This is an
instance of his gracious stoop of love: he frequently lifts the lowest of
mankind out of their poverty and degradation and places them in positions of
power and honour. His good Spirit is continually visiting the down trodden
giving beauty for ashes to those who are cast down
and elevating the hearts of
his mourners till they shout for joy. These up liftings of grace are here
ascribed directly to the divine hand
and truly those who have experienced them
will not doubt the fact that it is the Lord alone who brings his people up from
the dust of sorrow and death. When no hand but his can help he interposes
and
the work is done. It is worth while to be cast down to be so divinely raised
from the dust. And lifteth the needy out of the dunghill
whereon they lay like
worthless refuse
cast off and cast out
left as they thought to rot into
destruction
and to be everlastingly forgotten. How great a stoop from the
height of his throne to a dunghill! How wonderful that power which occupies
itself in lifting up beggars
all befouled with the filthiness in which they
lay! For he lifts them out of the dunghill
not disdaining to search
them out from amidst the base things of the earth that he may by their means
bring to nought the great ones
and pour contempt upon all human glorying. What
a dunghill was that upon which we lay by nature! What a mass of corruption is
our original estate! What a heap of loathsomeness we have accumulated by our
sinful lives! What reeking abominations surround us in the society of our
fellow men! We could never have risen out of all this by our own efforts
it
was a sepulchre in which we saw corruption
and were as dead men. Almighty were
the arms which lifted us
which are still lifting us
and will lift us into the
perfection of heaven itself. Praise ye the Lord.
Verse
8. That he may set him with princes. The Lord does nothing by
halves: when he raises men from the dust he is not content till he places them
among the peers of his kingdom. We are made kings and priests unto God
and we
shall reign for ever and ever. Instead of poverty
he gives us the wealth of
princes; and instead of dishonour
he gives us a more exalted rank than that of
the great ones of the earth. Even with the princes of his people. All his
people are princes
and so the text teaches us that God places needy souls whom
he favours among the princes of princes. He often enables those who have been
most despairing to rise to the greatest heights of spirituality and gracious
attainment
for those who once were last shall be first. Paul
though less than
the least of all saints was
nevertheless
made to be not a whit behind the
very chief of the apostles; and in our own times
Bunyan
the blaspheming
tinker
was raised into another John
whose dream almost rivals the visions of
the Apocalypse.
"Wonders
of grace to God belong
Repeat his mercies in your song."
Such
verses as these should give great encouragement to those who are lowest in
their own esteem. The Lord poureth contempt upon princes; but as for those who
are in the dust and on the dunghill
he looks upon them with compassion
acts
towards them in grace
and in their case displays the riches of his glory by
Christ Jesus. Those who have experienced such amazing favour should sing
continual hallelujahs to the God of their salvation.
Verse
9. He maketh the barren woman to keep house
and to be a joyful
mother of children. The strong desire of the easterns to have children
caused the birth of offspring to be hailed as the choicest of favours
while
barrenness was regarded as a curse; hence this verse is placed last as if to
crown the whole
and to serve as a climax to the story of God's mercy. The
glorious Lord displays his condescending grace in regarding those who are
despised on account of their barrenness
whether it be of body or of soul.
Sarah
Rachel
the wife of Manoah
Hannah
Elizabeth
and others were all
instances of the miraculous power of God in literally fulfilling the statement
of the psalmist. Women were not supposed to have a house till they had
children; but in certain cases where childless women pined in secret the Lord
visited them in mercy
and made them not only to have a house
but to keep it.
The Gentile church is a spiritual example upon a large scale of the gift of
fruitfulness after long years of hopeless barrenness; and the Jewish church in
the latter days will be another amazing display of the same quickening power:
long forsaken for her spiritual adultery
Israel shall be forgiven
and
restored
and joyously shall she keep that house which now is left unto her
desolate. Nor is this all
each believer in the Lord Jesus must at times have
mourned his lamentable barrenness; he has appeared to be a dry tree yielding no
fruit to the Lord
and yet when visited by the Holy Ghost
he has found himself
suddenly to be like Aaron's rod
which budded
and blossomed
and brought forth
almonds. Or ever we have been aware
our barren heart has kept house
and
entertained the Saviour
our graces have been multiplied as if many children
had come to us at a single birth
and we have exceedingly rejoiced before the
Lord. Then have we marvelled greatly at the Lord who dwelleth on high
that he
has deigned to visit such poor worthless things. Like Mary
we have lifted up
our Magnificat
and like Hannah
we have said
"There is none holy as the
Lord; for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our
God." Praise ye the LORD. The music concludes upon its key note. The Psalm
is a circle
ending where it began
praising the Lord from its first syllable
to its last. May our life psalm partake of the same character
and never know a
break or a conclusion. In an endless circle let us bless the Lord
whose
mercies never cease. Let us praise him in youth
and all along our years of
strength; and when we bow in the ripeness of abundant age
let us still praise
the Lord
who doth not cast off his old servants. Let us not only praise God
ourselves
but exhort others to do it; and if we meet with any of the needy who
have been enriched
and with the barren who have been made fruitful
let us
join with them in extolling the name of him whose mercy endureth for ever.
Having been ourselves lifted from spiritual beggary and barrenness
let us
never forget our former estate or the grace which has visited us
but world
without end let us praise the Lord. Hallelujah.
EXPLANATORY
NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS
Whole
Psalm. With this Psalm begins the Hallel
which is recited at the
three great feasts
at the feast of the Dedication (Chanucca) and at the
new moons
and not on New Year's day and the day of Atonement
because a
cheerful song of praise does not harmonise with the mournful solemnity of these
days. And they are recited only in fragments during the last days of the
Passover
for "my creatures
saith the Holy One
blessed be He
were
drowned in the sea
and ought ye to break out into songs of rejoicing?" In
the family celebration of the Passover night it is divided into two parts
the
one half
Psalm 113-114
being sung before the repast
before the emptying of
the second festal cup
and the other half
Psalm 115-118
after the repast
after the filling of the fourth cup
to which the umnhsantev (Mt 26:30 Mk
14:26)
or singing a hymn
after the institution of the Lord's Supper
which was
connected with the fourth festal cup
may refer. Paulus Burgensis styles Psalm
113 to Psalm 118 Alleluja Judaeorum magnum. (The great Alleluiah of the
Jews). This designation is also frequently found elsewhere. But according to
the prevailing custom
Psalm 113-118
and more particularly Psalm 115-118
are
called only Hallel
and Psalm 136
with its "for his mercy endureth
for ever" repeated twenty-six times
bears the name of "The Great
Hallel" (lwdgh llh).—Frank Delitzsch.
Whole
Psalm. The Jews have handed down the tradition
that this Psalm
and
those that follow on to the 118th
were all sung at the Passover; and they are
denominated "The Great Hallel." This tradition shows
at all
events
that the ancient Jews perceived in these six psalms some link of close
connection. They all sing of God the Redeemer
in some aspect of his redeeming
character; and this being so
while they suited the paschal feast
we can see
how appropriate they would be in the lips of the Redeemer
in his Upper Room.
Thus—
In
Psalm 113
he sang praise to him who redeems from the lowest depth.
In
Psalm 114
he sang praise to him who once redeemed Israel
and shall redeem
Israel again.
In
Psalm 115
he uttered a song—over earth's fallen idols—to him who blesses
Israel and the world.
In
Psalm 116
he sang his resurrection song of thanksgiving by anticipation.
In
Psalm 117
he led the song of praise for the great congregation.
In
Psalm 118 (just before leaving the Upper Room to go to Gethsemane)
he poured
forth the story of his suffering
conflict
triumph and glorification.—A. A.
Bonar.
Whole
Psalm. An attentive reader of the Book of Psalms will observe that
almost every one of them has a view to Christianity. Many
if not most of the
psalms
were without doubt occasioned originally by accidents of the life that
befell their royal author; they were therefore at the same time both
descriptive of the situation and life
the actions and sufferings
of King
David
and predictive also of our Saviour
who was all along represented by King
David
from whose loins he was descended according to the flesh. But this
Psalm appears to be wholly written with a view to Christianity. It
begins with an exhortation to all true servants and zealous worshippers of God
to "praise his name
"at all times
and in all places; "from
this time forth and for evermore
"and "from the rising of the
sun unto the going down thereof." And the ground of this praise and
adoration is set forth in the following verses to be
—first
the glorious
majesty of his Divine nature; and next
the singular goodness of it as
displayed to us in his works of providence
particularly by exalting those who
are abased
and his making the barren to become fruitful. His lifting the poor
out of the mire
and making the barren woman to become fruitful
may
at first
sight
seem an odd mixture of ideas. But a right notion of the prophetic
language will solve the difficulty; and teach us
that both the expressions are
in fact very nearly related
and signify much the same thing. For by the "poor"
are here meant those who are destitute of all heavenly knowledge (the only true
and real riches) and who are sunk in the mire and filth of sin. So
again
his
making "the barren woman to keep house
and to be a joyful mother of
children
"is a prophetic metaphor
or allusion to the fruitfulness of
the Church in bringing forth sons or professors of the true religion. My
interpretation of both these expressions is warrantable from so many parallel
passages of Scripture. I shall only observe that here the profession of the
Christian faith throughout the whole earth is foretold; as also the particular
direction or point of the compass
toward which Christianity should by the
course of God's providence be steered and directed
viz.
from East to West
or
"from the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same."—James
Bate
1703-1775.
Verse
1. Praise ye the LORD. Praise. The wllh is repeated. This
repetition is not without significance. It is for the purpose of waking us up
out of our torpor. We are all too dull and slow in considering and praising the
blessings of God. There is
therefore
necessity for these stimuli. Then this
repetition signifies assiduity and perseverance in sounding forth the praises
of God. It is not sufficient once and again to praise God
but his praises
ought to be always sung in the Church.—Mollerus.
Verse
1. Praise ye the Lord. This praising God rests not in the
mere speculation or idle contemplation of the Divine excellence
floating only
in the brain
or gliding upon the tongue
but in such quick and lively
apprehensions of them as to sink down into the heart
and there beget
affections suitable to them; for it will make us love him for his goodness
respect him for his greatness
fear him for his justice
dread him for his power
adore him for his wisdom
and for all his attributes make us live in constant
awe and obedience to him. This is to praise God
without which all other
courting and complimenting of him is but mere flattery and hypocrisy...God
Almighty endowed us with higher and nobler faculties than other creatures
for
this end
that we should set forth his praise; for though other things were
made to administer the matter and occasion
yet man alone was designed and
qualified to exercise the act of glorifying God...In short
God Almighty hath
so closely twisted his own glory and our happiness together
that at the same
time we advance the one we promote the other.—Matthew Hole
1730.
Verse
1. Praise
O ye servants of the LORD. From the exhortation to
praise God
and the declaration of his deserving to be praised; learn
that as
it is all men's duty to praise the Lord
so in special it is the duty of his
ministers
and officers of his house. First
because their office doth call for
the discharge of it publicly. Next
because as they should be best acquainted
with the reasons of his praise
so also should they be the fittest instruments
to declare it. And lastly
because the ungodly are deaf unto the exhortation
and dumb in the obedience of it; therefore when he hath said
"Praise
ye the Lord
" he subjoins
"Praise
O ye servants of the
Lord."—David Dickson.
Verse
1. Ye servants of the LORD. All men owe this duty to God
as
being the workmanship of his hands; Christians above other men
as being the
sheep of his pasture; preachers of the word above other Christians
as being
pastors of his sheep
and so consequently patterns in word
in conversation
in
love
in spirit
in faith
in pureness. 1Ti 4:12.—John Boys.
Verses
1-3.
Hallelujah
praise the Lord!
Praise
ye servants
praise his name!
Be Jehovah's praise adored
Now and evermore the same!
Where the orient sunbeams gleam.
Where they sink in ocean's stream
Through the circuit of his rays
Be your theme Jehovah's praise.
Richard Mant.
Verse
2. Blessed be the name of the LORD. Let then
O man
thy
labouring soul strive to conceive (for 'tis impossible to express) what an
immense debt of gratitude thou owest to him
who by his creating goodness
called thee out of nothing to make thee a partaker of reason and even a sharer
of immortality with himself; who by his preserving goodness designs to conduct
thee safe through the various stages of thy eternal existence; and who by his
redeeming goodness hath prepared for thee a happiness too big for the
comprehension of a human understanding. Canst thou receive such endearments of
love to thee and all mankind with insensibility and coldness? ...In the whole
compass of language what word is expressive enough to paint the black
ingratitude of that man who is unaffected by
and entirely regardless of
the
goodness of God his Creator and the mercies of Christ?—Jeremiah Seed
1747.
Verse
2. Blessed be the name of the LORD
etc. No doubt the
disciples that sat at that paschal table would repeat with mingled feelings of
thanksgiving and sadness that ascription of praise. Blessed be the name of
the LORD from this time forth and for evermore. But what Israelite in all
the paschal chambers at Jerusalem on that night
as he sang the hallel or hymn
or which of the disciples at the sorrowing board of Jesus
could have
understood or entered into the full meaning of the expression
"from
this time forth?" From what time? I think St. John gives us a clue to
the very hour and moment of which the Psalmist
perhaps unconsciously
spake.
He tells us
that when the traitor Judas had received the sop
he immediately
went out; and that when he was gone out to clench as it were and ratify his
treacherous purpose
Jesus said
"Now is the Son of man glorified
and God is glorified in Him." From that time forth
when by the
determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God
the Son of man was about to be
delivered into the hands of wicked men
and crucified and slain
as Jesus
looked at those around him
as sorrow had indeed filled their hearts
and as
with all seeing
prescient eye he looked onwards and beheld all those that
should hereafter believe on him through their word
with what significance and
emphasis of meaning may we imagine the blessed Jesus on that night of anguish
to have uttered these words of the hymn
"Blessed be the name of the
LORD from this time forth and for evermore"! "A few more hours
and the covenant will be sealed in my own blood; the compact ratified
when I
hang upon the cross." And with what calm and confident assurance of
triumph does he look upon that cross of shame; with what overflowing love does
he point to it and say
"And I
if I be lifted up
will draw all men unto
me"! It is the very same here in this Paschal Psalm; and how must the
Saviour's heart have rejoiced even in the contemplation of those sufferings
that awaited him
as he uttered this prediction
"From the rising of
the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD'S name is to be praised"!
"That which thou sowest is not quickened except it die:" and thus
from that hour to the present the Lord hath added daily to the church those
whom in every age and in every clime he hath chosen unto salvation
till
in
his own appointed fulness of time
from the east and from the west
from the
north and from the south
all nations shall do him service
and the "earth
be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea."—Barton
Bouchier.
Verse
2. From this time forth and for evermore. The servants of the
Lord are to sing his praises in this life to the world's end; and in the next
life
world without end.—John Boys.
Verse
3. From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same.
That is everywhere
from east to west. These western parts of the world are
particularly prophesied of to enjoy the worship of God after the Jews which
were in the east; and these islands of ours that lie in the sea
into which the
sun is said to go down
which is an expression of the old Greek poets; and the
prophet here useth such a word in the Hebrew
where the west is called
according
to the vulgar conceit
the sunset
or the sun's going down
or going in.—Samuel
Torshell
1641.
Verses
4-5. The LORD is high...The LORD our God dwelleth on high. But how high
is he? Answer
1.
So high
that all creatures bow before him and do homage to him according to
their several aptitudes and abilities. John brings them all in
attributing to
him the crown of glory
putting it from themselves
but setting it upon his
head
as a royalty due only to him. (Re 5:13)
(a)
Some by way of subjection
stooping to him: angels and saints worship him
acknowledging his highness
by denying their own
but setting up his will as
their supreme law and excellency.
(b)
Others acknowledge his eminency by their consternation upon the least shining
forth of his glory; when he discovers but the emblems of his greatness
devils
tremble
men quake
Jas 2:19; Isa 33:14.
(c)
Thirdly
even inanimate creatures
by compliance with
and ready subjection to
the impressions of his power
Hab 3:9-11 Isa 48:13 Da 4:35.
2.
He is so high that he surmounts all created capacity to comprehend him
Job
11:7-9. So that indeed
in David's phrase
his greatness is "unsearchable
" Ps 145:3. In a word
he is so high
(a)
That no bodily eye hath ever
or can possibly see him.
(b)
Neither can the eye of the understanding perfectly reach him. He dwells in
inaccessible light that no mortal eye can attain to.—Condensed from a sermon
by Thomas Hedges
entitled
"A Glimpse of God's Glory
"1642.
Verse
6. Who humbleth himself. Whatever may be affirmed of God
may
be affirmed of him infinitely
and whatever he is
he is infinitely. So the
psalmist
in this place
does not speak of God as humble
but as infinitely and
superlatively so
humble beyond all conception and comparison; he challenges
the whole universe of created nature
from the highest immortal spirit in
heaven to the lowest mortal on earth
to show a being endued with so much
humility
as the adorable majesty of the great God of Heaven and earth...If
some instances of the Divine humility surprise
the following may amaze us: To
see the great King of heaven stooping from his height
and condescending
himself to offer terms of reconciliation to his rebellious creatures! To see
offended majesty courting the offenders to accept of pardon! To see God
persuading
entreating and beseeching men to return to him with such
earnestness and importunity
as if his very life were bound up in them
and his
own happiness depended upon theirs! To see the adorable Spirit of God
with
infinite long suffering and gentleness
submitting to the contempt and insults
of such miserable
despicable wretches as sinful mortals are! Is not this
amazing?—Valentine Nalson
1641-1724.
Verse
6. Who humbleth himself to behold. If it be such
condescension for God to behold things in heaven and earth
what an amazing
condescension was it for the Son of God to come from heaven to earth and take
our nature upon him
that he might seek and save them that were lost! Here
indeed he humbled himself.—Matthew Henry.
Verse
7. He raiseth up the poor
etc. There is no doubt a reference
in this to the respect which God pays even to the lower ranks of the race
seeing that "he raiseth up the poor
and lifteth up the needy."
I have no doubt there is reference throughout the whole of this psalm to
evangelical times; that
in this respect
it is a prophetic psalm
including a
reference especially to Christianity
as it may be called by eminence and
distinction the religion of the poor—its greatest glory. For when John the
Baptist sent two disciples to Jesus
to know whether he was the Messiah or not
the answer of our Lord was
"The blind see
the lepers are cleansed
the
dead are raised"—all extraordinary events—miracles
in short
which proved
his divine commission. And he summed up the whole by saying
"The poor
have the gospel preached unto them; "as great a miracle as any—as great a
distinction as any. There never was a religion but the true religion
in all
its various dispensations
that had equal respect to all classes of society. In
all others there was a privileged class
but here there is none. Perhaps one of
the most interesting views of Christianity we can take is its wonderful
adaptation to the character and circumstances of the poor. What an opportunity
does it furnish for the manifestation of the bright and mild graces of the Holy
Spirit! What sources of comfort does it open to mollify the troubles of life!
and how often
in choosing the poor
rich in faith
to make them heirs of the
kingdom
does God exalt the poor out of the dust
and the needy from the
dunghill!—Richard Watson.
Verse
7. He raiseth up the poor
etc. Gideon is fetched from
threshing
Saul from seeking the asses
and David from keeping the sheep; the
apostles from fishing are sent to be "fishers of men." The treasure
of the gospel is put into earthen vessels
and the weak and the foolish ones of
the world pitched upon to be preachers of it
to confound the "wise and
mighty" (1Co 1:27-28)
that the excellency of the power may be of God
and
all may see that promotion comes from him.—Matthew Henry.
Verse
7. He raiseth up the poor. The highest honour
which was ever
done to any mere creature
was done out of regard to the lowest humility; the
Son of God had such regard to the lowliness of the blessed virgin
that he did
her the honour to choose her for the mother of his holy humanity. It is an
observation of S. Chrysostom
that that very hand which the humble John Baptist
thought not worthy to unloose the shoe on our blessed Saviour's feet
that hand
our Lord thought worthy to baptize his sacred head.—Valentine Nalson.
Verse
7. And lifteth the needy out of the dunghill; which denotes a
mean condition; so one born in a mean place
and brought up in a mean manner
is sometimes represented as taken out of a dunghill; and also it is expressive
of a filthy one; men by sin are not only brought into a low estate
but into a
loathsome one
and are justly abominable in the sight of God
and yet he lifts
them out of it: the phrases of raising up and lifting out suppose
them to be fallen
as men are in Adam
fallen from a state of honour and glory
in and out of which they cannot deliver themselves; it is Christ's work
and
his only
to raise up the tribes of Jacob
and to help or lift up his servant
Israel. Isa 49:6 Lu 1:54; see 1Sa 2:8.—John Gill.
Verse
7. The poor...the needy. Rejoice
then
in the favourable
notice God taketh of you. The highest and greatest of beings vouchsafes to
regard you. Though you are poor and mean
and men overlook you; though your
brethren hate you
and your friends go far from you
yet hear! God looketh down
from his majestic throne upon you. Amidst the infinite variety of his works
you are not overlooked. Amidst the nobler services of ten thousand times ten
thousand saints and angels
not one of your fervent prayers or humble
groans escapes his ear.—Job Orton
1717-1783.
Verse
7. Almighty God cannot look above himself
as having no superiors;
nor about himself
as having no equals; he beholds such as are below him; and
therefore the lower a man is
the nearer unto God; he resists the proud
and
gives grace to the humble
1Pe 5:5. He pulls down the mighty from their seat
and exalteth them of low degree. The Most High hath special eye to such as are
most humble; for
as it followeth in our text
"he taketh up the simple
out of the dust
and lifteth the poor out of the dirt."—John Boys.
Verse
7. Dunghill. An emblem of the deepest poverty and desertion;
for in Syria and Palestine the man who is shut out from society lies upon the mezbele
(the dunghill or heap of ashes)
by day calling upon the passers by for alms
and by night hiding himself in the ashes that have been warmed by the sun.—Franz
Delitzsch.
Verse
7. Dunghill. The passages of the Bible
in which the word
occurs
all seem to refer
as Parkhurst remarks
to the stocks of cow dung and
other offal stuff
which the easterns for want of wood were obliged to lay up
for fuel.—Richard Mant.
Verses
7
8. These verses are taken almost word for word from the prayer of
Hannah
1Sa 2:8. The transition to the "people" is all the
more natural
as Hannah
considering herself at the conclusion as the type of
the church
with which every individual among the Israelites felt himself much
more closely entwined than can easily be the case among ourselves
draws out of
the salvation imparted to herself joyful prospects for the future.—E. W.
Hengstenberg.
Verse
8. Even with the princes of his people. It is the honour that
cometh from God that alone exalts. Whatever account the world may take of a
poor man
he may be more precious in the eyes of God than the highest among
men. The humble poor are here ranked
not with the princes of the earth
but
with "the princes of his people." The distinctions in this
world
even among those who serve the same God
are as nothing in his sight
when contrasted with that honour which is grounded on the free grace of God to
his own. But here
also
the fulness of this statement will only be seen in the
world to come
when all the faithful will be owned as kings and priests unto
God.—W. Wilson.
Verse
9. Ye maketh the barren woman to keep house
etc. Should a
married woman
who has long been considered sterile
become a mother
her joy
and that of her husband and friends
will be most extravagant. "They
called her Malady
"that is
"Barren
""but she has
given us good fruit." "My neighbours pointed at me
and said
Malady:but
what will they say now?" A man who on any occasion manifests great
delight
is represented to be like the barren woman who has at length borne a
child. Anything which is exceedingly valuable is thus described: "This is
as precious as the son of the barren woman"; that is
of her who had long
been reputed barren.—Joseph Roberts.
Verse
9. He maketh the barren woman to keep house
etc. As baseness
in men
so barrenness in women is accounted a great unhappiness. But as God
lifteth up the beggar out of the mire
to set him with princes
even so doth he
"make the barren woman a joyful mother of children." He
governs all things in the private family
as well as in the public weal.
Children and the fruit of the womb are a gift and heritage that cometh of the
Lord
Ps 127:3; and therefore the Papists in praying to S. Anne for children
and the Gentiles in calling upon Diana
Juno
Latona
are both in error. It is
God only who makes the barren woman "a mother
"and that "a
joyful mother." Every mother is joyful at the first
according to that
of Christ
"a woman when she travaileth hath sorrow
because her hour is
come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child
she remembereth no more the
anguish
for joy that a man is born into the world." Divines apply this
also mystically to Christ
affirming that he made the church of the Gentiles
heretofore "barren
""a joyful mother of children
"according
to that of the prophet: "Rejoice
O barren
that didst not bear;
break forth into joy and rejoice
thou that didst not travail with child: for
the desolate hath more children than the married wife
saith the Lord
"Isa 54:1. Or it may be construed of true Christians: all of us are by nature
barren of goodness
conceived and born in sin
not able to think a good thought
(2Co 3:5); but the Father of lights and mercies makes us fruitful and abundant
always in the work of the Lord (1Co 15:58); he giveth us grace to be fathers
and mothers of many good deeds
which are our children and best heirs
eternizing our name for ever.—John Boys.
Verse
9. The barren woman is the poor
forsaken
distressed
Christian church
whom the false church oppresses
defies
and persecutes
and
regards as useless
miserable
barren
because she herself is greater and more
populous
the greatest part of the world.—Joshua Arndt
1626-1685.
Verse
9. Praise ye the Lord. We may look abroad
and see abundant
occasion for praising God
—in his condescension to human affairs
—in his
lifting up the poor from the humblest condition
—in his exalting those of lowly
rank to places of honour
trust
wealth
and power; but
after all
if we wish
to find occasions of praise that will most tenderly affect the heart
and be
connected with the warmest affections of the soul
they will be most likely to
be found in the domestic circle—in the mutual love—the common joys the tender
feelings—which bind together the members of a family.—Albert Barnes.
Verse
9. Praise ye the LORD. The very hearing of the comfortable
changes which the Lord can make and doth make the afflicted to find
is a
matter of refreshment to all
and of praise to God from all.—David Dickson.
HINTS TO THE
VILLAGE PREACHER
Whole
Psalm. The psalm contains three parts:
1.
An exhortation to God's servants to praise him.
2.
A form set down how and where to praise him
ver. 2
3.
3.
The reasons to persuade us to it.
(a)
By his infinite power
ver. 4
5.
(b)
His providence
as displayed in heaven and earth
verse 6.—Adam Clarke.
Verse
1. The repetitions show
1.
The importance of praise.
2. Our many obligations to render it.
3. Our backwardness in the duty.
4. The heartiness and frequency with which it should be rendered.
5. The need of calling upon others to join with us.
Verse
1.
1.
To whom praise is due: "the Lord."
2.
From whom it is due: "ye servants of the Lord."
3.
For what is it due: his "name."
a.
For all names descriptive of what he is in himself.
b. For all names descriptive of what he is to his servants.—G. R.
Verses
1
9. Praise ye the Lord.
1.
Begin and end life with it
and do the same with holy service
patient
suffering
and everything else.
2.
Fill up the interval with praise. Run over the intervening verses.
Verse
2.
1.
The work of heaven begun on earth: to praise the name of the Lord.
2.
The work of earth continued in heaven: "and for evermore." If the
praise begun on earth be continued in heaven
we must be in heaven to continue
the praise.—G. R.
Verse
2.
1.
It is time to begin to praise: "from this time." Is there not special
reason
from long arrears
from present duty
etc.?
2.
There is no time for leaving off praise: "and for evermore." None
supposable or excusable.
Verse
3. God is to be praised.
1.
All the day.
2. All the world over.
3. Publicly in the light.
4. Amidst daily duties.
5. Always—because it is always day somewhere.
Verse
3.
1.
Canonical hours abolished.
2. Holy places abolished—since we cannot be always in them.
3. Every time and place consecrated.
Verses
5-6.
1.
The greatness of God as viewed from below
ver. 5.
2.
The condescension of God as viewed from above
ver. 6.
(a)
In creation.
(b) In the Incarnation.
(c) In redemption.—G. R.
Verses
5-6. The unparalleled condescension of God.
1.
None are so great
and therefore able to stoop so low.
2.
None are so good
and therefore so willing to stoop.
3.
None are so wise
and therefore so able to "behold" or know the needs
of little things.
4.
None are infinite
and therefore able to enter into minutiae and sympathize
with the smallest grief: Infinity is seen in the minute as truly as in the
immense.
Verse
6.
1.
The same God rules in heaven and earth.
2. Both spheres are dependent for happiness upon his beholding them.
3. They both enjoy his consideration.
4. All things done in them are equally under his inspection.
Verse
7. The gospel and its special eye to the poor.
Verses
7-8.
1.
Where men are? In the dust of sorrow and on the dunghill of sin.
2.
Who interferes to help them? He who dwelleth on high.
3.
What does he effect for them? "Raiseth
lifteth
setteth among princes
among princes of his people."
Verse
8. Elevation to the peerage of heaven; or
the Royal Family
increased.
Verse
9. For mothers' meetings. "A joyful mother of children."
1. It
is a joy to be a mother.
2.
It is specially so to have living
healthy
obedient children.
3.
But best of all to have Christian children. . . . Praise is due to the Lord who
gives such blessings.
Verse
9.
1.
A household God
or
God in the Household: "He maketh
"etc. Have you
children? It is of God. Have you lost children? It is of God. Have you been
without children? It is of God.
2.
Household worship
or
the God of the Household: "Praise ye the
Lord."
(a)
In the family.
(b) For family mercies.—G. R.
WORK UPON THE
HUNDRED AND THIRTEENTH PSALM
There
are Expositions of Psalms 113 and 114 in the Works of John Boys
Dean of
Canterbury
1638; folio edition
pp. 846-861.
── C.H. Spurgeon《The Treasury of David》