Psalm 113 an Investigative Report
by William Akehurst, HSWC
Hallelujah Praise the LORD
Approaching this chapter as an investigator.
Asking, What, Who, What, Who What, When and Why.
Sounds like a song from the Who’s in Whoville from one of Dr. Seuss’ books.
Background.
Spurgeon says, this psalm needs no division.
It is called the Hallelujah psalms, 111 to 118
Psalm 113-114 are used in Chanukah and the Jewish Passover celebration.
Verses 1 to 3 are a great Call to Worship
Short Outline:
Vs 1 WHAT. Praise. WHO? The LORD, of course
WHO? You who are Servants
Vs 2-3 WHEN
Vs 4-6 He who is Above all others
Vs 5-9 REASONS WHY
Sco. God’s Continual Praise.
Approach this chapter as an investigator.
Asking, What, Who, What, Who What, When and Why.
Sounds like a song from the Who’s in Whoville from one of Dr. Seuss’ books.
Interesting. The Word PRAISE is stated in the 1st verse as if to get our attention in the matter. Almost as if trying to get us to WAKE UP!
Praise the LORD! PRAISE, o servants of the LORD, PRAISE the name of the LORD
Vs1. Do What? PRAISE. Who? GOD. What? PRAISE. WHO? US? You who are servants of the LORD
PRAISE. Repeating this word as if to ‘stir up our cold dullness to praise God, seeing his works are so wonderful, and that we are created for the same cause.’ Geneva Bible study
Verse 1. The What and Who
What? Praise
Who? the LORD
WHAT? PRAISE
WHO? You who are servants of the LORD
What is a servant? One who obeys its master, one who is in subjection to his master or ruler or overseer.
Psalm 112:1 says Blessed is the man who fears the LORD and who delights in HIS commandments.
This is the definition of a true servant.
One who delights in serving and obeying. The key word here. Obeying.
Psalm 113 Praise – Continual praise
Vs2. WHAT? HIS NAME. Blessed be the name of the LORD.
The name above all names. A holy name, sacred name, even HIS name is BLESSED
Demons flee from the mere mention of His name.
WHEN? From this time forth and forevermore!
From now, now, now, now, now, now, now and forever.
Vs3. WHEN
From when the sun rises to when it sets. Think about it, on this earth, at this very moment, the sun is setting on someone who is giving Praise to our God. And at this very same instant, the sun is rising on someone else who is giving Praise to our God. No matter where we are on this earth, at any given moment, someone is praising God!
And we are commanded by the LORD himself to do so…
Malachi 1:11 "For from the rising of the sun even to its setting, My name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense is going to be offered to My name, and a grain offering that is pure; for My name will be great among the nations," says the LORD of hosts.
Vs4. WHY? ABOVE ALL
If God’s glory shines through the whole world, it would be a great condemnation if his people, to whom it mainly shines, were not to earnestly exalt and praise his holy name.
Vs5. WHY? THE HIGHEST, GREATEST, WHO CAN COMPARE?
Who can compare to our GOD? No one. Nothing is greater than our creator.
He has to humble himself to the level of the Angels in Heaven, He has to humble himself to the level of our world.
Vs6. HE MUST HUMBLE HIMSELF TO ‘STOOP’ DOWN FROM THE SKIES
Like a scene from Hook, when Tinkerbell shakes the hand or fingernail of Peter.
Isaiah 57:15 “For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, "I dwell on a high and holy place, And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit In order to revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of the contrite.”
HE bends down low to revive our spirits
HE came from HIS high and lofty place, humbled Himself and walked this earth. HE took on the pain of our suffering, HE took the stripes upon HIS back. HE wore the crown of thorns that pierced His flesh. HE was nailed to the Cross for our sin. HE was crucified, dead and buried, and rose again, because HE wants those who love HIM to be spared and live with HIM forever.
Vs7. HE LOVES US…RAISING US FROM THE DUST FROM THE FILTHINESS WE LIE IN
By preferring the poor to high honour and giving the barren children, he shows that God works not only in his Church by ordinary means, but also by miracles.
Vs8. WE ARE LIFTED UP, GIVEN FAVOR… MADE PRIESTS AND KINGS, A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD
1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
We are ROYALTY. We are children of the KING of KINGS. That makes us princes and princesses as HIS royal children. And HE has lifted us up to that position of honor and given favor because we have agreed to his covenant by believing in HIS son JESUS. And confessing our sins that we may be washed clean.
Vs9. REJOICE, MULTIPLY AND PRAISE THE LORD
As a barren woman, we are all barren without HIM, but when we accepted HIM, we have HIM in us. And that should make us rejoice and praise HIM.
But there’s more. We are not to take HIM into our lives and leave HIM there. No, we are to be fruitful and multiply, telling others of HIS redeeming Grace.
Bringing the barren woman children. Sons as the Hebrew states it. Sons are who passes on the name. We are to birth to others the NAME of the LORD.
Pass it on!
Prayer:
LORD, thank you for your word. We praise you for loving us so much that you sent your only son JESUS to humble himself and lift us up by HIS sacrifice and forgiveness from sins.
LORD thank you for this Psalm.
Open the eyes of our Jewish friends who recite theses psalms every Chanukah and Passover celebration.
LORD, open their eyes that they might see the fulfillment of their Yeshu’ah in Jesus the Christ. They celebrate their Passover and don’t understand the meaning of the words they say.
Thank YOU LORD for loving us, as YOU love YOUR chosen people. And for allowing us to enter YOUR family as YOUR children through the blood of Jesus, the once and for all sacrificial lamb.
We give YOU Praise, LORD GOD. We Praise YOUR most holy and wonderful name.
In Jesus Name.
Song (divide the room Left and Right to stand up and sit down when they sing their part)
L. Hallelu Hallelu Hallelu Hallelujah
R. Praise ye the LORD
L. Hallelu Hallelu Hallelu Hallelujah
R. Praise ye the LORD
R. Praise ye the LORD
L. Hallelujah
R. Praise ye the LORD
L. Hallelujah
R. Praise ye the LORD
L. Hallelujah
L.R. PRAISE YE THE LORD!
Psalm 113
The Majesty and Condescension of God
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!
ILLUS: GOOD vs. GREAT
Bill Cosby in ‘Genesis’ comedy act.
Bill said something like this.
God made a tree and said it was (pause) Good
God made a rabbit and said it was (pause) Good
Man made the refrigerator and said it was Amazing
Man made the car and said it was Awesome or Fabulous.
We are fanatical about our creations. Praising what we have made.
Fantastic, Excellent, Awesome, Fabulous, Amazing, etc.
God made the world, and said it was (pause) good.
The refrigerator eventually broke down
The car eventually blew its engine.
But the Tree still stands, and the rabbit still hops.
What is our definition of Good vs. Great.
GOD is great. Man was only Good.
