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Psalms 113

9 verses

TL;DR

Psalm 113 calls all to praise God, celebrating His exalted nature and His compassionate care for the poor, the needy, and the barren.

Summary

The psalm begins with an invitation to praise the Lord, emphasizing the enduring and universal nature of God's name from sunrise to sunset. It declares the Lord's supremacy over all nations and His glory that surpasses the heavens. The psalmist marvels that the Lord, who dwells in the highest, humbles Himself to observe both heaven and earth. The psalm highlights God's active concern for the marginalized: He lifts the poor from dust, raises the needy from the lowest places, and brings them into the presence of leaders. He also blesses barren women, allowing them to bear children and rejoice. The psalm concludes with a reaffirmation of praise, underscoring God's sustaining grace and care for all.

Outline
  1. Invitation to praise and universal exaltation of God's name
  2. God's supreme position over nations and heavens, His humility toward creation
  3. God's compassion: uplifting the poor, the needy, and blessing barren women
  4. Reaffirmation of praise
Themes
Exaltation of God's name and gloryDivine humility and attentiveness to creationGod’s compassion toward the marginalized
Keywords
praisenameLORDhighgloryhumblepoorneedybarrenjoy
People
The LORD
Places
HeavenEarth
Things
Name of the LORDGod’s gloryThe poorThe needyBarren womanPrinces
Key Verses
  • Psalms 113:3: Emphasizes the continual praise of God from sunrise to sunset
  • Psalms 113:4: Affirms God’s supremacy over all nations and His glory beyond the heavens
  • Psalms 113:7: Shows God’s active intervention in uplifting the poor and needy
  • Psalms 113:9: Highlights God’s mercy in blessing barren women with children
Questions
  • How does Psalm 113 describe the relationship between God's exaltation and His care for the poor?
  • In what ways does the psalmist depict God's humility and attentiveness toward both heaven and earth?
  • What does the blessing of barren women reveal about God’s compassion?
  • Why is the repetition of praise at the beginning and end significant?
Sentiment

positive
The psalm expresses awe, gratitude, and reassurance of God’s benevolent care