Studies in the Psalms - Psalm 113

Psalm 113 is clearly a psalm of praise. In it we can find great reasons why God deserves our worship and praise.

Psalm 113:1-3
Praise the LORD! Praise, O servants of the LORD, Praise the name of the LORD.  Blessed be

the name of the LORD From this time forth and forever.  From the rising of the sun to its setting The name of the LORD is to be praised.

First of all, we can praise God because of His great name. This means that God is, who He says He is. He can be trusted because He is faithful to His promises and His Word. In the business world to say a man has a good name, is to say he has a good reputation. This means he can be trusted. God can be trusted. God’s name is powerful. This is why we must pray in the name of Jesus. Unless we come to the throne of God cloaked with the blood of Christ, we have no standing before God. Our name is not good and cannot be praised, because at the end of our name comes a title and that title is sinner. But the name of the Lord is to be praised and we are to praise Him from the rising of the sun to the setting of the sun.

Psalm 113:4-6
The LORD is high above all nations; His glory is above the heavens.  Who is like the LORD our God, Who is enthroned on high,  Who humbles Himself to behold The things that are in heaven and in the earth?

The Lord is above, every single thing we know of. Every institution on this earth which has authority, has received that authority from God. They will be held accountable for how they governed. Yet, we see corruption at all levels of authority because of the selfishness, greed, and pride of man. But God, who is above all things, loved us so much that He humbled Himself and came to earth through the incarnation of Jesus, to bring us salvation. Who is like our Lord?

Psalm 113:7-9
He raises the poor from the dust And lifts the needy from the ash heap,  To make them sit with princes, With the princes of His people.  He makes the barren woman abide in the house As a joyful mother of children. Praise the LORD!

Despite our sinful, rebellion against God, His love lifts us up out of our own ash heap of sin. In the Old Testament days, the ash heap was the gathering place of the outcasts of society. But when Jesus came, who did He come to? Not to those who thought themselves righteous and above the downtrodden. Listen to His words from Luke 4:18-19, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed,  to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Yes, there are great reasons to praise the name of the Lord from daylight to dark. There is also hope no matter how far you have fallen into the pit of the life. If you are part of the gathering at the ash heap, then raise your voice in praise for God has come to lift you up and take you to the heights of the heavens. Not because of who you are, but because of who He is.

Praise the Lord. The name of the Lord is to be praised.