Psalms 113 commentary

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.

PSALM 113

In this psalm the providence of God furnishes matter for praising him, because, though his excellency is far above the heavens, nevertheless, he deigns to cast his eyes upon the earth to take notice of mankind. And as not a few are disconcerted by the vicissitudes which they behold occurring in the world, the prophet takes occasion, from these sudden and unlooked for changes, to warn us to attend expressly to God’s providence, that we may entertain no doubt that all things are governed according to his will and pleasure. This interesting little ode, which is alike elegant in its structure, and devotional in its sentiment, its theme being the celebration of Jehovah’s power, glory, and mercy, is thought by Bishop Patrick to be the commencement of what the Hebrews called the Great Hallel or Hymns, which they recited at their tables in the new moons and other feasts, especially in the paschal night, after they had eaten the lamb. He supposes that the Great Hallel included this and the five following psalms. See page 310. “It is very uncertain who was the author of this psalm; but as the 7th and 8th verses are manifestly taken from 1 Samuel 2:8, and the 9th probably alludes to the history of Hannah, it might be composed by Samuel or David, who were so nearly interested in the signal mercies vouchsafed to her.” — Dimock.

Psalm 113:1-4

1. Praise ye Jehovah. Praise, ye servants of Jehovah! praise the name of Jehovah. 2. Blessed be the name of Jehovah henceforth and for ever. 3. Jehovah’s name is to be praised, from the rising of the sun unto his going down. 4. Jehovah is high above all nations, his glory is above the heavens.

1 Praise, ye servants of Jehovah! This psalm contains abundant reasons for all men without exception to praise God. The faithful alone being endued with spiritual perception to recognize the hand of God, the prophet addresses them in particular. And if we consider how cold and callous men are in this religious exercise, we will not deem the repetition of the call to praise God superfluous. We all acknowledge that we are created to praise God’s name, while, at the same time, his glory is disregarded by us. Such criminal apathy is justly condemned by the prophet, with the view of stirring us up to unwearied zeal in praising God. The repetition, then, of the exhortation to praise him, ought to be considered as referring both to perseverance and ardor in this service. If, by the servants of God, some would rather understand the Levites, to whom the charge of celebrating his praises under the Law was committed, I am not much opposed to it, provided they do not exclude the rest of the faithful, over whom formerly God appointed the Levites as leaders and chief musicians, that he might be praised by all his people without exception. When the Holy Spirit addresses the Levites expressly in relation to the subject of God’s praises, it is designedly that, by their example, they may show the way to others, and that the whole Church may respond in one holy chorus. Now that we are all “a royal priesthood,” (1 Peter 2:9) and as Zechariah testifies, (Zechariah 14:21) that under the reign of Christ, the meanest of the people shall be Levites, there is no question that, excepting unbelievers who are mute, the prophet invites us all in common to render this service unto God.

PSALM 113

Psa 113:1-9. God's majesty contrasted with His condescension and gracious dealings towards the humble furnish matter and a call for praise. The Jews, it is said, used this and Psalms 114-118 on their great festivals, and called them the Greater Hallel, or Hymn.

1-3. Earnestness and zeal are denoted by the emphatic repetitions.

servants of the Lord--or, all the people of God.

name of the Lord--perfections (Psa 5:11; 111:9).

4-6. God's exaltation enhances His condescension;

7-8. which condescension is illustrated as often in raising the worthy poor and needy to honor (compare 1Sa 2:8; Psa 44:25).

9. On this special case, compare 1Sa 2:21. Barrenness was regarded as a disgrace, and is a type of a deserted Church (Is 54:1).

the barren woman ... house--literally, "the barren of the house," so that the supplied words may be omitted.

Praise, O ye servants - Probably an address to the Levites. The Anglo-Saxon has praise the Lord, ye knaves. Knapa or knave signified among our ancestors a servant; sometimes a male, a young man.

From the rising of the sun - From morning to evening be always employed in the work. Or it may be a call on all mankind to praise God for his innumerable mercies to the human race. Praise him from one end of the world unto the other. And therefore the psalmist adds,

The Lord is high above all nations - He governs all, he provides for all; therefore let all give him praise.

Who is like unto the Lord - Those who are highly exalted are generally unapproachable; they are proud and overbearing; or so surrounded with magnificence and flatterers, that to them the poor have no access; but God, though infinitely exalted, humbleth himself to behold even heaven itself, and much more does he humble himself when he condescends to behold earth and her inhabitants; (Psa 113:6). But so does he love his creatures that he rejoices over even the meanest of them to do them good.

He raiseth up the poor - The poorest man, in the meanest and most abject circumstances, is an object of his merciful regards. He may here allude to the wretched state of the captives in Babylon, whom God raised up out of that dust and dunghill. Others apply it to the resurreetion of the dead.

With the princes - נדיבים nedebim, very properly translated by the Anglo-Saxon, the aldermen, the most respectable of his people.

He maketh the barren woman to keep house - This is a figure to point out the desolate, decreasing state of the captives in Babylon, and the happy change which took place on their return to their own land. These are nearly the words of Hannah, 1Sam 2:5.

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.

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.

1 PRaise ye the LORD. Praise, O ye servants of the LORD : praise the Name of the LORD.

Ye Levites, who are peculiarly devoted to this solemn work, who sometimes are called Gods servants in a special sence, and all you faithful souls.

Marginal references: Heb. Hallelujah.

3 From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same , the LORD's Name is to be praised .

From one end of the world to the other; from East to West, which he mentions rather than from North to South, because those parts of the world were at this time much uninhabited and unknown.

For his glorious works of Creation and Providence, the benefit of which all Nations enjoy; and for his gracious purpose and promise of bringing in all Nations to the knowledge of his truth by the Messias.

Marginal references: Mal. 1. 11.

4 The LORD is high above all nations , and his glory above the heavens .

Superiour to all Princes and bodies of people in the world.

Whereas the glory of earthly Monarchs is confined to this lower world and to small pittances of it, the glory of God doth not onely fill the earth, but heaven too, where it is celebrated by thousands and myriads of blessed Angels, yea it is far higher than heaven, being infinite and incomprehensible.

Marginal references: Psal. 8. 1.

5 Who is like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high ,

To wit, far above all heavens, as was now said, being exalte[illegible: 1+ letters] as in place, so in power and dignity, above all persons and things visible and invisible.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 word] himself to dwell.

6 Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth ?

Who is so high, that it is a wonderful vouchsafement and condescension in him to take any notice or care of his holy and heavenly host, and much more of sinful and miserable men upon earth, which yet he is pleased to do.

Marginal references: beholdeth things be▪; [illegible: 1+ letters]o Gr. [illegible: 1 word]. 138. 6. [illegible: 1 word] 5[illegible: 1+ letters]. 15.

7 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust , and lifteth the needy out of the dunghil:

Yea he stoops so low as to regard and advance those whom all men, and even their own brethren slight and despise.

From a most contemptible and miserable condition. Beggers and mourners used to lie in the dust, or, as it follows, upon the dunghil, 1 Sam. 2. 8. Lament. 4. 5.

Marginal references: Sam 2. 8. [illegible: 1 word] 107. 41.

8 That he may set him with princes , even with the princes of his people .

In equal honour and power with them, as he did Ioseph, David, and others.

Which in Gods account and in truth are far more honourable and happy than the Princes of Heathen and barbarous Nations, because their Subjects are more noble, and they have Gods special presence and providence among them.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] 36. 7.

9 He maketh the barren woman to keep house , and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD.

Heb. to dwell in an house or family, or amongst children, to wit, coming out of her own womb, as is clearly implied by the opposition of this to her barrenness. And the word house is oft put for children, as Exod. 1. 21. Ruth 4. 11. Psal. 115. 10, 12. And so it is explained in the next clause.

Marginal references: Sam. 2. 5. [illegible: 1 word] ▪ to dwell [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] house.; [illegible: 1 word] 68. 6.

Hallelujah to Him Who Raiseth Out of Low Estate

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 harmonize 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, Psa 113:1-9, Psa 114:1-8, being sung before the repast, before the emptying of the second festal cup, and the other half, Psa 115:1, after the repast, after the filling of the fourth cup, to which the humnee'santes (Mat 26:30; Mar 14:26) after the institution of the Lord’s Supper, which was connected with the fourth festal cup, may refer. Paulus Burgensis styles Psa 113:1 Alleluja Judaeorum magnum. This designation is also frequently found elsewhere. But according to the prevailing custom, Psa 113:1, and more particularly Psa 115:1, are called only Hallel, and Ps 136, with its “for His mercy endureth for ever” repeated twenty-six times, bears the name of “the Great Hallel” (הלּל הגּדול).Vid., the tractate Sofrim, xviii. §2. Apart from the new moons, at which the recitation of the Hallel κατ ̓ ἐξοχήν, i.e., Psalms 113-118, is only according to custom (מנהג), not according to the law, the Hallel was recited eighteen times a year during the continuance of the Temple (and in Palestine even in the present day), viz., once at the Passover, once at Shabuoth, eight times at Succoth, eight times at Chanucca (the feast of the Dedication); and now in the Exile twenty-one times, because the Passover and Succoth have received two feast-days and Shabuoth one as an addition, viz., twice at the Passover, twice at Shabuoth, nine times at Succoth. Instead of Hallel absolutely we also find the appellation “the Egyptian Hallel” (הלּל המּצרי) for Psalms 113-118. The ancient ritual only makes a distinction between this (Egyptian) Hallel and the Great Hallel, Ps 136 (see there).

A heaping up, without example elsewhere, of the so-called Chirek compaginis is peculiar to Psa 113:1-9. Gesenius and others call the connecting vowels i and o (in proper names also u) the remains of old case terminations; with the former the Arabic genitive termination is compared, and with the latter the Arabic nominative termination. But in opposition to this it has been rightly observed, that this i and o are not attached to the dependent word (the genitive), but to the governing word. According to the more probable view of Ewald, §211, i and o are equivalent connecting vowels which mark the relation of the genitive case, and are to be explained from the original oneness of the Semitic and Indo-Germanic languages.

The i is found most frequently appended to the first member of the stat. constr., and both to the masc., viz., in Deu 33:16; Zec 11:17 (perhaps twice, vid., Köhler in loc.), and to the femin., viz., in Gen 31:39; Psa 110:4; Isa 1:21. Lev 26:42; Psa 116:1 hardly belong here. Then this iis also frequently found when the second member of the stat. constr. has a preposition, and this preposition is consequently in process of being resolved: Gen 49:11; Exo 15:6, Oba 1:3 (Jer 49:16), Hos 10:11; Lam 1:1; Psa 123:1, and perhaps Sol 1:9. Also in the Chethîb, Jer 22:23; Jer 51:13; Eze 27:3. Thirdly, where a word stands between the two notions that belong together according to the genitival relation, and the stat. construct. is consequently really resolved: Psa 101:5; Isa 22:16; Mic 7:14. It is the same i which is found in a great many proper names, both Israelitish, e.g., Gamaliel (benefit of God), and Phoenician, e.g., Melchizedek, Hanniba‛al (the favour of Baal), and is also added to many Hebrew prepositions, like בּלתּי (where the i however can, according to the context, also be a pronominal suffix), זוּלתי (where i can likewise be a suffix), מנּי (poetical). In אפסי, on the other hand, the i is always a suffix. The tone of the i only retreats in accordance with rhythmical rule (vid., Psa 110:4), otherwise i is always accented. Psa 112:8 shows how our Psa 113:1-9 in particular delights in this ancient i, where it is even affixed to the infinitive as an ornament, a thing which occurs nowhere else, so that להושׁיבי excites the suspicion of being written in error for להושׁיבו.

Among those things which make God worthy to be praised the Psalm gives prominence to the condescension of the infinitely exalted One towards the lowly one. It is the lowliness of God lowering itself fro the exaltation of the lowly which performs its utmost in the work of redemption. Thus it becomes explicable that Mary in her Magnificat breaks forth into the same strain with the song of Hannah (1 Sam. 2) and this Psalm.

Psa 113:1-3

The call, not limited by any addition as in Psa 134:1, or eve, after the manner of Psa 103:20., extended over the earth, is given to the whole of the true Israel that corresponds to its election by grace and is faithful to its mission; and its designation by “servants of Jahve” (Ps 69:37, cf. Ps 34:23), or even “servant of Jahve” (Psa 136:22), has come into vogue more especially through the second part of Isaiah. This Israel is called upon to praise Jahve; for the praise and celebration of His Name, i.e., of His nature, which is disclosed by means of its manifestation, is a principal element, yea, the proper ground and aim, of the service, and shall finally become that which fills all time and all space. מהלּל laudatum (est), is equivalent to ἀινετόν, laudabile (lxx, Vulgate), and this does not differ greatly from laudetur. The predictive interpretation laudabitur is opposed to the context (cf. moreover Köhler on Mal 1:11).

Psa 113:4-6

This praiseworthiness is now confirmed. The opening reminds one of Psa 99:2. Pasek stands between גוים and יהוה in order to keep them apart. The totality of the nations is great, but Jahve is raised above it; the heavens are glorious, but Jahve’s glory is exalted above them. It is not to be explained according to Psa 148:13; but according to Psa 57:6, 12, רם belongs to Psa 113:4 too as predicate. He is the incomparable One who has set up His throne in the height, but at the same time directs His gaze deep downwards (expression according to Ges. §142, rem. 1) in the heavens and upon earth, i.e., nothing in all the realm of the creatures that are beneath Him escapes His sight, and nothing is so low that it remains unnoticed by Him; on the contrary, it is just that which is lowly, as the following strophe presents to us in a series of portraits so to speak, that is the special object of His regard. The structure of Psa 113:5-6 militates against the construction of “in the heavens and upon the earth” with the interrogatory “who is like unto Jahve our God?” after Deu 3:24.

Psa 113:7-9

The thoughts of Psa 113:7 and Psa 113:8 are transplanted from the song of Hannah. עפר, according to 1Ki 16:2, cf. Psa 14:7, is an emblem of lowly estate (Hitzig), and אשׁפּת (from שׁפת) 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 (Job, ii. 152). The movement of the thoughts in Psa 113:8, as in Psa 113:1, follows the model of the epizeuxis. Together with the song of Hannah the poet has before his eye Hannah’s exaltation out of sorrow and reproach. He does not, however, repeat the words of her song which have reference to this (1Sa 2:5), but clothes his generalization of her experience in his own language. If he intended that עקרת should be understood out of the genitival relation after the form עטרת, why did he not write מושׁיבי הבּית עקרה? הבּית would then be equivalent to בּיתה, Psa 68:7. עקרת הבּית is the expression for a woman who is a wife, and therefore housewife, הבּית (בּעלת) נות, but yet not a mother. Such an one has no settled position in the house of the husband, the firm bond is wanting in her relationship to her husband. If God gives her children, He thereby makes her then thoroughly at home and rooted-in in her position. In the predicate notion אם הבּנים שׂמחה the definiteness attaches to the second member of the string of words, as in Gen 48:19; 2Sa 12:30 (cf. the reverse instance in Jer 23:26, נבּאי השּׁקר, those prophesying that which is false), therefore: a mother of the children. The poet brings the matter so vividly before him, that he points as it were with his finger to the children with which God blesses her.

A Call to Praise God; God's Greatness and Condescension.

1 Praise ye the Lord . Praise, O ye servants of the Lord , praise the name of the Lord . 2 Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and for evermore. 3 From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lord 's name is to be praised. 4 The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens. 5 Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high, 6 Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth! 7 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill; 8 That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people. 9 He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the Lord .

In this psalm,

I. We are extorted to give glory to God, to give him the glory due to his name.

1. The invitation is very pressing: praise you the Lord, and again and again, Praise him, praise him; blessed be his name, for it is to be praised, v. 1-3. This intimates, (1.) That it is a necessary and most excellent duty, greatly pleasing to God, and has a large room in religion. (2.) That it is a duty we should much abound in, in which we should be frequently employed and greatly enlarged. (3.) That it is work which we are very backward to, and which we need to be engaged and excited to by precept upon precept and line upon line. (4.) That those who are much in praising God themselves will court others to it, both because they find the weight of the work, and that there is need of all the help they can fetch in (there is employment for all hearts, all hands, and all little enough), and because they find the pleasure of it, which they wish all their friends may share in.

2. The invitation is very extensive. Observe, (1.) From whom God has praise—from his own people; they are here called upon to praise God, as those that will answer the call: Praise, O you servants of the Lord! They have most reason to praise him; for those that attend him as his servants know him best and receive most of his favours. And it is their business to praise him; that is the work required of them as his servants: it is easy pleasant work to speak well of their Master, and do him what honour they can; if they do not, who should? Some understand it of the Levites; but, if so, all Christians are a royal priesthood, to show forth the praises of him that has called them, 1 Pet. ii. 9. The angels are the servants of the Lord; they need not be called upon by us to praise God, yet it is a comfort to us that they do praise him, and that they praise him better than we can. (2.) From whom he ought to have praise. [1.] From all ages (v. 2)—from this time forth for evermore. Let not this work die with us, but let us be doing it in a better world, and let those that come after us be doing it in this. Let not our seed degenerate, but let God be praised through all the generations of time, and not in this only. We must bless the Lord in our day, by saying, with the psalmist, Blessed be his name now and always. [2.] From all places—from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, that is, throughout the habitable world. Let all that enjoy the benefit of the sun rising (and those that do so must count upon it that the sun will set) give thanks for that light to the Father of lights. God's name is to be praised; it ought to be praised by all nations; for in every place, from east to west, there appear the manifest proofs and products of his wisdom, power, and goodness; and it is to be lamented that so great a part of mankind are ignorant of him, and give that praise to others which is due to him alone. But perhaps there is more in it; as the former verse gave us a glimpse of the kingdom of glory, intimating that God's name shall be blessed for ever (when time shall be no more that praise shall be the work of heaven), so this verse gives us a glimpse of the kingdom of grace in the gospel-dispensation of it. When the church shall no longer be confined to the Jewish nation, but shall spread itself all the world over, when in every place spiritual incense shall be offered to our God (Mal. i. 11), then from the rising to the setting of the sun the Lord's name shall be praised by some in all countries.

II. We are here directed what to give him the glory of.

1. Let us look up with an eye of faith, and see how high his glory is in the upper world, and mention that to his praise, v. 4, 5. We are, in our praises, to exalt his name, for he is high, his glory is high. (1.) High above all nations, their kings though ever so pompous, their people though ever so numerous. Whether it be true of an earthly king or no that though he is major singulis—greater than individuals, he is minor universis—less than the whole, we will not dispute; but we are sure it is not true of the King of kings. Put all the nations together, and he is above them all; they are before him as the drop of the bucket and the small dust of the balance, Isa. lx. 15, 17. Let all nations think and speak highly of God, for he is high above them all. (2.) High above the heavens; the throne of his glory is in the highest heavens, which should raise our hearts in praising him, Lam. iii. 41. His glory is above the heavens, that is, above the angels; he is above what they are, for their brightness is nothing to his,—above what they do, for they are under his command and do his pleasure,—and above what even they can speak him to be. He is exalted above all blessing and praise, not only all ours, but all theirs. We must therefore say, with holy admiration, Who is like unto the Lord our God? who of all the princes and potentates of the earth? who of all the bright and blessed spirits above? None can equal him, none dare compare with him. God is to be praised as transcendently, incomparably, and infinitely great; for he dwells on high, and from on high sees all, and rules all, and justly attracts all praise to himself.

2. Let us look around with an eye of observation, and see how extensive his goodness is in the lower world, and mention that to his praise. He is a God who exalts himself to dwell, who humbles himself in heaven, and in earth. Some think there is a transposition, He exalts himself to dwell in heaven, he humbles himself to behold on earth; but the sense is plain enough as we take it, only observe, God is said to exalt himself and to humble himself, both are his own act and deed; as he is self-existent, so he is both the fountain of his own honour and the spring of his own grace; God's condescending goodness appears,

(1.) In the cognizance he takes of the world below him. His glory is above the nations and above the heavens, and yet neither is neglected by him. God is great, yet he despises not any, Job xxxvi. 5. He humbles himself to behold all his creatures, all his subjects, though he is infinitely above them. Considering the infinite perfection, sufficiency, and felicity of the divine nature, it must be acknowledged as an act of wonderful condescension that God is pleased to take into the thoughts of his eternal counsel, and into the hand of his universal Providence, both the armies of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth (Dan. iv. 35); even in this dominion he humbles himself. [1.] It is condescension in him to behold the things in heaven, to support the beings, direct the motions, and accept the praises and services, of the angels themselves; for he needs them not, nor is benefited by them. [2.] Much more is it condescension in him to behold the things that are in the earth, to visit the sons of men, and regard them, to order and overrule their affairs, and to take notice of what they say and do, that he may fill the earth with his goodness, and so set us an example of stooping to do good, of taking notice of, and concerning ourselves about, our inferiors. 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 those that were lost! Herein indeed he humbled himself.

(2.) In the particular favour he sometimes shows to the least and lowest of the inhabitants of this meaner lower world. He not only beholds the great things in the earth, but the meanest, and those things which great men commonly overlook. Not does he merely behold them, but does wonders for them, and things that are very surprising, out of the common road of providence and chain of causes, which shows that the world is governed, not by a course of nature, for that would always run in the same channel, but by a God of nature, who delights in doing things we looked not for. [1.] Those that have been long despicable are sometimes, on a sudden, made honourable (v. 7, 8): He raises up the poor out of the dust, that he may set him with princes. First, Thus God does sometimes magnify himself, and his own wisdom, power, and sovereignty. When he has some great work to do he chooses to employ those in it that were least likely, and least thought of for it by themselves or others, to the highest post of honour: Gideon is fetched from threshing, Saul from seeking the asses, and David from keeping the sheep; the apostles are sent from fishing to be fishers of men. The treasure of the gospel is put into earthen vessels, and the weak and foolish ones of the world are pitched upon to be preachers of it, to confound the wise and mighty (1 Cor. i. 27, 28), that the excellency of the power may be of God, and all may see that promotion comes from him. Secondly, Thus God does sometimes reward the eminent piety and patience of his people who have long groaned under the burden of poverty and disgrace. When Joseph's virtue was tried and manifested he was raised from the prison-dust and set with princes. Those that are wise will observe such returns of Providence, and will understand by them the loving-kindness of the Lord. Some have applied this to the work of redemption by Jesus Christ, and not unfitly; for through him poor fallen men are raised out of the dust (one of the Jewish rabbies applies it to the resurrection of the dead), nay, out of the dunghill of sin, and set among princes, among angels, those princes of his people. Hannah had sung to this purport, 1 Sam. ii. 6-8. [2.] Those that have been long barren are sometimes, on a sudden, made fruitful, v. 9. This may look back to Sarah and Rebecca, Rachel, Hannah, and Samson's mother, or forward to Elizabeth; and many such instances there have been, in which God has looked on the affliction of his handmaids and taken away their reproach. He makes the barren woman to keep house, not only builds up the family, but thereby finds the heads of the family something to do. Note, Those that have the comfort of a family must take the care of it; bearing children and guiding the house are put together, 1 Tim. v. 14. When God sets the barren in a family he expects that she should look well to the ways of her household, Prov. xxxi. 27. She is said to be a joyful mother of children, not only because, even in common cases, the pain is forgotten, for joy that a man-child is born into the world, but there is particular joy when a child is born to those that have been long childless (as Luke i. 14) and therefore there ought to be particular thanksgiving. Praise you the Lord. Yet, in this case, rejoice with trembling; for, though the sorrowful mother be made joyful, the joyful mother may be made sorrowful again, if the children be either removed from her or embittered to her. This, therefore, may be applied to the gospel-church among the Gentiles (the building of which is illustrated by this similitude, Isa. liv. 1, Sing, O barren! thou that didst not bear, and Gal. iv. 27), for which we, who, being sinners of the Gentiles, are children of the desolate, have reason to say, Praise you the Lord.

PSAL. CXIII.

Halelu-jah.

PRaise ye servants of Iehovah: praise ye the name of Iehovah. Blessed be the name of Iehovah, from this time, and for ever. From the rising of the Sunne, unto the going in of the same: praised be the name of Iehovah. Iehovah is high, above all nations. his glory is above the heavens. Who is like Iehovah our God, that lifteth himselfe high, to sit? That debaseth himselfe low to see, in the heavens, and in the earth. Hee raiseth the poore from the dust: he lifteth up the needy from the dung. To set him with bounteous Princes, with the bounteous Princes of his people. Hee maketh the barren of house to dwell, a joyfull mother of children; Halelu-jah.

Annotations. FRom this time] or, from now, henceforth. So Psa. 115. 18. and 121. 8. and 131. 3. Vers. 3. rising] that is, the east part of the world; as Psal. 103. 12. going in] or going downe, that is, the west, where the Sunne is said to goe in, as when it riseth, to come out, Gen. 19. 28. meaning by east and west, all the world over: so Mal. 1. 11. Vers. 5. lifteth high to sit] or, to dwell, that is, (as the Greeke explaineth it) dwelleth on high: and so after, seeth the things below. Vers. 7. from the dust] that is, from base estate, as 1 King. 16. 2. So after, from dung, as Lam. 4. 5. This speech is taken from 1. Sam [illegible: 1 span] Vers. 9. the barren of house] that is, the woman which never had children; as on the contrary, fruit full women are said to build their husbands houses, Ruth 4. 11. so house is used for children or [illegible: 1 span], Psal. 115. 10. 12. Exod. 1. 21. See also Psal. 68 7. The Scriptures apply this to the Church of the Gentiles; as, Rejoyce O barren that diddest not beare, &c. Esa. 54. 1. Gal. 4. 26, 27.

PSAL. CXIII.

VErſ. 1. Hallelujah] See Pſal. 111.1.

Praiſe, Oye ſervants of the Lord] None but ſuch can do it, or are fit for it; and for ſuch, praiſe is comely, Pſal. 147.1. as unthankfulneſs is an ugly ſin, but eſpecially in Miniſters, thoſe ſervants of the Lord, by a ſpecialty.

Praiſe the name of the Lord] Ter repetit, Trinitatem ſubindicando, ſaith One; Others note that by this threefold Praiſe ye, the Pſalmiſt taxeth mens dulneſs, and exciteth their diligence to this divine duty.

Verſ. 2. Bleſſed be the Name of the Lord] Praiſe him with utmoſt intenſion and extenſion of ſpirit and of ſpeech. God is therefore called by an appellative proper, The bleſſed One Baruc-bu, Mark. 14.61. Luke 1.68.

From this time, &c.] A nunc & uſque.

Verſ. 3. From the riſing of the Sun] i. e. All the world over, in all places and at all times. North and South are not mentioned (but included) becauſe not ſo well peopled.

Verſ. 4.Aug. The Lord is high, &c.] He looketh on the earth as on a Ant-hillock. All Nations to him are but as a drop of a bucket, Iſa. 40. Quantilla ergo es in istius gu[illegible: 2 letters]ae particula?

And his glory above the heavens] Theſe are as far beneath him in glory, as in ſituation. Angels underſtand him not fully.

Verſ. 5. Who is like, &c] See Pſal. 89.6. He Is imparallel.

Who dwelleth on high] Heb. Who exaheth to dwell. Oh that we could flye, a pitch any way proportionable by exalting his Name together, Pſal. 34.3.

Verſ. 6. Who humbleth himſelf] Lo, it is a condeſcention in God to vouchſafe to look one of himſelf upon the Saints and Angels, how much more upon us? Sith fin ſe[illegible: 1 letter]teth us [illegible: 1 letter]urt her beneath a worm, than a worm is beneath an Angel.

Verſ. 7. He raiſeth up the poor, &c.] David for inſtance, beſides many others; as Agathecles, [illegible: 1 word], Maximinianus, &c. whom he raiſed from the loweſt ſtair to the very higheſt ſtep of honour and opulency.

Verſ. 8. That he may ſet him with Princes] See 1 Sam. 2.8. Hannabs ſong, where of this ſeemeth to be an abridgement.

Verſ. 9. He [illegible: 1 word] the [illegible: 1 word] we man to keep houſe] Heb. To dwell in an houſe, that is, to have a houſe full of Children, and ſo to build her husbands houſe, Ruth 4.11. This is applyed to the Church (which is the theatre of the World, wherein God ſheweth his ſpeciall providence and power) Iſa. 54, 1. Gal. 4.26, 27.

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.

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.

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."

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.

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!"

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 1 Ti 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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."

Elevation to the peerage of heaven; or, the Royal Family increased.

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.

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.