Psalm 113

What’s Happening?

Psalms 113 through 117 are known as Hallel Psalms, because of how regularly they say, “Hallelujah!” These psalms were traditionally sung by Israel during the Passover feast every year. Passover celebrated how the highest God, who conquered the evil nation of Egypt and their gods, stooped to rescue a lowly people group out of slavery and make them his own people.

The collection begins in Psalm 113 with the marquee word, “Hallelujah,” which means “praise Yahweh” (Psalm 113:1). But “Hallelujah” is not only a declaration of praise from worshippers in Israel. It is a declaration made by the whole earth that praises Yahweh as the God above every god. Instead of each nation being ruled by its own local deities, Psalm 113 declares that every nation on earth and every power in heaven is ruled by Israel’s God, Yahweh (Psalm 113:3-4). 

Not only does Israel’s God rule every other national and spiritual power, he is unlike any other national or spiritual power. Though he sits enthroned above every power in the universe, he stoops lower than the most powerless to care for them (Psalm 113:5-6). He turns the poor into princes and the needy into nobles (Psalm 113:7-8). He does this by making the barren woman the mother of many (Psalm 113:9). Throughout Israel’s history, God has chosen the lowly, needy, and barren to bring about his nation and rule over the world. God stooped low to barren women like Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, and Hannah to raise up leaders, prophets, and princes for his people. 

The highest God stoops to the lowest places to fill everything in between with shouts of Hallelujah. When Israel sings “Hallelujah” as a nation, they are worshipping the God of the highest heavens who stooped low to save them. When Israel tells all nations to sing, “Hallelujah,” they are inviting all creation to praise the God who fills the highest glory of the heavens and the lowest dust of the earth. 

Where’s the Gospel?

The story of God stooping low to raise the poor from the dust has been the consistent story of the entire Bible. God raised Adam from the dust of the earth (Genesis 2:7). He raised Joseph from the pits of slavery (Genesis 41:41-45). He raised Israel out of Egyptian bondage. He raised up Israel’s leader, Samuel, from the barren womb of Hannah (1 Samuel 1:19-20). When Israel’s people were exiled from their land and scattered like dust across the nations, God raised them out of exile to bring them home (Ezra 1:1-5). The highest God above all gods always stoops low to raise the poor and needy from the dust. 

Ultimately, God stooped low when he came in the likeness of our dust in the person of Jesus. Even though Jesus was the praise of all heaven, he came to the lowest parts of the earth. He left the glory of heaven to fill the empty womb of Mary, and spent his life serving the poor and raising up the needy. Jesus lifted the crippled from the dust, the sick from their beds, and the dead from their graves (Mark 1:30-31; 2:10-12; John 11:43-44). And ultimately, Jesus himself went as low as the grave when he died. And he rose to bring the dead up from the dust and seat them with him like princes in the heavenly places above the rulers of heaven and earth (Ephesians 1:19-2:7). 

Because Jesus came to the lowliest of the earth and was raised to the highest of the heavens, he can fill all things with shouts of “Hallelujah!” The most needy of the earth can look to the exalted Jesus and cry, “Hallelujah” because he sees them and will seat them with him as princes and nobles (Revelation 3:21). The most remote nations and the most oppressed countries can sing “Hallelujah” because Jesus reigns over their oppressors and will rescue them. Even the childless and barren can shout “Hallelujah” for God will raise up children for them in his kingdom. 

One day, the whole earth and all the heavens will see the exalted Jesus once more stoop low to fill all creation with himself (Revelation 11:15). The glory of heaven will come down, and the dust of the earth will be raised up. The children of God will burst forth from the barren womb of the grave. All things will be filled with Jesus, and all creation will shout, “Hallelujah!”

See for Yourself

I pray that the Holy Spirit would open your eyes to see the God who rules above every earthly and heavenly power. And may you see Jesus as the one who stooped low to raise up the poor and needy to sit with him.