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[1] Chapter 7 of the Westminster Confession of Faith cites Psalm 113 as a proof text when
discussing the transcendence of God and His voluntary condescension when He
entered into covenant with man, The distance between God and the creature is so great, that although
reasonable creatures do owe obedience unto Him as their Creator, yet they
could never have any fruition of Him as their blessedness and reward, but by
some voluntary condescension on God’s part, which He hath been pleased to
express by way of covenant. (Isa. 40:13–17, Job 9:32–33, 1 Sam. 2:25, Psalm
113:5–6, Psalm 100:2–3, Job 22:2–3, Job 35:7–8, Luke 17:10, Acts
17:24–25) (paragraph 1). Had it not been for God humbling Himself, we would not have known about
His greatness in creation or redemption; God’s humility is the basis for our
knowing His greatness – “Allah
Akbar!” |
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[2] The Hebrew word “poor” (dal) appears 6 times in the Psalms (41:1; 72:13; 82:3,4; 113:7; 141:3). |
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[3]
The Hebrew word ebyon (needy) appears 23 times in the Psalms, most
often in Psalms of Lament. (J. David Pleins, “Poor, Poverty: Old Testament”; The
Anchor Bible Dictionary; 5:402). |
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[4] What a great proof that God “enthrones” the barren woman seeing that the Spirit has included a portion of Hannah’s song in this Psalm, “He raises the poor from the dust, He lifts the needy from the ash heap To make them sit with nobles…” (1 Samuel 2:8)? |
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[5] “The meaning is, that the woman who was formerly barren is blessed with fruitfulness, and fills the house with children. He attributes joy to mothers, because, though the hearts of all are prone to aspire after wealth, or honor, or pleasures, or any other advantages, yet is progeny preferred to every thing else. Wherefore, since God superintends the ordinary course of nature, alters the current of events, elevates those of abject condition and ignoble extraction, and makes the barren woman fruitful, our insensibility is very culpable, if we do not attentively contemplate the works of his hand” (John Calvin, Calvin's Commentaries: Psalms, Psalm 113:9). |
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[6] YAH, a contracted form of Yahweh, occurs 50x in the Hebrew Scriptures, 43 of which are in the Psalms. 26 of the 43 occurrences of “YAH” in the Psalms are in connection with the Hebrew word for praise – Hallelujah! Hallelujah occurs only in the Psalms and only at the beginning and/or end of a Psalm (see also Revelation 19:1,3,4,6). It typically occurs in Psalm units: 104-106 [concluding Psalms of Book IV]; 111-118 [Psalms 113-118, sometimes called the “Egyptian Hallel”]; 120-136; 146-150 [concluding Psalms of Book V. These units are sometimes referred to as Hallel (Hebrew for praise) Psalms. To hear the Hallel listen to New Song. |
