Psalms 113-118 are traditionally believed to have been sung during the Passover meal, serving as a commemoration of Israel’s deliverance from Egypt. In this context, Psalm 113 underscores the transformative power that God instills in the lives of all individuals. This particular Psalm, sung by Jesus prior to His crucifixion, signifies the ultimate transformation that God has enacted in the world. To contemplate what may have occupied the mind of Jesus while He sang this song during the meal that preceded the commencement of His sufferings and death for our sake can provide us with a renewed perspective on this Psalm.
Praising God Unceasingly
Praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD, you his servants;
praise the name of the LORD.
Let the name of the LORD be praised,
both now and forevermore.
From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets,
the name of the LORD is to be praised. – Psalm 113:1-3 (NIV)
The Psalmist calls upon the servants of God to offer praise to His name without ceasing. This serves as a source of encouragement for those who participate in the choir of the King’s palace. In contemporary contexts, the title “Servants of God” is often reserved for a select few, with others regarding themselves merely as devotees. However, in the New Testament era, every child of God is also His servant, rendering the exclusive attribution of this title to a limited group inaccurate. This misinterpretation creates a barrier between individuals and God, as certain people elevate themselves to a high pedestal, considering themselves anointed servants of God.
Continuous praise to God is essential, as He does not assign any other responsibilities to us. The rising and setting of the sun do not define daytime; rather, when the sun sets in one region, it rises in another, perpetuating an unceasing cycle of praise to God. Are we capable of fulfilling this straightforward task during our time on earth, or do we delegate it to a certain group while preoccupying ourselves with rituals that fail to please God?
God is Incomparable
The LORD is exalted over all the nations,
his glory above the heavens.
Who is like the LORD our God,
the One who sits enthroned on high,
who stoops down to look
on the heavens and the earth? – Psalms 113:4-6 (NIV)
We hold the conviction that God transcends our tribulations, and John reminds us that the God residing in our hearts is greater than all worldly matters (1 John 4:4). This comparative assertion is a misstep, as the LORD is sovereign over all that exists on this earth. Remarkably, the Psalmist positions God not only above the earth but also beyond the heavens. Furthermore, the author of the book of Hebrews emphasizes this truth by illustrating that the builder of a house is superior to the house itself (Hebrews 3:3-4).
In the same vein, the Creator of the universe surpasses all of His creations. When we perceive the image of God solely through the limitations of human understanding, we inadvertently diminish His sovereignty and begin to expect from Him trivialities akin to those we would anticipate from any mortal. It is for this reason that God, through His prophet Jeremiah, admonishes us not to place our trust in any man (Jeremiah 17:5).
God is so exalted that He has to stoop down to see the heaven and earth. This is His magnanimity that despite His greatness, He cares for us, who are just like insects in His sight. His act of stooping down makes us underestimate His greatness, and we equate Him with the devil. There is a misconception that Jesus, after coming to this earth in human form, fought with the devil for forty nights and forty days. The truth is, the devil did tempt Jesus on the fortieth day after He communed with His Father in heaven for forty days.
Moreover, the devil is not equal to God that He should fight with him, but Jesus fought the devil because he tried to make the people of God guilty of discerning an eternal death. For this reason, to liberate us from the indebtedness of the devil’s legal allegations against us, Jesus fought with the devil on the cross and stripped off all his deceptive nature in a public spectacle (Colossians 2:14-15). When we kill a mosquito that bites our child, we do not become equal to that mosquito. Likewise, equating God with the devil is inappropriate.
God Raised Us Up From the Realm of Death
He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the ash heap;
he seats them with princes,
with the princes of his people.
He settles the childless woman in her home
as a happy mother of children.
Praise the LORD. – Psalms 113:7-9 (NIV)
While inequality persists on this earth due to factors such as unemployment and the exclusive accumulation of wealth by the affluent, this Psalm offers encouragement to the marginalized by instilling the hope that God will provide them equal opportunities comparable to those enjoyed by salaried individuals and the wealthy, regardless of their limited capacity to compete with those who possess greater resources. God elevates individuals at the appropriate time, as He is the one who has positioned us in either low or high societal standings (Acts 17:26) and alters our circumstances according to His will.
This segment of the Psalm conveys an indelible truth that transcends our interpretations. God elevates the impoverished and destitute from the depths to exalted heights. In the context of the new covenant, this can be correlated with God’s transformative work within the life of the believer. Even in our state of spiritual undernourishment due to transgressions, God has granted us life in union with Christ, raising us to share in His glory and seating us together in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 2:5-6).
Across the globe, women who are unable to bear children are often regarded as cursed, as society tends to view womanhood primarily through the lens of childbearing. Even Paul, in an effort to guide women toward virtuous conduct, perpetuated this societal misconception by stating that they would be saved through motherhood (1 Timothy 2:15).
The spiritual barrenness experienced by individuals is metaphorically represented as a barren woman, who is subsequently blessed with children and a home, reflecting the notion that every individual possesses a designated place to dwell, enriched with spiritual blessings, as articulated by Jesus and documented in the Gospel of John (John 14:1).
Father God, we beseech You to assist us in relinquishing all notions that undermine Your sovereignty, and to cultivate an understanding of Your Excellency, that we may attain a measure of insight into Your greatness through the love You have graciously bestowed upon us.
The Jordan Valley 
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