John Trapp
Psalm 113

Verse 1

Psalm 113:1 Praise ye the LORD. Praise, O ye servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD.

Hallelujah. See Psa. 111:1.

Praise, O ye servants of the Lord. None but such can do it, or are fit for it; and for such praise is comely (Psa. 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 men's dulness, and exciteth their diligence to this divine duty.

Verse 2

Psalm 113:2 Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and for evermore.

Blessed be the name of the Lord. Praise him with utmost intention and extension of spirit and of speech. God is therefore called, by an appellative proper, The Blessed One, Baruc-hu (Mark 14:61; Luke 1:68).

From this time, &c. A nunc et usque.

Verse 3

Psalm 113:3 From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD's name [is] to be praised.

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.

Verse 4

Psalm 113:4 The LORD [is] high above all nations, [and] his glory above the heavens.

The Lord is high, &c. He looketh on the earth as on an ant hill. All nations to him are but as a drop of a bucket (Isa. 40:15). Quantilla ergo es tu istius guttae particula? (Aug.).

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

Verse 5

Psalm 113:5 Who [is] like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high,

Who is like, &c. See Psa. 89:6. He is imparallel.

Who dwelleth on high. Heb. Who exalteth to dwell. Oh that we could fly a pitch any way proportionable by exalting his name together (Psa. 34:3).

Verse 6

Psalm 113:6 Who humbleth [himself] to behold [the things that are] in heaven, and in the earth!

Who humbleth himself. Lo, it is a condescension in God to vouchsafe to look out of himself upon the saints and angels, how much more upon us, since sin setteth us farther beneath a worm than a worm is beneath an angel!

Verse 7

Psalm 113:7 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, [and] lifteth the needy out of the dunghill;

He raiseth up the poor, &c. David, for instance, besides many others, as Agathocles, Numa, Maximinianus, &c., whom he raised from the lowest stair to the very highest step of honour and opulence.

Verse 8

Psalm 113:8 That he may set [him] with princes, [even] with the princes of his people.

That he may set him with princes. See 1 Sam. 2:8, Hannah's song, whereof this seemeth to be an abridgment.

Verse 9

Psalm 113:9 He maketh the barren woman to keep house, [and to be] a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD.

He maketh the barren woman to keep house. Heb. to dwell in a house, that is, to have a house full of children, and so to build her husband's house (Ruth 4:11). This is applied to the Church (which is the theatre of the world, wherein God showeth his special providence and power), (Isa. 54:1; Gal. 4:26-27).