Psalm 113:7-9 – “Glory”

As always, here’s my fairly literal translation of these verses:

⁷Raising [the] poor from the dust, He raises [the] needy from the dung pile,

⁸to make [him] dwell with nobles, with the nobles of his people,

⁹making [the] barren [woman] to dwell [in] the house, the mother of the sons,

    joyful.

Praise the LORD.

There are a few more observations I’d like to record before I leave Psalm 113 and go back to my study of James.

First of all, as I read these three last verses over and over, about how the Lord stoops down to redeem people, it occurs to me that is exactly who we should be. A Redeemer is the very essence of who God is. It is His glory that He looks down from Heaven, even stoops down, sees the horrific mess we are and, rather than just destroying us all, seeks to redeem us. And His children should be like Him!

That was in part the message of Psalm 111 and 112 – 111 being about who God is and 112 about who His people are, which is like Him. In 111:4, He is “gracious and compassionate.” In 112:4, His people are “gracious and compassionate and righteous.” In 111:5, He “provides food for those who fear Him.” In 112:9, the godly man “has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor.” What Paul would say in II Cor 3:18 is true, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory …” Once again, that is precisely why “Mary has chosen the better part,” – because it is in beholding the face of the Lord that we are changed into His glory. As we see Him in His amazing grace, the very seeing transforms our hearts and makes us new.

Such is the case before us in Psalm 113. How could we read what a redeeming God He is, how could we contemplate how Jesus stepped down out of Heaven to redeem us from the mess of who we are, how much God cares about people in their distress, and not be moved to say, “Lord, I want to be like You. Help me today to be a redeemer. Help me to see people, not for the mess they are, but for the glory that could be theirs if somehow they could but know You too. Jesus help me to genuinely love people – like You do. When I face the ‘difficult’ situations of my day, where perhaps people are just plain being bad, or treating me badly, or ‘failing’ in a thousand different ways, give me a heart that longs to redeem them, to somehow love the person, to lift them from who they are to who they really should be. Help me remember who You are … and make me like You.”

Another thing that jumps off the page at me is to notice that, in 111 we see how great God is, how “Great are the works of the Lord,” then in 112 we see that psalm start with a statement how blessed are those who follow Him. And what is the first blessing mentioned? See 112:2 – “his children.” And where does 113 end? In v9, with “a happy mother of children.” Isn’t it interesting that this exalted discussion of the High God and His blessings begins and ends with children? Isn’t it interesting that it begins with a father and his children and ends with a mother and her children? God knows the family is the very cradle of civilization itself. God knows “the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.”

I could go on and on with this point but I fear that, in our ungodliness as a nation, one of the things we have lost sight of is the unfathomable blessing of children. The blessing of children, the importance of family, is what every church should heavily emphasize, what every government statement and program should encourage. The very best thing we can all do for each other is foster a culture that encourages young parents to have lots of children and make their love and training of paramount importance. “Blessing” in this world begins and ends with children – and may an old man add, grandchildren! I love how even the prophet Malachi would have us know that when real revival happens, when a people’s hearts are turned to the Lord, what will we see happen? We’ll see the Lord “turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and children to their fathers.” May He grant in His mercy that America might turn again to Him and bless our children!

I think I could keep looking back over these three amazing psalms and find more and more praises, more and more of His wonders, but, alas, as always, I need to say good-bye to my good friends, and head back to my study of James.

This study of Psalm 111, 112, and 113 has been like a visit to Heaven itself. I feel I have seen the face of God in many ways like never before. I fear it will all have too little effect on me. But I must entrust myself to Grace and be confident He who began a good work will continue. I pray the glimpses I have seen of Him will in fact change me forever. Soli Deo Gloria!