Psalms 113King James Version

The first of the Egyptian Hallel psalms (113-118), used at Passover. Praise the name of the LORD from the rising of the sun to its going down. The LORD is high above all nations, his glory above the heavens. Who is like the LORD, who humbles himself to behold the things in heaven and earth? He raises the poor from the dust, the needy from the dunghill, to set them with princes. He makes the barren woman a joyful mother. Praise ye the LORD.

The incomparably exalted God humbles himself to notice and to act, and his action is always in the direction of those whom the world has placed in the dust.

verse: "He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill; That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people." The direction of divine attention is consistently downward.

No superscription. Opens the Egyptian Hallel (113-118). These six psalms were sung at all three pilgrimage feasts (Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles) and at Hanukkah. Jesus and his disciples sang the Hallel at the Last Supper (Matt 26:30). The contrast between divine transcendence (v4-6) and divine condescension (v7-9) is the psalm's theological pivot.

The servants of the LORD addressed; God who dwells on high but humbles himself to see; the poor and needy lifted from dust and dunghill; the barren woman made a joyful mother.

Psalm 113 is the first of the six Egyptian Hallel psalms (113-118), sung at Passover before and after the meal. Mary's Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55) directly echoes this psalm: 'He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.' The raising of the poor to sit with princes anticipates the reversal at the heart of the gospel.

For when you are in the dust and you need to know the direction that the highest God moves. The psalm says: downward, toward you.