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In this week’s study from Tehillim / Psalms 113:1-9, the Psalm opens saying, א הַלְלוּיָהּ | הַלְלוּ עַבְדֵי יְהֹוָה הַלְלוּ אֶת-שֵׁם יְהֹוָה: 113:1 Praise the Lord! Praise, O servants of the Lord, Praise the name of the Lord. (NASB) How many reasons can you think of to praise the Lord as the Psalm opens calling us to do? How many ways can you think of that would give praise to the Lord God our Father in heaven? The psalmist continues saying, ב יְהִי שֵׁם יְהֹוָה מְבֹרָךְ מֵעַתָּה וְעַד-עוֹלָם: ג מִמִּזְרַח-שֶׁמֶשׁ עַד-מְבוֹאוֹ מְהֻלָּל שֵׁם יְהֹוָה: 113:2 Blessed be the name of the Lord From this time forth and forever. 113:3 From the rising of the sun to its setting The name of the Lord is to be praised. (NASB) The psalmist says that the name of the Lord is blessed for all time. What does it mean that “the name of the Lord is blessed?” The statement “from the rising of the sun to its setting” is a reference to the nature of our lives, from when we get up until we lay down, we seek to praise His name. This is paralleled to the way in which we are to live our lives according to His word. The psalm states, ד רָם עַל-כָּל-גּוֹיִם | יְהֹוָה עַל הַשָּׁמַיִם כְּבוֹדוֹ: ה מִי כַּיהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ הַמַּגְבִּיהִי לָשָׁבֶת: 113:4 The Lord is high above all nations; His glory is above the heavens. 113:5 Who is like the Lord our God, Who is enthroned on high, (NASB) Israel is said to be set apart as separate according to Parashat Balak in the prophecy of Bilam. The Lord states something about Israel that distinguishes His people from the nations. In a similar way, the Psalmist states that the Lord is high above all the nations, meaning that His glory is above even the heavens. Read more here: Tehillim 113-Part1
