Hallelujah--Praise the Lord

Psalm 113

What is God like? If you ask that question to children you’re bound to get a variety of answers:

One boy: God has big hands because the song says, 'He's got the whole world in His hands,'

One little girl: “God is loving. I imagine him to be very tall”

Another girl: “God is like a never-ending story that you want to read over and over again.”

Boy: “God is like the wind. You can't see him, but you know he's there because you can see what he does.”

Child: God is like an apple, Apples look good on the outside and on the inside

The question is a good question but it cannot be answered. God warns us:

Exodus 20:4 NASB95

4 “You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.

Isaiah 40:18–26 NASB95

18 To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare with Him? 19 As for the idol, a craftsman casts it, A goldsmith plates it with gold, And a silversmith fashions chains of silver. 20 He who is too impoverished for such an offering Selects a tree that does not rot; He seeks out for himself a skillful craftsman To prepare an idol that will not totter. 21 Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been declared to you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? 22 It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in. 23 He it is who reduces rulers to nothing, Who makes the judges of the earth meaningless. 24 Scarcely have they been planted, Scarcely have they been sown, Scarcely has their stock taken root in the earth, But He merely blows on them, and they wither, And the storm carries them away like stubble. 25 “To whom then will you liken Me That I would be his equal?” says the Holy One. 26 Lift up your eyes on high And see who has created these stars, The One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, Not one of them is missing.

On the one hand, God has revealed that there is nothing He can be compared to—He is absolutely unique. On the other hand, He reveals Himself in ways that we can relate to:

Psalm 98:1 NASB95

1 O sing to the Lord a new song, For He has done wonderful things, His right hand and His holy arm have gained the victory for Him.

Psalm 33:18 NASB95

18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who hope for His lovingkindness,

He is a good Father, and strong and mighty King…so there are realities about God that we can understand and relate to.

One thing God has revealed to us is His name. You ask, “well, what is God’s name?”

Exodus 3:10–15 LSB

10 “So now, come and I will send you to Pharaoh, and so you shall bring My people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?” 12 And He said, “Certainly I will be with you, and this shall be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God at this mountain.” 13 Then Moses said to God, “Behold, I am about to come to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ And they will say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?” 14 And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” 15 And God furthermore said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘Yahweh, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name from generation to generation.

YHWH

tetragrammaton

This is the name that Jews considered too holy to speak. Hebrew does not have written vowels so no one really knows for sure how to pronounce this name. KJV used the term Jehovah but that was the Latinized version (mispronunciation) of the word. But Yahweh is probably the best we can do. So God reveals that this is His name forever—a memorial name given to His people that should be remembered from generation to generation.

The best scholarship has had difficulty understanding the basic meaning of the name but it is surely related to the simple verb “to be” (I AM—Jesus in John’s Gospel). God told Moses to answer when Hebrews asked him who sent him, he was to respond “I AM sent me.”

As we’ve studied Genesis the past several months we’ve seen this name appear in the text and have understood it to be the personal, covenant, redeeming name of God and reveals Him in His relationship to those He has redeemed.

Sometimes this name is shortened to Yah—Isaiah (Yah Saves), Zechariah (Yah Remembers)—or as in Ps 113: Hallelujah. Yahweh translated in modern english version by LORD. So we have “praise the Lord.” This is 2 words in Heb: Hallelu Yah.

Ps 113-118 known as “Egyptian Hallel” sung by Jews at the time of Passover. 2 were sung before the meal (113-114) and 4 were sung following the meal (115-118—what Jesus sang [Mt 26:30; Mk 14:26]).

I. The Summons to Praise

1-3

Hallel—the root is a reference to the giving of light of stars. It means to be bright, shining, splendid and then to praise or exalt that which is the brightest, most shining. Specifically, we’re to praise the name of YHWH (LORD)…b/c it is blessed forever. The summons for believers is to praise, exalt, lift up the Lord…the one true Lord revealed to us in the NT to be LJC (Mt 22:32; Mk 12:26; Jn 8:58).

The peoples’ praise is to be ceaseless—never-ending (from the rising…)

II. The Sensibility of Praise

4-9b

2 reasons why it is sensible to praise YHWH:

A. He is the Most High

notice what He is exalted (lifted up—high) over:

All nations (not just the local, regional, gods of middle east)

Above heavens—over all creation itself—beyond our ability to grasp His fullness

Sits on His throne—can’t compare/no one higher—truly transcendent

Condescends—to look down upon the lowly and draw fallen men to Himself

B. He is Good

7-9b

Psalms, Volume 3: (Psalms 107–150): An Expositional Commentary The Downtrodden Looking Up

These two verses are picked up almost exactly from the song of Hannah in 1 Samuel 2:8. Hannah had been childless, had prayed for a son, and was given one by God. He became the prophet Samuel, and her song is a psalm of praise to God for his goodness in giving her the child. The verses are also echoed later at a higher level in Mary’s Magnificat in anticipation of the birth of her son, who was Jesus Christ (Luke 1:46–55).

God is good and caring. He bends down to lift the poor from undesirable circumstances. He elevates the humble to the seats of prominence. He cause the barren to rejoice b/c He comforts her and brings her joy.

III. The Summary of Praise

9c

Seeing yourself in relation to YHWH will bring forth the proper response. Spurgeon “Such verses as these should give great encouragement to those who are lowest in their own esteem.” All too often, we become entrenched by our own problems and have difficulty rising above them. This Ps is a reminder that in tough times, when trials are the greatest, our praise should be louder, more incessant.

Let the voice of the believer shout:

Hallelujah!