Sermon Tone Analysis

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:

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:

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?”

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—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.

KJV used the term Jehovah but that was the Latinized version (mispronunciation) of the word.

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

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!