Praise the Name of the Lord!
Psalms 113-118 are called the “Hallel” (praise) psalms and were commonly read and sung during the great Jewish festivals. The psalmist in Psalm 113 calls upon the “servants of the Lord” to praise God’s name. This psalm can be divided into three parts: Praise the Great Name of God (1-3), Praise the Great Majesty of God (4-6), and Praise the Great Mercy of God (7-9).
The psalmist begins with a call to all believers to praise the name of the Lord. His name is the sum of his reputation in this world (2). He should be praised all over the world, from east to west (3). All believers all called to enrich His reputation through their witness in this word.
The psalmist calls believers to praise the Lord for His great majesty. He is unparalleled in His greatness over all the nations of the earth (4). There is none like the Lord, who rules sovereignly on high (5). Yet, He is not so transcendent that He does not care about His people and providentially work for their good (6). For believers of all time God is both transcendent (holy and independent of His creation), and immanent (present and active in creation), full of love for His people.
The psalmist call believers to praise the Lord because of His great mercy. God helps His people, even in dire circumstances, and delights in exalting them (7-8). The Lord also shows His mercy to faithful women (9). This can be seen throughout Scripture (Sarah, Rebekah, Samson’s mother, Hannah, Elizabeth, etc…). All believers can know for sure that God knows their individual situations and care for them. Praise the Lord!