Jesus throughout the Scriptures: Psalms 6 (5)
Pray Psalm 113.1-3.
Praise the LORD!
Praise, O servants of the LORD,
Praise the name of the LORD!
Blessed be the name of the LORD
From this time forth and forevermore!
From the rising of the sun to its going down
The LORD’s name is to be praised.
Sing Psalm 113.1-3.
(Armageddon: Who Is On the Lord’s Side?)
Praise the LORD, O praise Him, all who know His Name!
From this day forever, magnify His fame!
From the time each morning when the sun is raised
to its evening waning, let His Name be praised!
Refrain vv. 1, 2
Praise the LORD, O praise Him, all who know His Name!
From this day forever, magnify His fame!
Read Psalm 113.1-9; meditate on verses 6-9.
Preparation
1. How is God’s exaltation described?
2. How do we see His mercy?
Meditation
The God Who dwells on high, Whose glory is beyond the heavens, Who rules all nations from His exalted throne—this God condescends to come into creation and time to show mercy. This is the work Jesus, the Word of God, came to do.
I cannot determine why, in verse 6, the NKJV and NASB translate הַֽמַּשְׁפִּילִ֥י, ha mashpili, as “humbles Himself”. The word clearly ends in a first-person pronominal suffix—“me”—and if that is the case, it should be translated “humbles me”, as in “Who humbles me to see into the heavens and the earth.”
Of course, it is true that God greatly condescends to observe and consider things, not merely on earth but in the heavens as well. All creation, even heaven itself, is beneath the eternal and holy dignity of God, Who dwells beyond time. So He, in effect, humbles Himself to consider the things of creation, whether in heaven or in the earth, and to come among them, as Jesus did, to reconcile the world, save His people, and establish His rule (Phil. 2.5-11).
But if the text reads “humbles me”, the meaning changes dramatically. For in this case, it says that God reveals things heavenly and of the earth to those He humbles, that they might receive and understand them. We can only understand spiritual matters and have true insight to the things of earth when God grants this to us by His Word. And He only grants this to those who are humbled before Him. When God shows us these things, we see Jesus, ruling in heaven and extending His mercy throughout the earth (vv. 7-9)—to us and every creature—and we are humbled further in love to serve Him according to His will.
And His mercy draws from us exuberant praise (vv.1, 9).
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162.
“Praise the LORD!
Praise, O servants of the LORD,
Praise the Name of the LORD.
Blessed be the Name of the LORD
From this time forth and forevermore” (Ps. 113.1, 2).
Jesus—
“For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things,
to Whom be glory forever. Amen” (Rom. 11.36).
Jesus—
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Jn. 3.16).
Jesus—
“I AM the resurrection and the life, he who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.
And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die” (Jn. 11.25, 26).
Jesus—
“I AM the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,
Who is and Who was and Who is to come, the Almighty” (Rev. 1.8).
Jesus—
“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the Name which is above every name, that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow…and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2.9-11).
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus;
There’s just something about that Name.
Master, Savior, Jesus,
Like the fragrance after the rain;
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,
Let all heaven and earth proclaim:
Kings and kingdoms will all pass away,
But there’s something about that Name.
(Bill and Gloria Gaither, 1970)
Jesus—
The King of Forgiveness, Redemption, Grace, Love, and Mercy.
That’s the something about His Name!
Reflection
1. Why do we need mercy and grace from King Jesus every day?
2. How would you explain God’s mercy to a friend who is not a believer?
3. Whom will you encourage today to seek mercy and grace for their time of need?
Who is like unto the Lord our God? How condescending in him to behold the things in the earth! And what amazing condescension was it for the Son of God to come from heaven to earth, and take our nature upon him, that he might seek and save those that were lost! How vast his love in taking upon him the nature of man, to ransom guilty souls! Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on Psalm 113
Pray Psalm 113.4-9.
The mighty and exalted God comes to visit you every day (Job 7.17, 18). Give Him praise and thanks for His mercy and grace. Call on Him to lift your soul, remind you that He has seated you in heavenly places (Eph. 2.6), and sends you into your Personal Mission Field as an ambassador of His love.
Sing Psalm 113.4-9 (1, 2).
(Armageddon: Who Is On the Lord’s Side?)
High above the nations, on Your glorious throne,
who is like You, Savior, ruling all You own?
Sovereign and all-knowing, over all above,
praise to You is owing for Your perfect love!
Refrain vv. 1, 2
Praise the LORD, O praise Him, all who know His Name!
From this day forever, magnify His fame!
Though You rule from heaven, looking down on earth,
praise and thanks be given to Your holy worth!
Down You reach to touch us, clad in ash and dust,
raising us with such as in Your favor trust.
Refrain
Seated now with princes ’round Your glorious throne,
we by grace are lifted to become Your own.
Barren women, joyous, glad in homes that bear,
joining in the chorus, they Your praise declare.
Refrain
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
For more teaching about the subject of this series, “Jesus throughout the Scriptures”, download our free ReVision study, “We Would See Jesus”, by clicking here.
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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
