Who Is like the Lord Our God?

113Praise the Lord!

Praise, O servants of the Lord,
    praise the name of the Lord!

²                 Blessed be the name of the Lord
    from this time forth and forevermore!

³                 From the rising of the sun to its setting,
    the name of the Lord is to be praised!

⁴                 The Lord is high above all nations,
    and his glory above the heavens!

⁵                 Who is like the Lord our God,
    who is seated on high,

⁶                 who looks far down
    on the heavens and the earth?

⁷                 Heraises the poor from the dust
    and lifts the needy from the ash heap,

⁸                 to make them sit with princes,
    with the princes of his people.

⁹                 Hegives the barren woman a home,
    making her the joyous mother of children.
Praise the Lord!

 

Reflection

• Psalm 113 is the first of a collection of six psalms (Ps 113-118) used in the celebration of Passover. They affirmed God for raising up the oppressed (Ps 113), and for deliverance from Egypt (Ps 114). They offered the praise of the community (Ps 115), the individual (Ps 116), and all the nationals (Ps 117). The cycle concluded with an exultant shout of praise that looked forward to the coming Messiah (Ps 118).
• Passover was truly a season of praise. Each year, the Jewish people recalled all God had done for them as each Jewish family reenacted the supper held the night death struck Egypt and passed by the blood-marked homes of God’s own. At last Pharaoh agreed to release his slaves. Passover thus was a festival of freedom, a joyous celebration of God’s salvation.
• The God of Israel, who is exalted over all nations and whose glory is above the heavens, stooped down to raise “the poor from the dust”, and lift “the needy from the ash heap”. It is fitting to praise the Lord God.
• We Christians too have a Passover to celebrate. God in Christ became a man, and humbled himself to accept death, that we, who are marked with his blood through our faith, might be lifted up beyond princes, to stand before the very throne of God.
• Spend some time meditating on your own Passover experience. Offer a praise and thanksgiving to God and the Passover Lamb.

 

Prayer & Journaling:

Stay with God for a little longer. Continue to converse with God and listen to what he wants to tell me. Then write down any thought and/or prayer in the “Spiritual Journal” book.