Add parallel Print Page Options

The Lord Exalts the Humble.

113 [a]Praise the Lord! ([b]Hallelujah!)
Praise, O servants of the Lord,
Praise the name of the Lord.

Blessed be the name of the Lord
From this time forth and forever.

From the rising of the sun to its setting
The name of the Lord is to be praised [with awe-inspired reverence].

The Lord is high above all nations,
And His glory above the heavens.


Who is like the Lord our God,
Who is enthroned on high,

Who humbles Himself to regard
The heavens and the earth?(A)

He raises the poor out of the dust
And lifts the needy from the ash heap,

That He may seat them with princes,
With the princes of His people.

He makes the barren woman live in the house
As a joyful mother of children.
Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)

God’s Rescue of Israel from Egypt.

114 When Israel came out of Egypt,
The house of Jacob from a people of strange language,

Judah became His sanctuary,
And Israel His dominion.(B)


The [Red] Sea [c]looked and fled;
The Jordan turned back.(C)

The mountains leaped like rams,
The [little] hills, like lambs.

What ails you, O sea, that you flee?
O Jordan, that you turn back?

O mountains, that you leap like rams,
O [little] hills, like lambs?


Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord,
At the presence of the God of Jacob (Israel),

Who turned the rock into a pool of water,
The flint into a fountain of water.(D)

Pagan Idols Contrasted with the Lord.

115 Not to us, O Lord, not to us,
But to Your name give glory
Because of Your lovingkindness, because of Your truth and faithfulness.

Why should the nations say,
“Where, now, is their God?”

But our God is in heaven;
He does whatever He pleases.

The idols [of the nations] are silver and gold,
The work of man’s hands.

They have mouths, but they cannot speak;
They have eyes, but they cannot see;

They have ears, but they cannot hear;
They have noses, but they cannot smell;

They have hands, but they cannot feel;
They have feet, but they cannot walk;
Nor can they make a sound with their throats.

Those who make them will become like them,
Everyone who trusts in them.(E)


O Israel, trust and take refuge in the Lord! [Be confident in Him, cling to Him, rely on His word!]
He is their help and their shield.
10 
O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord;
He is their help and their shield.
11 
You who [reverently] fear the Lord, trust in Lord;
He is their help and their shield.
12 
The Lord has been mindful of us; He will bless,
He will bless the house of Israel;
He will bless the house of Aaron.
13 
He will bless those who fear and worship the Lord [with awe-inspired reverence and submissive wonder],
Both the small and the great.(F)
14 
May the Lord give you [great] increase,
You and your children.
15 
May you be blessed of the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.

16 
The heavens are the heavens of the Lord,
But the earth He has given to the children of men.
17 
The dead do not praise the Lord,
Nor do any who go down into silence;
18 
But as for us, we will bless and affectionately and gratefully praise the Lord
From this time forth and forever.
Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 113:1 It is said that Psalms 113-118 were ordained by the prophets and Torah scholars to be recited as a unit on special holy days. The unit was called the Hallel (Heb “Praise”).
  2. Psalm 113:1 According to Jewish tradition, one who had the office of Reader in a congregation would read the Psalms of the Hallel aloud, and when he came to a command to “Praise the Lord” (Heb Halelu Yah), it was the congregation’s duty to respond with “Hallelujah!”
  3. Psalm 114:3 Some of the ancient rabbis said that the sea saw God’s right hand placed on Moses. Others said that it saw God’s name (YHWH) engraved on Moses’ staff.

Bible Gateway Recommends