Calvary Road Baptist Church
“THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE HALLEL”
Psalm 113
Matthew 26.30 reads,
“And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.”
Mark 14.26 reads,
“And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.”
We do not always take note of this hymn singing episode that night before our Lord was betrayed, but Matthew Henry remarks in connection with this,
They sang a hymn or psalm; whether the psalms which the Jews usually sang at the close of the passover-supper, which they called the great hallel, that is, Psalm 113 and the five that follow it, or whether some new hymn more closely adapted to the occasion, is uncertain; I rather think the former; had it been new, John would not have omitted to record it. Note,
- Singing of psalms is a gospel-ordinance. Christ’s removing the hymn from the close of the passover to the close of the Lord’s supper, plainly intimates that he intended that ordinance should continue in his church, that, as it had not its birth with the ceremonial law, so it should not die with it.
- It is very proper after the Lord’s supper, as an expression of our joy in God through Jesus Christ, and a thankful acknowledgment of that great love wherewith God has loved us in him.
- It is not unseasonable, no, not in times of sorrow and suffering; the disciples were in sorrow, and Christ was entering upon his sufferings, and yet they could sing a hymn together. Our spiritual joy should not be interrupted by outward afflictions.
When this was done, they went out into the mount of Olives. He would not stay in the house to be apprehended, lest he should bring the master of the house into trouble; nor would he stay in the city, lest it should occasion an uproar; but he retired into the adjacent country, the mount of Olives, the same mount that David in his distress went up the ascent of, weeping, 2Sa 15:30. They had the benefit of moon-light for this walk, for the passover was always at the full moon. Note, After we have received the Lord’s supper, it is good for us to retire for prayer and meditation, and to be alone with God.[1]
Therefore, it is with certainty that we maintain the Lord Jesus Christ and His eleven remaining apostles sang hymns in the Upper Room and as they walked toward the Garden of Gethsemane. The traditionally sung hymns Psalms 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, and 118.
Would they have sung those psalms more than once that evening? Why not? While every other observant Jew in Jerusalem also sang those same psalms, who else sang those psalms against the backdrop of Christ’s passion and impending crucifixion?
I propose that we do that after a fashion, that we treat each of these six Hallel psalms in turn and consider them against the backdrop of the Lord Jesus Christ’s impending crucifixion. With that setting in mind, placing yourself in the Upper Room and later, during the Lord and His men walking to the Garden of Gethsemane while they talked and almost certainly sang, let us read Psalm 113:
1 Praise ye the LORD. Praise, O ye servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD.
2 Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and for evermore.
3 From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD’s name is to be praised.
4 The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens.
5 Who is like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high,
6 Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!
7 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill;
8 That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people.
9 He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD.
Remember that the Psalms are poetry, like Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon (known also as the Canticles). Unlike English poetry, Hebrew poetry never rhymes. Hebrew poetry frequently features different kinds of parallelisms.[2] Some of the psalms are called an acrostic, with each line in Hebrew beginning with a subsequent letter of the Hebrew alphabet, Psalm 119 being a complete example.
What the Savior did when He was heavy-hearted in anticipation of the brutality of His sacrifice we should purpose to do when we confront tragedy, disappointment, heartache, sorrow, and challenges. Psalm 113 is the first of six psalms that are commonly called “the ‘Egyptian Hallel’ (‘hallel’ meaning praise in Hebrew). These psalms were traditionally sung during the high holy days of our Lord’s time on earth.
Since most spiritual behavior is planned, I recommend you reflect and purposefully do what the Lord Jesus Christ did that night. It was fitting for Him to give voice to these psalms and lead His men to give voice to them, so it is probably best that you consider giving voice to them.
The entire 113th Psalm being a praise psalm, we consider the psalm of praise in two parts:
First, THE CALL TO PRAISE
1 Praise ye the LORD. Praise, O ye servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD.
2 Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and for evermore.
3 From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD’s name is to be praised.
There are five observations worth noting in verses 1-3:
The opening phrase of the psalm reads, “Praise ye the LORD.” The phrase translates two Hebrew words, giving us the transliteration, Hallelujah. The word hallelu is an imperative verb directing the reader to praise, and the word Yah is the shortened name of God, Yahweh.[3] The psalm begins and ends with the same two words, “Praise ye the LORD.” Therefore, we can expect that between the first directive to “Praise ye the LORD” and the final directive to “Praise ye the LORD,” a considerable amount is to be discovered about what it is to “Praise ye the LORD.” The question to ask, of course, is what is meant by the Hebrew directive to praise? At its most basic, it expresses the instruction to be boastful, shout, and cry aloud, especially in worship.[4]
The second phrase in verse one specifies who is to praise the LORD:
“Praise, O ye servants of the LORD.”
This is not a psalm that focuses on the Jewish priesthood or members of the tribe of Levi tasked with ministry in and around the Temple. This phrase, and therefore this psalm, speaks to anyone and everyone whose relationship with the LORD is a relationship of service. If you are one of His servants, you are directed to praise Him! Can we pause for a moment to reflect on something many seem to overlook these days? Is it possible, which is to say is it conceivable, for a creature to have a relationship with the Creator that is not a relationship of service? Many imagine themselves Christians but have no concept of what a relationship with God must be. Creator / creature. Infinite / finite. Omnipotent / impotent. Sovereign / subject. Can such a relationship be rightly imagined as not a relationship of service? I cannot imagine it.
The who question answered, we turn our attention to what:
“praise the name of the LORD.”
I spent time last Sunday informing you about the significance of one’s name in the Jewish culture of that era, so I advise you to refresh your memory by reading or listening to that message once more.[5] This phrase is a directive to give voice to your adoration of everything about the God of Israel. Nothing about the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is not worthy of praise, whose attributes and works are notable and appropriate to brag about and point out to others. Therefore, do that.
Verse 2 provides direction about God’s praise throughout eternity:
“Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and for evermore.”
We have a fix on the concept of name. And we recognize that praise has to do with voicing your admiration. Thus, we are directed to voice our admiration for all aspects of God, His person, His personality, and His divine attributes and deeds. What is to be said about “blessed”? First, note that this word is an imperfect participle, meaning it is an ongoing activity. But what kind of activity? If the word praise has to do with giving voice, to proclaiming, blessed has to do with the attitude by which you give voice and proclaim. The Hebrew word bless is associated with being on your knees before God, an ongoing posture of humility. So, if we already know we are to give voice to bragging about God and His virtues and deeds, this is where we learn about the continuing attitude that is appropriate when we do that. How about when we do that? “from this time forth and forever.” Have you not yet praised God with a right attitude, rehearsing to yourself and everyone else His works, attitudes, qualities, and divine perfections? Begin to do so now, and continue exhibiting that correct attitude and activity
“from this time forth and for evermore.”
Our call to praise concludes with verse 3:
“From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD’s name is to be praised.”
Verse 1 begins, “Praise ye the LORD.” The second phrase specifies who is to praise the LORD. And the final phrase of verse 1 informs the content of our expressions of praise. Verse 2 reveals the attitude associated with our eternal activity of praising the LORD. And verse 3 sheds light on our daily responsibility as servants of the LORD to praise His name:
“From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same.”
When you wake up in the morning, praise His name. As you are dressing for the day, praise His name. Praise His name when you take your breakfast meal and drink your coffee. As you read God’s Word and pray, praise His name. As you drive to work, praise His name. And on it goes throughout the rest of your day until you pillow your head at night. This is our portion as servants of the LORD. This is our privilege. And, in time, it can become our passion. Can a person do this while working or going to school? We most certainly can. We most certainly should.
After Our Call To Praise Comes OUR CAUSE TO PRAISE
4 The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens.
5 Who is like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high,
6 Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!
7 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill;
8 That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people.
9 He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD.
God always has reasons for what He does and calls us to do. Sometimes He tells us what those reasons are. In verses 4-9, He provides some of the reasons why we should praise His name:
In verses 4 and 5, we are reminded to praise Him because the LORD is above us all:
4 The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens.
5 Who is like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high,
The Gentile nations imagine their superiority and accomplishments. They convince themselves that wealth and military might, or sophistication and culture, means something, but
“The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens.”
In one part of the world, for a time, it was the Incas. To the north of them, for a time, it was the Mayans. A bit farther to the north, for a time, it was the Aztecs. Across the ocean, they were the Portuguese, the Spaniards, the French, and the British. To the near east, they were Turks and Persians. To the north, they were Russians, and before them, the Mongols. To the far east, it was the Chinese.
In Old Testament times, it was the Egyptians, the Hittites, the Babylonians, the Assyrians, the Greeks, and the Romans. Centuries after this psalm was penned, the most powerful ruler in all the world would be shown reality. I read the experiences of Nebuchanezzar, ending in his own words:
29 At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon.
30 The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?
31 While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee.
32 And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
33 The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws.
34 And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:
35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?
36 At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me.
37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.[6]
But while God reigns over all, He is also in the midst of His people, as verses 6-9 show:
6 Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!
7 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill;
8 That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people.
9 He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD.
Verse 6 makes mention of the humility of God. The Hebrew word translated “humbleth himself to behold” is literally “he who maketh low to look.”[7] The point that is being made is that God is so lofty, so high and lifted up, that, using poetic language, He must, in a sense, lower Himself to look at the things of heaven and earth. Imagine, then, the incarnate Son of God who so humbled Himself that He sang this psalm with His men that night on His way to the cross!
“he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”[8]
Verses 7 and 8 turn the reader from what God has Himself done to what He does for others:
7 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill;
8 That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people.
I think of the harlot named Rahab, the Moabitess named Ruth, the Jewish orphan named Esther, the woman at the well in John chapter four, and the woman caught in the act of adultery in John chapter eight. God’s rescue of those women from their enslavement to sin was more important than their social status. This is the spiritual experience of every sinner who becomes a child of God. Still, I am also reminded of Joseph being lifted from the pit his brothers cast him into and the prison he was in, to being raised by God as the second only to Pharaoh.
God does not always raise the poor from the dust of poverty. And He does not always lift the needy out of the dunghill, as we learn from the life of poor Lazarus. But He certainly can set His own among princes, as He has in the past. And He has made barren women to keep house and to be a joyful mother of children.
While we do not know precisely what the Lord Jesus Christ and His eleven men were thinking about in the Upper Room and as they talked and walked toward the Garden of Gethsemane, we can be confident the Savior’s mind and heart were upon His impending sacrifice for our sins. That He was experiencing ever-increasing sorrow in anticipation of His burden of our sins weighing Him down before He gave up the ghost to atone for our sins cannot be doubted. Yet, He sang. And this psalm was among those He sang.
The eleven men with Him were confused, distraught, and filled with dread. The Lord had told them that He was leaving them, and they could not depart with Him. Yet, they, too, sang this and other psalms.
The lesson through this? Among others, there is a pattern of behavior we need to take note of and put into practice in our own lives. Sorrow, pain, anticipated suffering, distractions, and all the rest should not be allowed to prevent us from praising the LORD.
Whatever you are dealing with in your life, it must not be allowed to displace from you the obligation, the duty, the privilege, the opportunity, the necessity, and the pattern and template for others to follow who are watching you, to praise the LORD.
This psalm, which the Lord Jesus and His faithful apostles certainly sang that night, begins and ends with the command, “Praise ye the LORD.” Whatever you are going through, “Praise ye the LORD.” To properly praise Him, you must have a relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. But because of Who He is and what He is, as well as what He has done, “Praise ye the LORD.”
That is what Hallelujah actually means. It is a command. It is a demand. It is a privilege. It is a responsibility. It is an antidote. It is a help. And it is fitting.
Purpose to praise God because of God, not for anything about you.
__________
[1] Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary On The Whole Bible, (Bronson, MI: Online Publishing, Inc., 2002), bible@mail.com
[2] Some important parallelisms are 1) synonymous (Psalm 2.1), 2) antithetic (Psalm 1.6), 3) climactic (Psalm 29.1-2), and 4) chiastic (Psalm 1.2).
[3] John Joseph Owens, Analytical Key to the Old Testament, Volume 3, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1991), page 464.
[4] Francis Brown, S. R. Driver & Charles A. Briggs, The New Brown-Driver-Briggs-Gesenius Hebrew And English Lexicon, (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1979), page 237-238.
[5] The manuscript is located at https://www.calvaryroadbaptist.church/sermon.php?sermonDate=20220522a and the YouTube video is at https://youtu.be/dkh0LPEHkpw
[6] Daniel 4.29-37
[7] Brown, page 1050.
[8] Philippians 2.8
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