Who is like Yahweh, our God, who has his seat on high,
Parallel Translations
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Who is like Yahweh, our God, who has his seat on high,
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Who is like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high,
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Who is like unto the LORD our God, that is enthroned on high,
Cross-references (10)
Passages linked to Psalms 113:5 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Psalms 89:6 For who in the skies can be compared to Yahweh? Who among the sons of the heavenly beings is like Yahweh,
- Isaiah 40:25 “To whom then will you liken me? Who is my equal?” says the Holy One.
- Jeremiah 10:6 There is no one like you, Yahweh. You are great, and your name is great in might.
- Deuteronomy 33:26 “There is no one like God, Jeshurun, who rides on the heavens for your help, in his excellency on the skies.
- Exodus 15:11 Who is like you, Yahweh, among the gods? Who is like you, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?
- Psalms 89:8 Yahweh, God of Armies, who is a mighty one, like you? Yah, your faithfulness is around you.
- Isaiah 40:18 To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to him?
- Psalms 35:10 All my bones shall say, “Yahweh, who is like you, who delivers the poor from him who is too strong for him; yes, the poor and the needy from him who robs him?”
- Psalms 103:19 Yahweh has established his throne in the heavens. His kingdom rules over all.
- Isaiah 16:5 A throne will be established in loving kindness. One will sit on it in truth, in the tent of David, judging, seeking justice, and swift to do righteousness.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
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John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain 5 Who is like unto Jehovah our God The…
5 Who is like unto Jehovah our God The prophet strengthens his position for the celebration of God’s praises, by contrasting the height of his glory and power with his unbounded goodness. Not that his goodness can be separated from his glory; but this distinction is made out of regard to men, who would not be able to endure his majesty, were he not kindly to humble himself, and gently and kindly draw us towards him. The amount is, that God’s dwelling above the heavens, at such a distance from us, does not prevent him from showing himself to be near at hand, and plainly providing for our welfare; and, in saying that God is exalted above the heavens, he magnifies his mercy towards men, whose condition is mean and despicable, and informs us that he might righteously hold even angels in contempt, were it not that, moved by paternal regard, he condescends to take them under his care. If in regard to angels he humble himself, what is to be said in regard to men, who, grovelling upon the earth, are altogether filthy? Is it asked, whether or not God fills heaven and earth? The answer is obvious. The words of the prophet simply mean, that God may trample the noblest of his creatures under his feet, or rather that, by reason of their infinite distance, he may entirely disregard them. In short, we must conclude that it is not from our proximity to him, but from his own free choice, that he condescends to make us the objects of his peculiar care.
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Psa 113:5 Who [is] like unto the LORD our…
Psa 113:5 Who [is] like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high,
Ver. 5. Who is like, &c.] See Psa 89:6. He is imparallel.
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Who dwelleth on high] Heb. Who exalteth to dwell. Oh that we could fly a pitch any way proportionable by exalting his name together, Psa 34:3.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain To wit, far above all heavens, as was now…
To wit, far above all heavens, as was now said, being exalted as in place, so in power and dignity, above all persons and things, visible and invisible.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain Who is like unto the Lord our God,.... Among…
Who is like unto the Lord our God,.... Among the gods of the nations, as Kimchi; or among the angels of heaven, or among any of the mighty monarchs on earth; there is none like him for the perfections of his nature, for his wisdom, power, truth, and faithfulness; for his holiness, justice, goodness, grace, and mercy; who is eternal, unchangeable, omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent; nor for the works of his hands, his works of creation, providence, and grace; none ever did the like: and what makes this reflection the more delightful to truly good men is, that this God is their God; and all this is true of our Immanuel, God with us; who is God over all, and the only Saviour and Redeemer; and there is none in heaven and earth like him, or to be desired besides him.
Who dwelleth on high? in the high and holy place, in the highest heaven, which is his throne; or "who exalteth himself to dwell" (s); so the Targum,
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"he exalteth his habitation to dwell,''
suitable to the dignity and the greatness of his majesty; as he is high and above all, so he has fixed his habitation in the highest heavens; as he is self-existent, he is self-exalted, and none can exalt him as himself; he is exalted above all blessing and praise; and if it is an exaltation of him to dwell in the highest heavens, what an exaltation will it be of the saints to dwell with him there, in those mansions in his house which Christ is gone to prepare for them! This clause may be applied to Christ, who, both previous to his humiliation, and after it, dwelt in the highest heavens with his Father, in his bosom, from whence he came down on earth, and whither he is gone again, and is highly exalted there.
(s) "sustollens se ad habitandum", Montanus; "qui se elevat", Pagninus.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 5. Who is like unto the Lord] Those…
Verse 5. Who is like unto the Lord] Those who are highly exalted are generally unapproachable; they are proud and overbearing; or so surrounded with magnificence and flatterers, that to them the poor have no access; but God, though infinitely exalted, humbleth himself to behold even heaven itself, and much more does he humble himself when he condescends to behold earth and her inhabitants; (Ps 113:6.) But so does he love his creatures that he rejoices over even the meanest of them to do them good.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Who is like unto the Lord our God? -…
Who is like unto the Lord our God? - Who can be compared with Yahweh our God? See the notes at Isa 40:17-25. The meaning is, that no creature - no idol - can be compared with Yahweh. The remark here has special reference to his attributes as immediately specified - his humbling himself to behold the things in heaven and in earth; his raising up the poor, etc. It is true “in general,” in regard to God, that no creature can be compared with him; it is true, in regard to each one of his attributes, that they are far above all created excellence.
Who dwelleth on high - Margin, “exalteth himself to dwell.” Literally, “The one making high to sit.” The language is applicable to one who is seated on a lofty throne. Compare Psa 8:1. He has his dwelling - his throne - his permanent seat - in the heavens: so high and exalted that it requires infinite condescension to look upon the earth, or even upon the heavens.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 5. Who dwelleth on high—Literally, who maketh high to…
5. Who dwelleth on high—Literally, who maketh high to sit; that is, who exalteth his throne, for the sitting is that of a king for judgment.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Who is like unto the Lord our God? (comp.…
Who is like unto the Lord our God? (comp. Psa_89:6 Isa_40:18, Isa_40:25) The highest created being does not approach within anything but an immeasurable distance of God. Who dwelleth on high; or, "who sitteth enthroned on high.
Likenesses to God.
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"Who is like unto the Lord our God?" The precise point here may be thus expressed: "Who as he combines majesty with condescension?" Both heaven and earth, glorious and wonderful though they are, are alike immeasurably below the majesty of God. The psalmist evidently has the idolatry in mind which seeks for suggestions of God"s figure either in heaven or in earth. No fitting ones can be found. They are all made things; and the maker is always grander than the things he makes. No manufactured article can ever do more than suggest something about the man who designed or made it; it can never give an adequate and complete impression of him. Think of the sun as the sublimest of all created things, but it is no more fitting to represent God, it is no more worthily a likeness of God, than the images, hideous or beautiful, which idolatry or paganism may design God absolutely refuses to permit any likeness to be made of him after anything in heaven, or earth, or under the earth. Nothing material must be permitted to limit our large, free, spiritual thought of him.
I LIKENESSES TO GOD IN THE HEAVENS. Men naturally look up into the heavens first, because that is the sphere of mystery, and that inspires awe and leads to adoration. It does so to the uncultured, but how much more it does to the cultured, who know that the seemingly little star Uranus is eighty times larger than the earth, Neptune a hundred and fifty times larger, Saturn more than seven hundred times larger, and Jupiter more than fourteen hundred times larger! The general sentiment of humanity has found in our sun the best likeness of God; but, though this should bring to men sublime ideas of grandeur, purity, and power, even the sun is unworthy to represent God.
II LIKENESSES TO GOD IN THE EARTH. The apostle regards it as a degrading descent, that men, unsatisfied with sun-figures, "changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things." It is an impressive proof of the uselessness of the material to represent the immaterial, that men who once look to the material for figures of God always tend to go lower and lower in the scale. Nowadays, though we are not likely to worship the sun or manufactured idols, there are still thoughtideals, thought-idols, which may be as unworthy to represent the eternal God as the images of our heathen brothers. R.T.
HOMILIES BY C. SHORT Vers. 5-8. The Divine nature and character.
"Who is like unto the Lord our God," etc.? The views we form of God"s nature and character are of the highest importance.
I GOD"S INCOMPARABLE MAJESTY. (See the fortieth chapter of Isaiah) But his moral greater than his physical greatness.
II GOD"S CONDESCENSION. "Humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth." Displays a deep and everlasting interest in the works of his hands.
1. Great men stoop to inferior things for the purposes of science. But God has a perfect knowledge of all things.
2. Men stoop to the wants and miseries of others, but do not relinquish their rank and station. But God in Christ came in the form of a servant. (Php_2:6-8)
3. Great men die for their country or their friends, but not for their enemies. "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners and enemies, Christ died for us.
III GOD"S REDEEMING COMPASSION.
1. Mans character as a sinner is described. He is called poor and needy. Poor and needy indeed! As a sinner, he has no real treasure, and not even any hope.
2. His misery is indicated. In the dust and on the dunghill a miserable outcast.
3. His glorious elevation by the redeeming love of God. (1Sa_2:8) He is translated to a seat with princes. "Who hath made us kings and priests unto God. S.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Charles H. Spurgeon 1885 · Public Domain Ver. 5. Who is like unto the LORD our…
Ver. 5. Who is like unto the LORD our God? The challenge will never be answered. None can be compared with him for an instant; Israel's God is without parallel; our own God in covenant stands alone, and none can be likened unto him. Even those whom he has made like himself in some respects are not like him in godhead, for his divine attributes are many of them incommunicable and inimitable. None of the metaphors and figures by which the Lord is set forth in the Scriptures can give us a complete idea of him; his full resemblance is borne by nothing in earth or in heaven. Only in Jesus is the Godhead seen, but he unhesitatingly declared "he that hath seen me hath seen the Father."
Who dwelleth on high. In the height of his abode none can be like him. His throne, his whole character, his person, his being, everything about him, is lofty, and infinitely majestic, so that none can be likened unto him. His serene mind abides in the most elevated condition, he is never dishonoured, nor does he stoop from the pure holiness and absolute perfection of his character. His saints are said to dwell on high, and in this they are the reflection of his glory; but as for himself, the height of his dwelling place surpasses thought, and he rises far above the most exalted of his glorified people.
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"Eternal Power! whose high abode
Becomes the grandeur of a God:
Infinite lengths beyond the bounds
Where stars revolve their little rounds."
"The lowest step around thy seat
Rises too high for Gabriel's feet;
In vain the tall archangel tries
To reach thine height with wondering eyes."
"Lord, what shall earth and ashes do?
We would adore our Maker too;
From sin and dust to thee we cry,
The Great, the Holy, and the High!"
Ver. 5. Who is like unto the LORD our God? It is the nature of love, that the one whom we love we prefer to all others, and we ask, Who is like my beloved? The world has not his like. Thus love thinks ever of one, who in many things is inferior to many others; for in human affairs the judgment of love is blind. But those who love the Lord their God, though they should glow with more ardent love for him, and should ask, Who is as the Lord our God? in this matter would not be mistaken, but would think altogether most correctly. For there is no being, either in heaven or in earth, who can be in any way likened unto the Lord God. Even love itself cannot conceive, think, speak concerning God whom we love as he really is. Wolfgang Musculus.
Ver. 5. Who is like unto the LORD our God, etc. Among the gods of the nations as Kimchi; or among the angels of heaven, or among any of the mighty monarchs on earth; there is none like him for the perfections of his nature, for his wisdom, power, truth, and faithfulness; for his holiness, justice, goodness, grace, and mercy. Who is eternal, unchangeable, omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent? Nor for the works of his hands, his works of creation, providence, and grace; none ever did the like. What makes this reflection the more delightful to truly good men is, that this God is their God; and all this is true of our Immanuel, God with us, who is God over all, and the only Saviour and Redeemer; and there is none in heaven and earth like him, or to be desired beside him. John Gill.
Ver. 5. The Lord our God who dwelleth on high. God is on high in respect of place or dwelling. It is true he is in the aerial and starry heaven by his essence and power; but the heaven of the blessed is his throne: not as if he were so confined to that place as to be excluded from others, for "the heaven of heavens cannot contain him"; but in respect of manifestation he is said to be there, because in that place he chiefly manifests his glory and goodness. In respect of his essence he is high indeed, inexpressibly high in excellency above all beings, not only in Abraham's phrase, "The High God, " but in David's, "The Lord most High." Alas! what are all created beings in respect of him, with all their excellences, but nothing and vanity? ...For these excellences are divers things in the creatures, but one in God; they are accidents in the creatures, but essence in God; they are in the creature with some alloy or other, they are like the moon when they shine brightest, yet are spots of imperfection to be found in them. In respect to measure, he is infinitely above them all. Alas, they possess some small drops in respect to the fountain, some poor glimmering rays in respect to this glorious sun: in a word, he is an infinite ocean of perfection, without either brink or bottom. Thomas Hedges, in a Sermon preached before the House of Commons, 1642.
Ver. 5. God is said not only to be on high, but to "dwell" on high; this intimates calm and composed operation, and it is proper for us to take this view of the character of God's administration. You recollect that in all ages unbelief has been in some respect rendered plausible by the delays of God in the accomplishment of his designs. So, in St. Peter's time, it would seem that because the apostles and preachers of Christianity had dwelt much on Christ's coming to judgment, they cried out, "Where is the promise of his coming, for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation?" What is the apostle's answer to this? His first answer, I grant, is, that all things have not continued as they were from the creation, for there was a flood of waters, and those who said, Where is the promise of his coming? in the days of Noah were at last answered by the bursting earth and the breaking heavens...That was his first answer; but his second answer contains the principle that, "One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." The Being who is from everlasting to everlasting is under no necessity to hurry his plans; therefore he hath fixed the times and the seasonsthey are all with him, and he dwelleth on high. Richard Watson, 1831.
Ver. 5-6. The philosophy of the world, even in the present day, has its elevated and magnificent views of the Divine Being; yet it would seem uniform, whether among the sages of the heathen world or among the philosophers of the present day, that the loftier their views are even of the Divine nature, the more they tend to distrust and unbelief; and that, just in proportion as they have thought nobly of God, so the impression has deepenedthat, with respect to individuals at least, they were not the subjects of His immediate care. The doctrine of a particular providence, and the doctrine of direct divine influence upon the heart of man, have by them always been considered absurd and fanatical. Now, when I turn to the sages of inspirationto the holy men of old, who thought and spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, I find quite a different resultthat in proportion to the views they had of the glory of God, so was their confidence and hope.
That two such opposite results should spring from the same order of thoughts with respect to the Divine Being, is a singular fact, which demands and deserves some enquiry. How is it that, among the men of the world, wise as they are, in proportion as they have had high and exalted views of God, those lofty ideas tend to distrust; while just in proportion as we are enlightened on the very same subjects by the Scriptures of truth, rightly and spiritually understood, that we as well as the authors of these sacred books, in proportion as we see the glory and the grandeur of God, are excited to a filial and comforting trust? There are two propositions in the text which human reason could never unite. Who dwelleth on high but yet he humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth. And the reason why the mere unassisted human faculties could never unite these two ideas is, that they could not, in the nature of things, be united, but by a third discovery, which must have come from God himself, and show the two in perfect harmonythe discovery that "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Richard Watson, 1831.
Ver. 5-6. The structure of this passage in the original is singular, and is thus stated and commented on by Bp. Lowth, in his 19th Praelection:
Who is like Jehovah our God?
Who dwelleth on high.
Who looketh below.
In heaven and in earth.
The latter member is to be divided, and assigned in its two divisions to the two former members; so that the sense may be, "who dwelleth on high in heaven, and looketh below on the things which are in earth." Richard Mant.
Ver. 5-6.
1. The greatness of God as viewed from below, ver. 5.
2. The condescension of God as viewed from above, ver. 6.
(a) In creation.
(b) In the Incarnation.
(c) In redemption. G. R.
Ver. 5-6. The unparalleled condescension of God.
1. None are so great, and therefore able to stoop so low.
2. None are so good, and therefore so willing to stoop.
3. None are so wise, and therefore so able to "behold" or know the needs of little things.
4. None are infinite, and therefore able to enter into minutiae and sympathize with the smallest grief: Infinity is seen in the minute as truly as in the immense.
Psalms 113:6*
Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain Who is like unto the Lord our God, who…
Psa_113:5-8
Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high?
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The greatness and goodness of God
I. His inconceivable greatness (verse 5).
1. The place of His habitation. With great propriety, heaven, and the heaven of heavens, though they cannot contain Gods essence, are represented to us as the place of His immediate abode; there His glory dwells. This heaven is called the high and the holy place. He dwelleth on high, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named.
2. His infinite superiority to the greatest of beings and the greatest of things. The purest and loftiest angel that stands in the presence of God is far removed beneath Him. How much more must He stoop, then, to behold the things that are done on the earth, things of the greatest interests--things that in our view swell into the mightiest importance.
II. His matchless goodness (Psa_113:6-8).
1. The ministrations of His providence.
2. The manifestations of His grace. Consider not only the general scheme of our recovery by grace Divine, through the humiliation, and suffering, and death, and burial of the Divine Redeemer, but consider the manner in which this salvation is applied by the sovereign and gracious operations of the Holy Spirit.
3. The revelations of eternity. Eye hath not seen, etc.
III. What practical lessons may we learn from the combined or associated display of the greatness and goodness of God.
1. Let it fix on our minds a deep sense of our own insignificance, meanness, and vileness.
2. Let it promote reverence in worship.
3. Let it nourish in our bosoms confidence towards God.
4. Let it scatter--
(1) Those doubts of scepticism, and those hesitations of infidelity which are too industriously spread amongst us at the present day. The minute observation which Gods providence takes of the affairs of men.
(2) The efficacy of believing prayer. (G. Clayton.)
Gods condescension in beholding the things in heaven and in earth
I. The unequalled majesty and glory of God.
1. He dwelleth on high. He is described as seated on a throne high and lifted up (Isa_6:1). The residence of His glory is in the heavenly world. From thence He beholds the whole universe, reigneth over it; and all creatures, and all worlds are under His government and control.
2. There is none like Him. It is impossible, in the nature of things, that there should be any more than one eternal, self-existent Being.
II. His great and amazing condescension.
1. It is great condescension in God to behold the things that are in heaven--the saints and angels; for they are creatures, and fall infinitely short of Him in perfection. They cannot by searching find out God, nor have they minds capacious enough to receive Him, Besides, their best services, though not sinful and polluted, are yet imperfect. They are not equal to His glory; for He is exalted above all blessing and praise.
2. It is greater and more wonderful condescension to behold the things on earth. They derive their being from the dust; dwell in houses of clay; at their best estate they are altogether vanity; will soon be laid in the grave and turned to corruption. They have lost their innocence and are become unclean; have lost their order and are become irregular. They often desire, judge, and act wrong; and there is not one that perfectly doeth good, no, not one. By the generality of men God is affronted, neglected, or forgotten. Even the worship and obedience of His saints, of the best of His saints, are imperfect and polluted. Who, then, is like to the Lord our God, that stoops to regard such creatures, and be so good to a world so full of vanity, sin, and pollution?
III. Application.
1. Learn to reverence this great and glorious Being, since He dwelleth on high, and there is none like Him.
2. Learn the odious nature of pride.
3. The condescension of God affords much comfort to His people.
4. How strongly should the condescension of God attract our hearts to Him, and make our gratitude and love to Him warm and constant.
5. Learn to imitate the condescension of God. To be friendly and affable to all, and stoop with a grace, is to be polite, to be a gentleman; yea, what is better, it is to be a Christian; to be so far like God. Condescension is not meanness. The very word implies dignity. As you owe more to God than others, for His bounty to you, show your gratitude this way. By kindness and condescension you will be esteemed and beloved; for before honour is humility; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. (Job Orton, D.D.)
The majesty and condescension of God
There are two propositions in the text which human reason could never unite. Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high?--but yet He humbleth Himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and that are in the earth. And the reason why the mere unassisted faculties of man could never unite these two ideas is, that they could not, in the nature of things, be united, but by the third discovery, which must come from God Himself, and show the other two in perfect harmony,--the discovery that God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, etc. There God and man met. And when we know this, and enter into the spirit of this great truth, then we know that there is a philanthropy, a love of man, in God; an intense, a boundless love even of creatures low and degraded as they are; then we wonder no longer how it is that He who exalteth Himself to dwell on high should humble Himself to behold, not only the things which are in heaven, but those also upon the earth.
I. God dwelleth on high.
1. This is a declaration of the Divine majesty, designed to rebuke that thoughtlessness which we are so apt to indulge, and to impress us with that reverence which is at once so becoming and so necessary.
2. This is a revelation of His power. Everything being subject to Him who is high above all, whose almighty power has hitherto controlled all things, and continues to control and regulate them, this revelation of the Divine power is made, that man--the man that trusts in God, and rests upon His almighty power--may be afraid of nothing; and that, when he has to believe any express promise which is made to him in the Word of God, whose accomplishment, to the man of the world, seems altogether impossible, he may say, Is any thing too hard for the Lord?
3. This is a revelation of His wisdom, of His infinite and arranging wisdom. It is connected with our comfort, as to individual life; connected with our confidence, as to Gods Church; and connected with all our views of Providence, as to the management and issues of the affairs of this world.
II. As is the majesty, so also is the mercy of our God (verse 7).
1. This condescension of God to things on earth respects, the regard which He has had for our race, for the race fallen indeed as it is, poor, and seated in the dust, and lying on the dunghill.
2. There is, no doubt, also, a reference in this to the respect which God pays even to the lower ranks of the race, seeing that He raiseth up the poor, and lifteth up the needy.
3. The text includes a reference, also, to the condescension of God in His relation to man in circumstances of trouble. His eye penetrates through the ranks of angels, and fixes upon a trembling, humble, contrite sinner.
4. The expressions of the text refer to our nature. Christ, who is the head, cannot be exalted without the members; and therefore Christs exaltation is the pattern of ours; His body, now incorruptible, the pattern of our body to be glorified; His stainless glorified spirit the pattern of ours, which is to be without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, pure as the light in which God dwells in the kingdom of heaven, the very place into which He has entered; this glory is to be the residence of His people for ever. (R. Watson.)
The extent of the Divine condescension
God, in addition to the bare faculty of dwelling on a multiplicity of objects at one and the same time, has this faculty in such wonderful perfection, that He can attend as fully, and provide as richly, and manifest all His attributes as illustriously, on every one of these objects, as if the rest had no existence, and no place whatever in His government or in His thoughts.
I. For the evidence of this position, we appeal, in the first place, to the personal history of each individual. His eye is upon every hour of my existence. His Spirit is intimately present with every thought of my heart. His inspiration gives birth to every purpose within me. His hand impresses a direction on every footstep of my goings. Every breath I inhale is drawn by an energy which God deals out to me. And what God is doing with me, He is doing with every individual.
2. But, secondly, were the mind of God so fatigued, and so occupied with the care of other worlds, as the objection presumes Him to be, should we not see some traces of neglect or of carelessness in His management of ours? Should we not behold, in many a field of observation, the evidence of its Master being overcrowded with the variety of His other engagements?
3. But, thirdly, it was the telescope, that, by piercing the obscurity which lies between us and distant worlds, put infidelity in possession of the argument against which we are now contending. But, about the time of its invention, another instrument was formed which laid open a scene no less wonderful, and rewarded the inquisitive spirit of man with a discovery which serves to neutralize the whole of this argument. This was the microscope. The one led me to see a system in every star. The other leads me to see a world in every atom. The one taught me that this mighty globe, with the whole burden of its people and of its countries, is but a grain of sand on the high field of immensity. The other teaches me that every grain of sand may harbour within it the tribes and the families of a busy population. They, therefore, who think that God will not put forth such a power, and such a goodness, and such a condescension in behalf of this world, as are ascribed to Him in the New Testament, because He has so many other worlds to attend to, think of Him as a man. They confine their view to the informations of the telescope, and forget altogether the informations of the other instruments. They only find room in their minds for His one attribute of a large and general superintendence; and keep out of their remembrance the equally impressive proofs we have for His other attribute, of a minute and multiplied attention to all that diversity of operations, where it is He that worketh all in all. And when I think that as one of the instruments of philosophy has heightened our every impression of the first of these attributes, so another instrument has no less heightened our impression of the second of them--then I can no longer resist the conclusion, that it would be a transgression of sound argument, as well as a daring of impiety, to draw a limit around the doings of this unsearchable God--and should a professed revelation from heaven tell me of an act of condescension in behalf of some separate world, so wonderful that angels desired to look into it, and the Eternal Son had to move from His seat of glory to carry it into accomplishment, all I ask is the evidence of such a revelation; for, let it tell me as much as it may of God letting Himself down for the benefit of one single province of His dominions, this is no more than what I see lying scattered, in numberless examples before me--and running through the whole line of my recollections--and meeting me in every walk of observation to which I can betake myself; and, now that the microscope has unveiled the wonders of another region, I see strewed around me, with a profusion which baffles my every attempt to comprehend it, the evidence that there is no one portion of the universe of God too minute for His notice, nor too humble for the visitations of His care. What a grandeur does it throw over every step in the redemption of a fallen world, to think of its being done by Him who unrobed Him of the glories of so wide a monarchy, and came to this humblest of its provinces, in the disguise of a servant, and took upon Him the form of our degraded species, and let Himself down to sorrows and to sufferings and to death for us! (T. Chalmers, D.D.)
The nature, possibility and truth of a particular providence
I. State the doctrine of a particular providence.
1. We must not expect that Gods particular providence would interpose, where our own endeavours are sufficient. For that would be to encourage sloth and idleness, instead of countenancing and supporting virtue. Nor ought we to expect to be relieved from difficulties and distresses, into which our own mismanagement and criminal conduct have plunged us.
2. We must not expect that Providence would so far consult our private interest, as to counterwork that of the whole.
3. We are not to expect that Providence upon our repeated requests would grant what we imagine a blessing; there being several things which we think to be blessings, that are not so upon the whole, or not so to us. And Providence is not like an over-indulgent parent, who destroys the future happiness of His children, by complying with their importunate petitions, and removing their present uneasiness.
4. Nor must we hope that Providence will prevent every calamity that may befall good men. All that the assertors of a particular providence contend for is that, if He does not think fit to prevent it, He will either support them under it, or rescue them from it; or make all things, at the last winding up of the drama, work together for good to them who love Him.
II. Having stated the doctrine of a particular providence, prove the possibility of it. We must distinguish between the grand and fundamental laws of nature, and those of an inferior and subordinate nature. The economy of Nature may be in a great measure unalterable, as to the grand and fundamental laws, by which the universe is steered: such are those respecting the revolution of the heavenly bodies, the succession of day and night, and the round of the seasons. But there are subordinate and inferior laws, which God may alter without any seeming or visible alteration. And to recede from them, under proper limitations, occasionally at the instance of particular persons, may be no detriment to the universe, and yet of great importance to them. Such are the laws relating to the course of infectious and pestilential vapours, the state of the atmosphere, etc.
III. Prove the truth and certainty of a particular providence.
1. That the Deity should not grant every particular good man what is really for his good upon the whole, and no ways inconsistent with that of the public, must either argue that He is unwilling or that He is unable to grant it. Infinite goodness cannot but be willing to communicate happiness to every individual, who is not wanting to himself, and infinite power cannot but be able to bring about whatever His goodness wills.
2. God will respect and treat every man agreeably to what he is, and therefore there can be no irrespective course of things.
3. Instinct is a proof that providence extends itself to every particular brute; instinct being the immediate energy of the Deity acting upon each of the brute creation. Now, if Providence condescends to regard every individual in the brute creation so far as to act constantly in it and upon it, shall He not much more extend His care to every particular person in the rational world, and adapt His dispensations to the necessities of each single person in it?
4. Those who admit a general providence, but deny a particular one, seem to forget that generals are nothing but a collection of particulars; they are nothing but the sum total of individuals. And consequently as generals include particulars, a general providence must imply a particular one.
5. The surprising discoveries of murder, the fall of the wicked into the pit which they made for others; the strange and judicial infatuation of men, wise at all other times, when some great event was to be brought about, which can only be resolved into His power, who maketh the knowledge of the wise foolish, and turneth their counsels backwards; the indiscretion of others succeeding, when well-concerted plots have failed; the disproportion of the visible means to the effect; these are so many arguments to prove a particular providence at the helm, who has a perfect view of all things, whether great or small, at all times, and in all places, with infinitely more ease, than we can attend to one thing at once.
IV. Reflections.
1. Let us learn from hence to form the most august ideas of the Divine nature of which ours is capable.
2. Instead of scaring yourself with melancholy views, let it be a matter of joy and comfort to you, that, amidst all the confusion and madness of the world, men cannot faster perplex and entangle things than God can unravel them; or embroil the world, than He can bring order out of confusion.
3. Let us never do anything to throw ourselves out of His protection. While we enjoy the light of the Divine countenance, we need not be dejected at the frowns of the whole world. For if God be for us, it will in a short time signify little or nothing who was against us: but if He be against us, what will it signify who was for us? (J. Seed.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 Who is like Yahweh our God ... at the…
Who is like Yahweh our God ... at the earth?
The writer asks this question to emphasize that there is no one like Yahweh. This rhetorical question may be translated as a statement. AT: "There is no one like Yahweh our God ... at the earth." (See: Rhetorical Question)
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who has his seat on high
"who is enthroned on high" or "who rules in the highest position"
translationWords
like
God
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 113:5-9 The incomparable Lord intimately involves himself in caring…
113:5-9 The incomparable Lord intimately involves himself in caring for people on earth.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.