He raises up the poor out of the dust. Lifts up the needy from the ash heap,
Parallel Translations
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He raises up the poor out of the dust. Lifts up the needy from the ash heap,
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He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill;
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Who raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the needy out of the dunghill;
Cross-references (19)
Passages linked to Psalms 113:7 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- 1 Samuel 2:7-8 Yahweh makes poor and makes rich. He brings low, he also lifts up. He raises up the poor out of the dust. He lifts up the needy from the dunghill to make them sit with princes and inherit the throne of glory. For the pillars of the earth are Yahweh’s. He has set the world on them.
- Luke 1:52-53 He has put down princes from their thrones, and has exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things. He has sent the rich away empty.
- Psalms 107:41 Yet he lifts the needy out of their affliction, and increases their families like a flock.
- Job 5:11 so that he sets up on high those who are low, those who mourn are exalted to safety.
- 2 Samuel 7:8-9 Now therefore tell my servant David this, ‘Yahweh of Armies says, “I took you from the sheep pen, from following the sheep, to be prince over my people, over Israel. I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you. I will make you a great name, like the name of the great ones who are in the earth.
- Ezekiel 17:24 All the trees of the field will know that I, Yahweh, have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree flourish. “ ‘I, Yahweh, have spoken and have done it.’ ”
- Daniel 12:2-3 Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will shine as the brightness of the expanse. Those who turn many to righteousness will shine as the stars forever and ever.
- Psalms 75:6-7 For neither from the east, nor from the west, nor yet from the south, comes exaltation. But God is the judge. He puts down one, and lifts up another.
- Job 5:15-16 But he saves from the sword of their mouth, even the needy from the hand of the mighty. So the poor has hope, and injustice shuts her mouth.
- Job 36:6-7 He doesn’t preserve the life of the wicked, but gives justice to the afflicted. He doesn’t withdraw his eyes from the righteous, but with kings on the throne, he sets them forever, and they are exalted.
- Isaiah 26:19 Your dead shall live. My dead bodies shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust; for your dew is like the dew of herbs, and the earth will cast out the departed spirits.
- Ezekiel 21:26-27 the Lord Yahweh says: “Remove the turban, and take off the crown. This will not be as it was. Exalt that which is low, and humble that which is high. I will overturn, overturn, overturn it. This also will be no more, until he comes whose right it is; and I will give it.” ’
- James 2:5 Listen, my beloved brothers. Didn’t God choose those who are poor in this world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdom which he promised to those who love him?
- 1 Peter 3:21-22 This is a symbol of baptism, which now saves you—not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him.
- Ephesians 1:20-21 which he worked in Christ, when he raised him from the dead and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule, authority, power, dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come.
- Job 2:8 He took for himself a potsherd to scrape himself with, and he sat among the ashes.
- 1 Samuel 24:14 Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? A flea?
- Psalms 22:15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You have brought me into the dust of death.
- Acts 2:31-33 he foreseeing this spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that his soul wasn’t left in Hades, and his flesh didn’t see decay. This Jesus God raised up, to which we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted by the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this, which you now see and hear.
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Explain this verse (16 sources)
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John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain 7 Who raiseth the poor from the dust In…
7 Who raiseth the poor from the dust In this passage, he speaks in terms of commendation of God’s providential care in relation to those diversified changes which men are disposed to regard as accidental. He declares that it is solely by the appointment of God that things undergo changes far surpassing our anticipations. If the course of events were always uniform, men would ascribe it merely to natural causes, whereas, the vicissitudes which take place teach us that all things are regulated in accordance with the secret counsel of God. On the other hand, struck with astonishment at the events which have happened contrary to our expectation, we instantly ascribe them to chance. And as we are so apt to view things from a point the very reverse from that of recognising God’s superintending care, the prophet enjoins us to admire his providence in matters of marvellous, or of unusual occurrence; for since cowherds, and men of the lowest and most abject condition, have been elevated to the summit of power, it is most reasonable that our attention should be arrested by a change so unexpected. We now perceive the prophet’s design. In this passage, as well as in others, he might have set before us the structure of the heavens and the earth; but, as our minds are unaffected by the ordinary course of things, he declares that the hand of God is most apparent in his marvellous works. And in saying that men of mean and abject condition are not merely elevated to some petty sovereignty, but that they are invested with power and authority over God’s holy people, he increases the greatness of the miracle — that being of far more consequence than to rule in other parts of the earth; for the state or kingdom of the Church constitutes the principal and august theater where God presents and displays the tokens of his wonderful power, wisdom, and righteousness.
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.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain By preferring the poor to high honor and giving…
By preferring the poor to high honor and giving the barren children, he showeth that God worketh not only in his Church by ordinary means, but also by miracles.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Psa 113:7 He raiseth up the poor out of…
Psa 113:7 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, [and] lifteth the needy out of the dunghill;
Ver. 7. He raiseth up the poor, &c.] David, for instance, besides many others, as Agathocles, Numa, Maximinianus, &c., whom he raised from the lowest stair to the very highest step of honour and opulence.
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 He raiseth up the poor; yea, he stoops so…
He raiseth up the poor; yea, he stoops so low as to regard and advance those whom all men, and even their own brethren, slight and despise.
Out of the dust; from a most contemptible and miserable condition. Beggars and mourners used to lie in the dust, or, as it follows, upon the dunghill, 1Sa 2:8; Lam 4:5.
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 That he may set him with princes,.... As all…
That he may set him with princes,.... As all the saints are by birth, being the sons of God, the King of kings; born of him, and not of the will of man; and are of a princely spirit, have a free spirit, and offer themselves and services willingly to the Lord; have the spirit of adoption, in opposition to a spirit of bondage; and, as princes, have power with God and prevail; and are also heirs of God, heirs of salvation, heirs of a kingdom, as princes be; now such as are raised by Christ and his grace from a low estate and condition are set among those princes here; they are brought to Zion, and have a place and a name in the house of God, better than that of sons and daughters; and become fellowcitizens with the saints; and they are set among princes hereafter in the kingdom of heaven.
Even with the princes of his people; the more eminent among the people of God, such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, with whom they shall sit down in the kingdom of heaven; and with the prophets of the Old Testament, and the apostles of the New; and even with all the saints, who are made kings and priests unto God; see Psa 45:16.
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 7. He raiseth up the poor] The poorest…
Verse 7. He raiseth up the poor] The poorest man, in the meanest and most abject circumstances, is an object of his merciful regards. He may here allude to the wretched state of the captives in Babylon, whom God raised up out of that dust and dunghill. Others apply it to the resurrection of the dead.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Psa 113:7-8. He raiseth up the poor — Yet,…
Psa 113:7-8. He raiseth up the poor — Yet, great and glorious as he is, he stoops so low as to regard and advance those whom all men, even their own brethren, slight and despise; out of the dust, &c. — From a most contemptible and miserable condition; that he may set him with princes — In equal honour and power with them, as he did Joseph, David, and others; even with the princes of his people, who, in God’s account, and in truth, are far more honourable and happy than the princes of heathen nations, and their subjects more noble; for they have God’s special presence among them, and his special providence watching over them. One of the Jewish rabbins applies this passage to the resurrection of the dead, and some Christian commentators have applied it to the work of redemption by Jesus Christ, and not improperly, for through him poor, fallen men are raised out of the dust, nay, out of the dunghill of sin, and set among patriarchs and prophets, yea, among angels and archangels, those princes of God’s people, those leaders of the armies of Jehovah. And, as Dr. Horne observes, “What is the exaltation of the meanest beggar from a dunghill to an earthly diadem, when compared with that of human nature from the grave to the throne of God! Here is honour worthy of our ambition; honour after which all are alike invited to aspire; which all may obtain who strive worthily and lawfully; and of which, when once obtained, nothing can ever deprive the possessors.”
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain He raiseth up the poor out of the dust…
He raiseth up the poor out of the dust - From the most humble condition in life. He exalts them to conditions of wealth, rank, honor. He has power to do this; he actually does it. This is not intended to be affirmed as a universal truth, or to assert that it is always done, but that it is among the things which show his majesty, his power, and his goodness, and which lay the foundation for praise.
And lifteth the needy out of the dunghill - From the condition of lowest poverty. Instances are sufficiently abundant in which this is done, to justify such an assertion, and to show that it is a proper foundation of praise to God.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 7. He raiseth up the poor—In Psa_113:6 God’s universal…
7. He raiseth up the poor—In Psa_113:6 God’s universal notice of all things in heaven and earth is extolled; here the moral and beneficent character of this omniscient scanning of the universe is brought out. His eye is upon the poor, but it is the humble poor that is specially denoted here. See Psa_138:6; Isa_57:15. Psa_113:7-8 are quoted from the words of Hannah, (1Sa_2:8,) and employed by Mary in her Magnificat, (Luk_1:52,) and imply not only that Jehovah is a God of condescending pity and love, but of judgment also. He putteth down as well as lifteth up.
Dunghill—The word denotes a receptacle for all sorts of dirt, offal, and rubbish. It is here figuratively used for a state of abject humiliation. “In Syria and Palestine the man who is shut out from society lies upon the dunghill, or heap of ashes, by day, calling upon the passers by for alms; and by night hides himself in the ashes that have been warmed by the sun.”—Delitzsch.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 7, 8. The first three lines are taken from…
7, 8. The first three lines are taken from the Song of Hannah, 1Sa_2:8, with only a slight variation of form in two words. “To sit in the dust” (Isa_47:1), or “on the dunghill” (Lam_4:5) is an oriental metaphor for a condition of extreme degradation and misery. Cp. Job_2:8. The dung and other rubbish of an Eastern town or village is collected outside it in a heap called the Mezbele. On this “the outcast who has been stricken with some loathsome malady and is not allowed to enter the dwellings of men, lays himself down, begging an alms of the passers-by by day, and by night sheltering himself among the ashes which the heat of the sun has warmed.” Wetzstein in Delitzsch’s Comm. on Job, p. 62, quoted in Prof. Davidson’s Comm. on Job, in this Series, p. 14.
7–9. Examples of Jehovah’s gracious condescension.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (7) Dunghill.—Literally, a heap of rubbish. “Before each village…
(7) Dunghill.—Literally, a heap of rubbish. “Before each village in Hauran there is a place where the household heap up the sweepings of their stalls, and it gradually reaches a great circumference and a height which rises far above the highest buildings of the village.” “The mezbela serves the inhabitants of the district as a watch-tower, and on close oppressive evenings as a place of assembly, because there is a current of air on the height. There the children play about the whole day long; there the forsaken one lies who, having been seized with some horrible malady, is not allowed to enter the dwellings of men, by day asking alms of the passers by, and at night hiding himself among the ashes which the sun has warmed.”—Delitzsch’s Commentary on the Book of Job, ii. 152, with Note by Wetzstein. It was on the mezbela that, according to tradition, Job sat.
(7-8) See 1Sa_2:8, from which the verses are taken; and comp. Luk_1:52.
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So the heathen poet sang of Jove (Hor.: Odes i., 34, 35).
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain He raiseth up the poor out of the dust.…
He raiseth up the poor out of the dust. Heaven is full of his glory, earth of his mercy and loving-kindness. The words of 1Sa_2:8 are, consciously or unconsciously, quoted. And lifteth the needy out of the dunghill; rather, from the dunghill (Revised Version).
HOMILIES BY S. CONWAY Vers. 7, 8. The overflowing gratitude of the saved soul.
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How intense is the fervor of praise with which this psalm is full! The soul of the psalmist can scarce contain itself, and we are inevitably led to inquire into the reason and occasion of such gratitude. It is told of in the verses before us. No doubt the salvation spoken of was primarily a national one; it was Israel who had been so visited of God. It was Israel who was sunk so low in misery and degradation-sunk down to the dust and the dunghill, so poor and needy, so lonely, sad, and filled with reproach, like a woman to whom had been denied the gift of children. But by the grace and condescending compassion of God, she had been lifted up, and set among princes, and she had become joyful, like as a mother over her children. From Egypt"s slavery to the glories of the time of David and Solomon; from the misery and shame of the days of the destruction of Jerusalem, when they were carried into captivity, to the brighter times of the return and restoration; such deliverances as these it was which called forth the psalmist"s and the nation"s enthusiastic, grateful song. And the lesson for every nation or community which has been blessed of God with great prosperity, as our own nation has, is to remember the small beginnings, the humble place we once filled, and to give God all the praise for what he has wrought on our behalf. But we take our text as descriptive of spiritual deliverance of God"s salvation of the soul. The gratitude of such soul is uttered here. And it rests on these grounds
I THE DEPTHS FROM WHICH IT HAS BEEN UPLIFTED. They are described as the dust, the dunghill, the state of the barren woman. These images present an accumulation of shame, degradation, and distress. And the soul that has known the Holy Spirit"s conviction of sin will know that such images are fit and true. St. Paul called himself, to the last, "the chief of sinners." Guilt, bondage to sin, vileness of heart and, perhaps, of life too, hopelessness, helplessness, and a fearful looking for of judgment, facts like these justify the strong images of the verses before us as telling of the soul unsaved.
II THE HEIGHTS TO WHICH IT HAS BEEN RAISED. See again the images employed. And they are true. They express the ideas of honor, wealth, joy, strength, fruitfulness; and they are all realized in the experience of the saved soul now, and are to be realized infinitely more hereafter.
III THE INFINITE CONDESCENSION OF GOD IN ALL THIS. The unbeliever has objected that it is monstrous to suppose that the great God, who controls the universe, amid which this earth of ours is a mere shred and insignificant fragment, can be concerned with the petty affairs of man, especially of a poor individual, worthless, and sinful man. But is it not true that he who governs the vast universe, worlds upon worlds, has yet been at the pains to paint and fashion the wing of the meanest insect in most exquisite and perfect manner? It" he will stoop to that, he will stoop to me, poor wretched sinner though I be. I own it is wonderful; but it is true. Hallelujah! S.C.
God the Remover of disabilities.
"He raiseth up the poor out of the dust." The expressions used in this and the following verse are taken from the song of Hannah, (see 1Sa_2:1-10) and similar expressions are found in the song of the Virgin Mary. (see Luk_1:51-53) Historical illustrations of the passage may be found in the careers of Gideon, King Saul, and David. The psalmist may have in mind the restoration of the nation from the Babylonish captivity, which was an extreme national humiliation. As a fact of Divine dealing, this removing of disabilities may be illustrated from the preacher"s own experience and observation. But we can so fully recognize the Divine wisdom in such dealings in general as to remove all thought of Divine favoritism or mere sovereignty. Two of the reasons guiding Divine conduct may be considered.
I GOD GRACIOUSLY RECOGNIZES AND REWARDS CHARACTER. Some of the best features of human character can only gain expression and culture under the pressure of poverty, burdens, and disabilities. It is the misfortune of many men that they cannot be noblest-typed characters because they have never known trouble and strain. There are qualities of character in the favored ones which the poor and tried ones cannot attain; but they are not so important as the qualities of the humbled and suffering ones, which the favored few cannot attain. Since God is specially interested in character, he is concerned for the poor and needy, and finds in them persons who are fitted for responsible positions. The rise of men of lowly station to offices of influence is mainly due to the power of character, and the Divine recognition of character. It may be shown that, though this is largely true, it must be taken with some qualifications, seeing that men do sometimes rise through force of mind, or characteristic qualities, which are quite distinct from moral and religious character.
II GOD FINDS IN THOSE UNDER DISABILITIES FITTING PERSONS FOR HIS SERVICE. Here it may be pointed out that times of disability are often the schooling of the men God wants for his work. Poverty, toil, strain, burden, make the training-ground for the Lord"s heroes. And the man who is placed under any special form of disability may comfort himself with the assurance that the Lord is needing him, and so needs to have him disciplined, polished, furbished, by this trying experience. R.T.
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. 7. He raiseth up the poor out of…
Ver. 7. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust. This is an instance of his gracious stoop of love: he frequently lifts the lowest of mankind out of their poverty and degradation and places them in positions of power and honour. His good Spirit is continually visiting the down trodden, giving beauty for ashes to those who are cast down, and elevating the hearts of his mourners till they shout for joy. These up liftings of grace are here ascribed directly to the divine hand, and truly those who have experienced them will not doubt the fact that it is the Lord alone who brings his people up from the dust of sorrow and death. When no hand but his can help he interposes, and the work is done. It is worth while to be cast down to be so divinely raised from the dust.
And lifteth the needy out of the dunghill, whereon they lay like worthless refuse, cast off and cast out, left as they thought to rot into destruction, and to be everlastingly forgotten. How great a stoop from the height of his throne to a dunghill! How wonderful that power which occupies itself in lifting up beggars, all befouled with the filthiness in which they lay! For he lifts them out of the dunghill, not disdaining to search them out from amidst the base things of the earth that he may by their means bring to nought the great ones, and pour contempt upon all human glorying. What a dunghill was that upon which we lay by nature! What a mass of corruption is our original estate! What a heap of loathsomeness we have accumulated by our sinful lives! What reeking abominations surround us in the society of our fellow men! We could never have risen out of all this by our own efforts, it was a sepulchre in which we saw corruption, and were as dead men. Almighty were the arms which lifted us, which are still lifting us, and will lift us into the perfection of heaven itself. Praise ye the Lord.
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Ver. 7. He raiseth up the poor, etc. There is no doubt 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." I have no doubt there is reference throughout the whole of this psalm to evangelical times; that, in this respect, it is a prophetic psalm, including a reference especially to Christianity, as it may be called by eminence and distinction the religion of the poorits greatest glory. For when John the Baptist sent two disciples to Jesus, to know whether he was the Messiah or not, the answer of our Lord was, "The blind see, the lepers are cleansed, the dead are raised" all extraordinary eventsmiracles, in short, which proved his divine commission. And he summed up the whole by saying, "The poor have the gospel preached unto them; "as great a miracle as anyas great a distinction as any. There never was a religion but the true religion, in all its various dispensations, that had equal respect to all classes of society. In all others there was a privileged class, but here there is none. Perhaps one of the most interesting views of Christianity we can take is its wonderful adaptation to the character and circumstances of the poor. What an opportunity does it furnish for the manifestation of the bright and mild graces of the Holy Spirit! What sources of comfort does it open to mollify the troubles of life! and how often, in choosing the poor, rich in faith, to make them heirs of the kingdom, does God exalt the poor out of the dust, and the needy from the dunghill! Richard Watson.
Ver. 7. He raiseth up the poor, etc. Gideon is fetched from threshing, Saul from seeking the asses, and David from keeping the sheep; the apostles from fishing are sent to be "fishers of men." The treasure of the gospel is put into earthen vessels, and the weak and the foolish ones of the world pitched upon to be preachers of it, to confound the "wise and mighty" (1Co 1:27-28), that the excellency of the power may be of God, and all may see that promotion comes from him. Matthew Henry.
Ver. 7. He raiseth up the poor. The highest honour, which was ever done to any mere creature, was done out of regard to the lowest humility; the Son of God had such regard to the lowliness of the blessed virgin, that he did her the honour to choose her for the mother of his holy humanity. It is an observation of S. Chrysostom, that that very hand which the humble John Baptist thought not worthy to unloose the shoe on our blessed Saviour's feet, that hand our Lord thought worthy to baptize his sacred head. Valentine Nalson.
Ver. 7. And lifteth the needy out of the dunghill; which denotes a mean condition; so one born in a mean place, and brought up in a mean manner, is sometimes represented as taken out of a dunghill; and also it is expressive of a filthy one; men by sin are not only brought into a low estate, but into a loathsome one, and are justly abominable in the sight of God, and yet he lifts them out of it: the phrases of raising up and lifting out suppose them to be fallen, as men are in Adam, fallen from a state of honour and glory, in and out of which they cannot deliver themselves; it is Christ's work, and his only, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to help or lift up his servant Israel. Isa 49:6 Lu 1:54; see 1Sa 2:8. John Gill.
Ver. 7. The poor...the needy. Rejoice, then, in the favourable notice God taketh of you. The highest and greatest of beings vouchsafes to regard you. Though you are poor and mean, and men overlook you; though your brethren hate you, and your friends go far from you, yet hear! God looketh down from his majestic throne upon you. Amidst the infinite variety of his works, you are not overlooked. Amidst the nobler services of ten thousand times ten thousand saints and angels, not one of your fervent prayers or humble groans escapes his ear. Job Orton, 1717-1783.
Ver. 7. Almighty God cannot look above himself, as having no superiors; nor about himself, as having no equals; he beholds such as are below him; and therefore the lower a man is, the nearer unto God; he resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble, 1Pe 5:5. He pulls down the mighty from their seat, and exalteth them of low degree. The Most High hath special eye to such as are most humble; for, as it followeth in our text, "he taketh up the simple out of the dust, and lifteth the poor out of the dirt." John Boys.
Ver. 7. Dunghill. An emblem of the deepest poverty and desertion; for in Syria and Palestine the man who is shut out from society lies upon the mezbele (the dunghill or heap of ashes), by day calling upon the passers by for alms, and by night hiding himself in the ashes that have been warmed by the sun. Franz Delitzsch.
Ver. 7. Dunghill. The passages of the Bible, in which the word occurs, all seem to refer, as Parkhurst remarks, to the stocks of cow dung and other offal stuff, which the easterns for want of wood were obliged to lay up for fuel. Richard Mant.
Ver. 7, 8. These verses are taken almost word for word from the prayer of Hannah, 1Sa 2:8. The transition to the "people" is all the more natural, as Hannah, considering herself at the conclusion as the type of the church, with which every individual among the Israelites felt himself much more closely entwined than can easily be the case among ourselves, draws out of the salvation imparted to herself joyful prospects for the future. E. W. Hengstenberg.
Ver. 7. The gospel and its special eye to the poor.
Ver. 7-8.
1. Where men are? In the dust of sorrow and on the dunghill of sin.
2. Who interferes to help them? He who dwelleth on high.
3. What does he effect for them? "Raiseth, lifteth, setteth among princes, among princes of his people."
Psalms 113:8*
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 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust,…
Psa_113:7-8
He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill
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From the dunghill to the throne
I.
Where Gods chosen ones are when He meets with them.
1. Many of them are in the lowest place socially. The Lord excludes no man from His election on account of his rank or condition. Come as a beggar, if you be a beggar. Come in rags, if you have no other covering.
2. The expression in the text does not refer merely to social gradations; I have no doubt it has a more spiritual meaning.
(1) The dunghill is a place where men throw their worthless things, How often have Gods own chosen people felt themselves to be mere offscourings and sweepings, good for nothing but to be cast away! You are in a like case, for you have discovered your own utter worthlessness. When we think little of ourselves, God thinks much of us. God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. He will not break thee, O thou bruised reed!
(2) The dunghill is a place of contempt. Contempt sometimes sneeringly says of its victim, He is such a person, that I would not pick him up if I saw him on a dunghill. Well, despised one, let me remind you that the Lord has often looked upon those whom man has despised.
(3) The dunghill may be spiritually considered as the place of condemnation. You look at a certain article of food for instance, and the economical housewife does not wish to waste anything. Well, if it may not serve for food, may it not be useful for something else? At last, when she sees that it is of no service, the sentence of condemnation is, Let it be cast on the dunghill. Well, poor sinner, it thou be in thyself condemned, and a hoarse voice has said, To the dunghill with him! yet I come to thee in Jehovahs name, and bid thee hear this word, He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, etc.
(4) A thing which lies upon the dunghill is in contact with disgusting associates; and, therefore, the text may represent those who have hitherto lived in the midst of evil associations.
II. How the Lord raises them from it. He lifteth the needy out of the dunghill. It is a dead lift, and none but an eternal arm could do it. It is all done by the power of the Holy Spirit through the Word, filled with the energy of God. When the Lord begins to deal with the needy sinner, the first lift He gives him raises his desires. The man is not satisfied to be where he was, and what he was. That dunghill he had not perceived to be so foul as it really is; and the first sign of spiritual life is horror at his lost condition, and an anxious desire to escape from it. The next sign generally is that to such a man sin loses all sweetness. When the Lord begins to work with you, even before you find Christ to the joy of your soul, you will find the joy of sin to have departed. A quickened soul that feels the weight of sin cannot find pleasure in it. It is another blessed sign that the man is being lifted from the dunghill when he begins to feel that his own self-righteousness is no assistance to him; when, having prayed, he looks upon his prayers with repentance, and having gone to Gods house, rests not in the outward form. It is well when a man is cut off entirely from all confidence in himself. Now comes the true lift from off the dunghill. That poor, guilty, lost, worthless one hears of Jesus Christ that He came into the world to save sinners: that poor soul looks to Him with a look which means, Lord, Thou art my last resort! If Thou dost not save me, I must perish; and Thou must save me altogether, for I cannot help Thee.
III. How He raises them up.
1. They are lifted up by complete justification. This furnishes the believer with a throne as safe as it is lofty; as happy as it is glorious.
2. The children of God who have been taken from the dunghill, many of them enjoy full assurance of faith. They are certain that they are saved; they can say with Job, I know that my Redeemer liveth. As to whether they are children of God or not, they have no question; the infallible witness of the Holy Spirit bears witness with their spirit that they are born of God. To know that my Beloved is mine, and that I am His, and that He loved me and gave Himself for me, this is far better than to be heir-apparent to a score of empires.
3. The children of God, favoured by Divine grace, are permitted to have interviews with Jesus Christ. Like Enoch, we walk with God. Union with the Lord is a coronet of beauty outshining all the crowns of earth.
4. Nor is this all: the elect of God, in addition to receiving complete justification, full assurance, and communion with Christ, are favoured with the Holy Spirits sanctification. God the Holy Spirit dwells in every Christian; however humble he may be, he is a walking temple in which resides deity.
5. God lifts His people up in another sense: while He gives them sanctification and usefulness, He also anoints them with joy. Oh! the joy of being a Christian!
IV. Where it is that our Lord sets His people. Among princes, we are told. Among princes is the place of select society. We are a Chosen generation, a peculiar people, a royal priesthood. Our courtly privileges are of the highest order. Listen! For through Him we both have access by one spirit unto the Father. Let us come boldly, says the apostle, to the throne of the heavenly grace, etc. We have courtly audience and peculiarly select society. Next to this it is supposed that among princes there is abundant wealth, but what is the wealth of princes compared with the riches of believers? for all things are yours, and ye are Christs, and Christ is Gods. He that spared not His own Son, etc. Among princes, again, there dwells peculiar power. A prince has influence; he wields a sceptre in his own domain: and He hath made us kings and priests unto God, and we shall reign for ever and ever. We are not kings of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and yet we have a triple dominion; we reign over spirit, soul, and body. We reign over the united kingdom of time and eternity; we reign in this world, and we shall reign in the world that is yet to come: for we shall reign for ever and ever. Princes, again, have special honour. Every one in the crowd desires to gaze upon a prince, and would be delighted to do him service. Let him have the first position in the empire; he is a prince of the blood, and is to be had in esteem and respect. Beloved, hear ye His word: He hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that we share the honour of Christ as we share His cross. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
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 He raises up the poor ... from the ash…
He raises up the poor ... from the ash heap
These two phrases are parallel. The writer speaks of Yahweh helping and honoring people who are poor as if Yahweh caused them to stand up from sitting in dirt and ashes. (See: Parallelism and Metaphor)
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out of the dirt ... from the ash heap
Sitting in dirt and ashes represents either poverty or despair. (See: Symbolic Action)
so that he may seat him with princes, with the princes of his people
Here the second phrase clarifies that the first phrase refers to the princes of Yahweh's people. These two statements can be combined. AT: "so that Yahweh may seat him next to rulers of his people" (See: Parallelism)
translationWords
raise
ash
prince
people group
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 4.0 113:7-8 These phrases are a quotation from Hannah’s prayer…
113:7-8 These phrases are a quotation from Hannah’s prayer of praise (1 Sam 2:8-9a).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.