Psalm 113 - A Psalm of Praise (Orientation)
by Pastor Paul Dugan
Try entering into praise with this three-part rhythm:
Part 1
Become present to the presence of God:
Every morning I lay out the pieces of my life on your altar and watch for fire to descend. (Psalm 5:3 The Message).
Pause in silence before God. Practice breathing slowly and deeply. As you inhale, invite the Holy Spirit to fill every part of your being- your body, mind, imagination, affections and emotions. As you exhale, release any burdens you are carrying into this time of prayer. Repeat this breathing prayer until you have brought your whole self -‘as is’ -before the presence of God.
Optional prayer of approach: ‘Worship the Lord of life! You are glorious, high and lifted up, enthroned above creation, nothing hidden from your sight, all laid bare before you. You shower blessings on the broken, extend mercy to the needy, seating them in places of honor- for theirs is the kingdom of heaven…’ (Endless Grace, by Ryan Whitaker Smith and Dan Wilt: Psalm 113).
Part 2
Slowly read Psalm 113 (ESV) out loud: (for audio versions click here)
113:1 Praise the Lord!
Praise, O servants of the Lord,
praise the name of the Lord!
2 Blessed be the name of the Lord
from this time forth and forevermore!
3 From the rising of the sun to its setting,
the name of the Lord is to be praised!
4 The Lord is high above all nations,
and his glory above the heavens!
5 Who is like the Lord our God,
who is seated on high,
6 who looks far down
on the heavens and the earth?
7 He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the ash heap,
8 to make them sit with princes,
with the princes of his people.
9 He gives the barren woman a home,
making her the joyous mother of children.
Praise the Lord!
Part 3
Use your own words to pray Psalm 113 back to God:
Begin by personalizing the pronouns in the psalm, turning the words about God into a prayer directly to God. For example, v. 4 (‘The Lord is high above all nations…’) becomes ‘YOU, Lord, are high above all nations…’ Pray your way through the psalm in this way.
Then gather these thoughts into your own psalm of praise and thanksgiving:
“Lord God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit- I praise you, for you are…
“I praise you for what you have done. Specifically, I thank you for…
The psalms were originally written as lyrics, as prayers set to music. Throughout the history of Israel and the church, the people of God have sung the psalms. Song invites us to internalize the Word of God with the whole self- body, mind, imagination, emotions and affections. Take time to listen to a version of Psalm 113 set to music. Try taking the psalm song with you into your day.
from the album, ‘The Psalm Project Vol. 1’ (2021) by Mike Janzen. mikejanzentrio.com