Psalm 113 (KJV): Full Text and Verse-by-Verse Meaning

Psalm 113 (KJV) – full text

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.

— Psalm 113, King James Version (public domain)

The King James Version is quoted here because it is in the public domain. Modern translations (such as the NIV or ESV) render the same Hebrew in contemporary English – for example “dunghill” is often translated “ash heap” and “barren woman” as “childless woman”.

Structure at a glance

Psalm 113 verse by verse

Verse 1 – “Praise ye the LORD” (Hallelujah)

Verse 1: “Praise ye the LORD. Praise, O ye servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD.”

The psalm opens with the Hebrew Hallelu Yah, “praise Yah” – a command addressed to a group, using a short form of God's name. The word “praise” is repeated three times. The “servants of the LORD” are his worshippers: in the temple setting this included the priests and Levites who led worship, and more broadly all of God's people. “The name of the LORD” stands for God himself as he has made himself known.

Verse 2 – praise for all time

Verse 2: “Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and for evermore.”

Verse 2 widens praise in time: it begins now and never ends. “Blessed be the name of the LORD” is a classic formula of worship (compare Job 1:21).

Verse 3 – praise in every place

Verse 3: “From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD’s name is to be praised.”

Verse 3 widens praise in space: from sunrise (the east) to sunset (the west) – the whole world. The phrase is a figure of speech for “everywhere”, not a reference to a particular event. Malachi 1:11 uses the same expression to say that God's name will be great among the Gentiles.

Verse 4 – above the nations and the heavens

Verse 4: “The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens.”

Now the psalm gives the reason for praise. God is higher than every earthly power (“all nations”) and his glory exceeds even the heavens.

Verses 5–6 – “Who is like unto the LORD our God?”

Verse 5: “Who is like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high,”

Verse 6: “Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!”

The question echoes the Song of the Sea after the Exodus (“Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods?”, Exodus 15:11). The expected answer is “no one”. The Hebrew contains a deliberate contrast: God sets himself high to sit enthroned, and makes himself low to look. He is so exalted that he must stoop even to see the heavens – yet he does stoop, and he sees the earth and the people on it. This turn from height to depth is the hinge of the whole psalm.

Verse 7 – from the dust and the dunghill

Verse 7: “He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill;”

“Dust” and “dunghill” (often translated “ash heap”) describe the lowest place in ancient society: the rubbish heap outside town where outcasts and beggars sat (compare Job sitting among the ashes, Job 2:8). God does not merely notice the poor; he lifts them out. This verse and the next are almost word-for-word the same as Hannah's song in 1 Samuel 2:8.

Verse 8 – seated with princes

Verse 8: “That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people.”

The rescue goes all the way from the bottom to the top: the needy person is given a seat among the nobles of God's people. The point is not only relief but restored honour and dignity.

Verse 9 – the barren woman becomes a joyful mother

Verse 9: “He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD.”

The final reversal is personal. In Israel a woman without children often faced grief, shame and an insecure future. God gives her a “house” – a settled home and family – and joy in children. Readers think of Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel and Hannah in the Old Testament and Elizabeth in the New. Many interpreters also hear an image of Israel or Zion restored after desolation (Isaiah 54:1, “Sing, O barren”). The psalm ends where it began: “Praise ye the LORD.”

Main message in one sentence

The God who is higher than everything is also the God who bends down to lift the lowest – and that combination is the reason for endless, worldwide praise.

For the background (date, Passover Hallel, Hannah's song and Mary's Magnificat) and the big theological themes, continue to Psalm 113 meaning and themes.

Frequently Asked Questions