Psalms 113:6
in Psalms 113He humbles Himself to behold the heavens and the earth.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
That humbleth himself to behold The things that are in heaven and in the earth?
KJV
Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!
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This verse in Psalms 113
Commentary
11 notes on this verseAnother psalm that was read says, "Who is as the Lord our God who dwells on high and looks down on the low things in heaven and in earth?" God, no doubt, casts his eyes on the lowly, he who laid bare the relics of the holy martyrs of his church, lying hid under the lowly turf, their souls in heaven, their bodies in the earth: "Raising up the needy person out of the dust, lifting up the poor person out of the dunghill," placing him, as you see, with the princes of his people.
This site's exposition
exalted over all the nations
on Psalms 113:4-6
Exalted over all the nations, the LORD has His glory above the heavens. Verse 5 asks who is like Him, and verse 6 answers: the One enthroned on high humbles Himself to look at the heavens and earth. Verse 7 turns that stooping into lifting.
This site's exposition
He humbles Himself to behold
Spurgeon read the stoop: God is so high that even looking at the heavens bends Him down, and looking at the earth bends Him lower. Mary sings of the same look at Luke 1:48, where God regards the humble state of His servant. The heavens are below Him too.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"Who is like unto the Lord our God, that hath His dwelling so high; and yet beholdeth the humble?" (ver. 5). Any one would think that He dwelleth in the lofty heavens, whence He may behold the humble things on earth; but "He beholdeth the humble things that are in heaven and earth" (ver. 6): what then is His high dwelling, whence He beholdeth the humble things that are in heaven and earth? Are the humble things He beholdeth His own high dwelling itself? For He thus exalteth the humble, so as not to make them proud. He therefore both dwelleth in those whom He raiseth high, and maketh them heaven for Himself, that is, His own abode; and by seeing them not proud, but constantly subject to Himself, He beholdeth even in heaven itself these very humble things, in whom raised on high He dwelleth. For the Spirit thus speaketh through Isaiah: "Thus saith the Highest that dwelleth on high, that inhabiteth eternity; the Lord Most High, dwelling in the holy." He hath expounded what He meant by dwelling on high, by the more full expression, "dwelling in the holy."...
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Humbleth - Who is so high, that it is a wonderful condescention in him to take any notice of his heavenly host, and much more of sinful and miserable men upon earth.
Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth.
9 He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. We are extorted to give glory to God, to give him the glory due to his name. The invitation is very pressing: praise you the Lord, and again and again, Praise him, praise him; blessed be his name, for it is to be praised,
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth! He dwells so far on high that even to observe heavenly things he must humble himself. He must stoop to view the skies, and bow to see what angels do. What, then, must be his condescension, seeing that he observes the humblest of his servants upon earth, and makes them sing for joy like Mary when she said, "Thou hast regarded the low estate of thine handmaiden."
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
God's exaltation enhances His condescension; 7, 8. which condescension is illustrated as often in raising the worthy poor and needy to honor (compare 1Sa 2:8;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth! He dwells so far on high that even to observe heavenly things he must humble himself. He must stoop to view the skies, and bow to see what angels do. What, then, must be his condescension, seeing that he observes the humblest of his servants upon earth, and makes them sing for joy like Mary when she said, "Thou hast regarded the low estate of thine handmaiden." How wonderful are those words of Isaiah, "For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." Heathen philosophers could not believe that the great God was observant of the small events of human history; they pictured him as abiding in serene indifference to all the wants and woes of his creatures. "Our Rock is not as their rock"; we have a God who is high above all gods, and yet who is our Father, knowing what we have need of before we ask him; our Shepherd, who supplies our needs; our Guardian, who counts the hairs of our heads; our tender and considerate Friend, who sympathizes in all our griefs. Truly the name of our condescending God should be praised wherever it is known.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Who humbleth himself ... - So high that it is necessary he should stoop even to behold the things which seem most lofty to us; and who actually does stoop thus to regard the things which he has made in heaven and on earth. To behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth! - More literally, “to look in heaven and in earth.” Even to look on heaven, high as it is to us - still more to look on earth, so insignificant as compared with the vast bodies in the heavens - is condescension on the part of God. It requires him to stoop - even to look on the sun - the stars - the distant worlds! Yet he does this. There is not a world which he does not survey constantly; not a creature whose interests he does not regard; not an insect - a flower - an atom - that he does not regard with as much minute attention as though there were nothing else to demand his care.
The words behind it
4 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הַֽמַּשְׁפִּילִ֥י | hamashpili | who is making low | H8213 → | 31 times |
| לִרְא֑וֹת | lirot | to look | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| בַּשָּׁמַ֥יִם | bashamayim | on the heavens | H8064 → | 421 times |
| וּבָאָֽרֶץ׃ | uvaaretz | and on the earth | H776 → | 2504 times |
הַֽמַּשְׁפִּילִ֥יwho is making low
hamashpiliH8213 →31 times
לִרְא֑וֹתto look
lirotH7200 →1300 times
בַּשָּׁמַ֥יִםon the heavens
bashamayimH8064 →421 times
וּבָאָֽרֶץ׃and on the earth
uvaaretzH776 →2504 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 66:2Has not My hand made all these things? And so they came into being,” declares the LORD. “This is the one I will esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, who trembles…
it leads to
- Isaiah 57:15
For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and humble in spirit,…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 51:17
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.
- Matthew 5:3–4
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
- Isaiah 57:15
Through
Isaiah 57:15For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and humble in spirit,…
it leads to
- Psalms 34:18
The LORD is near to the brokenhearted; He saves the contrite in spirit.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 66:1–2
This is what the LORD says: “Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you build for Me? Or where will My place of repose be?
- Psalms 138:6
Though the LORD is on high, He attends to the lowly; but the proud He knows from afar.
- Psalms 34:18
Through
Psalms 138:6Though the LORD is on high, He attends to the lowly; but the proud He knows from afar.
it leads to
- Psalms 113:5–6
Who is like the LORD our God, the One enthroned on high?
- 1 Samuel 2:7–8
The LORD sends poverty and wealth; He humbles and He exalts.
- Psalms 113:5–6
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Psalms
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrose of Milan, LETTER 61; Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 113; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 5; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentary on the Book of Psalms; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.