Psalms 113:9
in Psalms 113He settles the barren woman in her home as a joyful mother to her children. Hallelujah!
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
He maketh the barren woman to keep house, And to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye Jehovah.
KJV
He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the Lord.
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This verse in Psalms 113
Commentary
12 notes on this verseHe maketh the barren woman to keep house,.... Or "to dwell in the house", as the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and other versions; or rather "to cause the house to be inhabited"; to fill the house with inhabitants, to build up the house, as the barren woman, when made fruitful, does, as Rachel and Leah built up the house of Israel, Rth 4:
This site's exposition
lifts the needy from the dump
on Psalms 113:7-9
Hannah's song at 1 Samuel 2:8 carries these lines, the poor lifted from the dust, and 1 Samuel 2:5 gives the barren woman her children. The Hebrew behind the dump is ashpoth, a heap of rubbish or filth. The man off the rubbish heap is seated with nobles.
This site's exposition
He settles the barren woman in her home
Gill read it as the LORD who gives the barren woman children, as Rachel and Leah built up the house at Ruth 4:11. Henry heard Isaiah 54:1 in it, the barren woman told to sing over her children, and Paul applies it at Galatians 4:27. The psalm ends with Hallelujah.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
What then, brethren, if we have already heard of those humble things which are in heaven, lifted up from the mire, that they might be set with the princes of the people; have we by consequence heard nothing of the humble things which the Lord beholds on the earth? For those friends who will judge with their Lord are fewer, while those whom they receive into everlasting habitations are more in number. For although the whole of a heap of grain compared with the separate chaff may seem to contain few in number; yet considered by itself, it is abundant....The Church then speaks thus in that sense, wherein she seems to bear no offspring among those crowds who have not given up all things, that they might follow the Lord, and might sit upon the twelve thrones. [Matthew 19:28] But how many in the same crowd, who make unto themselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, [Luke 16:9] shall stand on the right hand through works of mercy? He not only then lifts up from the mire him whom He is to place with the princes of His people; but also, "Makes the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children" [Psalm 113:9]: He who dwells on high, and beholds the humble things that are in heaven and earth, the seed of Abraham like the stars of heaven, holiness set on high in heavenly habitations; and like the sand on the sea shore, a merciful and countless multitude gathered together from the harmful waves, and the bitterness of impiety.
What lesson, then, results from these remarks? This: that we should wean ourselves from this life in the flesh, which has an inevitable follower, death; and that we should search for a manner of life which does not bring death in its train. Now the life of Virginity is such a life. We will add a few other things to show how true this is.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
This, therefore, may be applied to the gospel-church among the Gentiles (the building of which is illustrated by this similitude, Isa. liv. 1 , Sing, O barren! thou that didst not bear, and Gal. iv. 27 ), for which we, who, being sinners of the Gentiles, are children of the desolate, have reason to say, Praise you the Lord.
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
He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. The strong desire of the easterns to have children caused the birth of offspring to be hailed as the choicest of favours, while barrenness was regarded as a curse; hence this verse is placed last as if to crown the whole, and to serve as a climax to the story of God's mercy. The glorious Lord displays his condescending grace in regarding those who are despised on account of their barrenness, whether it be of body or of soul.
4 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
On this special case, compare 1Sa 2:21. Barrenness was regarded as a disgrace, and is a type of a deserted Church (Isa 54:1). the barren woman . . . house--literally, "the barren of the house," so that the supplied words may be omitted.
He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. The strong desire of the easterns to have children caused the birth of offspring to be hailed as the choicest of favours, while barrenness was regarded as a curse; hence this verse is placed last as if to crown the whole, and to serve as a climax to the story of God's mercy. The glorious Lord displays his condescending grace in regarding those who are despised on account of their barrenness, whether it be of body or of soul. Sarah, Rachel, the wife of Manoah, Hannah, Elizabeth, and others were all instances of the miraculous power of God in literally fulfilling the statement of the psalmist. Women were not supposed to have a house till they had children; but in certain cases where childless women pined in secret the Lord visited them in mercy, and made them not only to have a house, but to keep it. The Gentile church is a spiritual example upon a large scale of the gift of fruitfulness after long years of hopeless barrenness; and the Jewish church in the latter days will be another amazing display of the same quickening power: long forsaken for her spiritual adultery, Israel shall be forgiven, and restored, and joyously shall she keep that house which now is left unto her desolate. Nor is this all, each believer in the Lord Jesus must at times have mourned his lamentable barrenness; he has appeared to be a dry tree yielding no fruit to the Lord, and yet when visited by the Holy Ghost, he has found himself suddenly to be like Aaron's rod, which budded, and blossomed, and brought forth almonds. Or ever we have been aware, our barren heart has kept house, and entertained the Saviour, our graces have been multiplied as if many children had come to us at a single birth, and we have exceedingly rejoiced before the Lord.
He maketh the barren woman to keep house - This is a figure to point out the desolate, decreasing state of the captives in Babylon, and the happy change which took place on their return to their own land. These are nearly the words of Hannah, 1Sa 2:5.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
He maketh the barren woman to keep house ... - Margin, as in Hebrew, “to dwell in a house.” That is, to be at the head of a family. See the notes at Psa 68:6. Compare 1Sa 2:5. This, too, is suggested as a reason why God should be praised and adored. In instances where all hope of posterity is cut off, he interposes, and diffuses joy through a dwelling. We may look abroad, and see abundant occasion for praising God, in his condescension to human affairs - in his lifting up the poor from the humblest condition - in his exalting those of lowly rank to places of honor, trust, wealth, and power; but, after all, if we wish to Find occasions of praise that will most tenderly affect the heart, and be connected with the warmest affections of the soul, they will be most likely to be found in the domestic circle - in the mutual love - the common joy - the tender feelings - which bind together the members of a family. In such a family, the words with which this psalm begins and ends, “Hallelujah,” “Hallelujah,” are especially appropriate; and if any community on earth should apply these words to itself it should be such a family, called upon by everything tender, holy, and lovely, to “praise the” Lord.
The words behind it
8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| מֽוֹשִׁיבִ֨י׀ | moshivi | [he is] causes to dwell | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| עֲקֶ֬רֶת | ʾakeret | [the] barren [woman] of | H6135 → | |
| הַבַּ֗יִת | habayit | the house | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| אֵֽם־ | ʾem- | [the] mother of | H517 → | 220 times |
| הַבָּנִ֥ים | habanim | the children | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| שְׂמֵחָ֗ה | semechah | joyful | H8056 → | 21 times |
| הַֽלְלוּ־ | halu- | praise | H1984 → | 165 times |
| יָֽהּ׃ | yah | Yahweh | H3050 → | 50 times |
מֽוֹשִׁיבִ֨י׀[he is] causes to dwell
moshiviH3427 →1079 times
עֲקֶ֬רֶת[the] barren [woman] of
ʾakeretH6135 →
הַבַּ֗יִתthe house
habayitH1004 →2046 times
אֵֽם־[the] mother of
ʾem-H517 →220 times
הַבָּנִ֥יםthe children
habanimH1121 →4930 times
שְׂמֵחָ֗הjoyful
semechahH8056 →21 times
הַֽלְלוּ־praise
halu-H1984 →165 times
יָֽהּ׃Yahweh
yahH3050 →50 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
Psalms 68:6God settles the lonely in families; He leads the prisoners out to prosperity, but the rebellious dwell in a sun-scorched land.
it leads to
- Psalms 69:33
For the LORD listens to the needy and does not despise His captive people.
- Psalms 107:10
Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and chains,
- Isaiah 61:1
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty…
- Psalms 107:14
He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death and broke away their chains.
- Psalms 146:7
He executes justice for the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free,
- Psalms 69:33
Through
1 Samuel 2:5The well-fed hire themselves out for food, but the starving hunger no more. The barren woman gives birth to seven, but she who has many sons pines away.
it leads to
- Luke 1:53
He has filled the hungry with good things, but has sent the rich away empty.
- Jeremiah 15:9
The mother of seven will grow faint; she will breathe her last breath. Her sun will set while it is still day; she will be disgraced and humiliated. And the rest I will put…
- Psalms 34:10
Young lions go lacking and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
- Luke 1:53
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 Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 113; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 5; Gregory of Nyssa, ON VIRGINITY 13; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.