Psalm 113:6 kjv
Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!
Psalm 113:6 nkjv
Who humbles Himself to behold The things that are in the heavens and in the earth?
Psalm 113:6 niv
who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth?
Psalm 113:6 esv
who looks far down on the heavens and the earth?
Psalm 113:6 nlt
He stoops to look down
on heaven and on earth.
Psalm 113 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 57:15 | For thus says the High and Exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy... | God's transcendence and high dwelling |
| Ps 99:9 | Exalt the LORD our God and worship at His holy hill, for the LORD our God is holy. | Acknowledge God's exaltedness |
| 1 Ki 8:27 | "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You..." | God's transcendence and incomprehensibility |
| Job 11:7-8 | "Can you discover the depths of God? Can you discover the limits of the Almighty?...Higher than heaven..." | God's unfathomable greatness |
| Ps 145:3 | Great is the LORD, and highly to be praised; And His greatness is unsearchable. | God's boundless majesty |
| Isa 6:1 | ...I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and exalted... | God's sublime enthronement and transcendence |
| Ps 33:13-15 | The LORD looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men... He fashions their hearts individually... | God's omnipresent gaze and creation |
| Prov 15:3 | The eyes of the LORD are in every place, watching the evil and the good. | God's omniscience and constant watch |
| Job 28:24 | For He looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens. | God's comprehensive insight into all creation |
| Ps 139:7-8 | Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? ...if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. | God's omnipresence |
| Zec 4:10 | For these seven are the eyes of the LORD, which range to and fro throughout the earth. | God's all-seeing and active observation |
| Ps 138:6 | For though the LORD is on high, Yet He looks on the lowly, But the haughty He knows from afar. | God's attention to the humble |
| Isa 66:1-2 | "Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool... For My hand made all these things, thus all these things came into being," declares the LORD. "But to this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit..." | God's preference for the humble |
| Ps 8:4 | What is man that You remember him, And the son of man that You care for him? | God's mindful condescension towards humanity |
| Matt 10:29-30 | Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father... even the hairs of your head are all numbered. | God's meticulous care for the smallest details |
| Luke 1:52-53 | He has brought down rulers from their thrones, And has exalted those who were humble. He has filled the hungry with good things... | God's reversal of earthly status, lifting the lowly |
| Jas 4:10 | Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you. | Call to humility before the exalted God |
| Phil 2:6-8 | ...though He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men... He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death... | Christ's ultimate condescension (Incarnation) |
| 2 Cor 8:9 | For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor... | Christ's selfless humbling to bless us |
| Heb 2:9 | But we see Him who has been made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death and glory and honor... | Christ's temporary lowering for humanity's salvation |
| Col 1:16-17 | For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth... | God as Creator and Sustainer of all |
| Neh 9:6 | You alone are the LORD. You have made the heavens, The heaven of heavens with all their host, The earth and all that is on it... | God as sovereign Creator |
Psalm 113 verses
Psalm 113 6 Meaning
Psalm 113:6 extols God's unparalleled nature, depicting Him as utterly transcendent and exalted, dwelling far above the heavens, yet paradoxically, He "stoops" or "humbles Himself" to actively behold and attend to His entire creation, encompassing both the vast heavens and the smallest details of the earth. This verse emphasizes not His inability to see from His lofty dwelling, but His voluntary and gracious condescension and attentive engagement with all that exists.
Psalm 113 6 Context
Psalm 113 is the first of the "Egyptian Hallel" (Psalms 113-118), sung by Jewish families during Passover, Pilgrimage Festivals (Feast of Weeks and Feast of Tabernacles), and Rosh Chodesh (New Moon). The overall theme of Psalm 113 is praise to the LORD for His incomparable majesty and His gracious condescension. The preceding verses (v. 4-5) establish God's exalted position, being "high above all nations" and "above the heavens." Verse 6 directly builds upon this by presenting a profound paradox: despite His infinitely high and transcendent nature, God voluntarily "stoops" to engage with His creation, encompassing everything from the vastness of the cosmos to the concerns of humanity on earth, setting the stage for His compassion towards the lowly highlighted in the subsequent verses (Ps 113:7-9). Historically and culturally, this presented a powerful theological contrast to pagan deities often confined to specific realms, who were either aloof or merely human-like. Yahweh, the God of Israel, is uniquely portrayed as both supremely exalted and intimately engaged with all His creation, exercising universal sovereignty and attentive care.
Psalm 113 6 Word analysis
- He stoops to look / Who humbles Himself to behold: (Hebrew: הַמַּשְׁפִּילִי – ha-mashpīlī) This is a Hiphil participle of the verb שָׁפַל (shaphal), meaning "to be low," "to abase oneself," or "to humble." The Hiphil stem implies causation or bringing into a low state. Thus, it doesn't suggest God is inherently low, but that He actively, voluntarily, and deliberately lowers or humbles Himself to observe. This is a profound anthropomorphism, highlighting God's active engagement and gracious initiative. It conveys a movement from His infinite majesty to an attentive posture towards His creation. The act of "stooping" signifies deliberate effort and deep interest, bridging the infinite gap between the Creator and creation. It is not out of necessity, but out of His will and love.
- on the heavens: (Hebrew: בַּשָּׁמַיִם – ba-shamayim) "In the heavens." This refers to the celestial realm, the vast expanse beyond the earth, the dwelling place of spiritual beings and ultimately God's throne. It emphasizes the immense scope of His dominion.
- and the earth: (Hebrew: וּבָאָרֶץ – u-va-aretz) "And in the earth." This refers to the terrestrial realm, including humanity. Paired with "heavens," it denotes the totality of creation.
- He stoops to look on the heavens and the earth: This phrase beautifully encapsulates the paradox of God's transcendence and His immanent involvement. From a position of absolute exaltation (as stated in Ps 113:4-5), God actively condescends to observe and interact with all His creation. It highlights His profound attentiveness to every part of the cosmos, both the glorious celestial bodies and the humble concerns of humanity. This universal oversight from a humble posture speaks volumes of His all-encompassing care and meticulous awareness of every detail, from the grandest galaxies to the slightest details of individual lives on earth. It conveys that His gaze is not one of detached observation, but one of compassionate concern, setting the stage for His specific actions in lifting the needy as described in the verses that follow.
Psalm 113 6 Bonus section
The "stooping" of God expressed in Psalm 113:6 can be understood as an act of grace and divine accessibility, challenging the perception of a distant or uncaring deity. It reassures humanity that their Creator, who rules over the entire cosmos, actively engages with the world He has made, right down to the most humble parts. This attribute foreshadows the ultimate act of divine condescension found in the New Testament: the Incarnation of Jesus Christ (Phil 2:6-8), where God Himself literally "stooped" and became flesh to dwell among us, not to merely look, but to redeem. This verse serves as a foundational declaration that God is not just exalted in glory, but also profoundly involved in the affairs of His creation and concerned for its inhabitants, especially the lowly and needy.
Psalm 113 6 Commentary
Psalm 113:6 stands as a profound testament to the dual nature of God: His incomprehensible transcendence and His active, compassionate immanence. After establishing God as infinitely high above all nations and the heavens, the psalmist then presents the staggering truth that this same Almighty God, whose dwelling is in unapproachable light, condescends. The word "stoops" or "humbles Himself" is critical; it doesn't mean God struggles to see or needs to descend to gain a vantage point. Rather, it signifies His deliberate, voluntary act of lowering His gaze from His infinite glory to bestow attention upon His entire creation—heaven and earth. This anthropomorphism portrays His profound care and personal engagement. His comprehensive oversight extends to every corner of the universe, demonstrating that nothing, however vast or minute, is outside His purview or beyond His concern. This divine "stooping" is an act of sheer grace, leading to the demonstration of His power on behalf of the lowly, as depicted in the verses immediately following this passage (e.g., Ps 113:7-9 where He raises the poor from the dust).