서론
Psalm 113 Introduction
英文原文
The author of this psalm, as of those which immediately precede it, is unknown. It is very general in its character, and has no allusion to any circumstances by which one could determine the name of the author, or the occasion on which it was written. In connection with the five following psalms, it constitutes what was known among the Hebrews as the "Hallel'; that is, the song of praise, sung on great occasions, at the annual festivals, and especially at the Passover and the Feast of tabernacles. Buxtorf, Lexicon. Tal., p. 613, et al.
This psalm, which is expressive of the majesty of God, as having a claim to universal praise, consists essentially of two parts:
I. The general statement that God is to be praised, and a call on all to engage in that service, Psalm 113:1-3.II. Reasons why he should be praised, Psalm 113:4-9.
(1) he is exalted above all nations, Psalm 113:4;
(2) None can be compared with him, Psalm 113:5;
(3) he is condescending, and looks with interest on the things in heaven and on earth, Psalm 113:6;
(4) He exalts the poor to positions of honor and influence, Psalm 113:7-8;
(5) He constitutes and appoints families, with all that is tender and joyous in the domestic relation, Psalm 113:9.
1
Psalm 113:1
你们要赞美耶和华——旁注如希伯来文作"哈利路亚"。参见 Psalm 106:1 的注释。
耶和华的仆人哪，你们要赞美——你们这些自称事奉顺服祂、承认祂为你们之神的人。在原文中，这也是"赞美"一词，הללו hallelu。
要赞美耶和华的名——仍是同一个词。耶和华的名在这里如惯常那样，指耶和华自己。
英文原文
Praise ye the Lord - Margin, as in Hebrew, "Hallelujah." See the notes at Psalm 106:1.
Praise, O ye servants of the Lord - You who profess to serve and obey him; who acknowledge him as your God. In the original this is also the word "Hallelu," הללוּ halelû.
Praise the name of the Lord - Still the same word "Hallelu." The name of the Lord is put here, as it is often, for the Lord himself.
2
Psalm 113:2
耶和华的名是应当称颂的——愿耶和华受称颂；或者说，愿耶和华的名蒙称颂。
从今时直到永远——现在直到永远。祂现在配得赞美，且永远配得。祂如今是怎样的，也将永远是怎样的；既然现在赞美祂是合宜的，这赞美也将存到永永远远。永恒的神配得永恒的赞美。
英文原文
Blessed be the name of the Lord - Blessed be the Lord; or; Let the name of the Lord be blessed.
From this time forth and for evermore - Now and forever. He is worthy of praise now, and he ever will be. What he is now, he will always continue to be; and as praise is proper now, it will be forever and ever. An eternal God has claims to eternal praise.
3
Psalm 113:3
“从日出之地到日落之处……”——即从最远的东方到最远的西方——日头的升起与落下，是我们在地平线上所见最远的东西。
“耶和华的名是应当称颂的”——这不是说它将“要”被称颂——尽管那也是真的；而是说它“应当”被称颂——它配得普世的赞美。东方西方的一切人——各处的人——都“应当”称颂、敬拜这名。
英文原文
From the rising of the sun ... - From the farthest east to the farthest west - the sun in its rising and setting being the remotest object that we see in the horizon.
The Lord's name is to be praised - This does not mean that it "will" be - though that is true; but that it "ought" to be - that it is worthy of universal praise. All people in the east and in the west - everywhere - "should" praise and adore that name.
4
Psalm 113:4
耶和华超乎万民之上——希伯来文作"被高举在万民之上的，是耶和华"。就是说，他统管万民；他指挥他们的事务；他是他们的君王。事实上，且出于事理之必然，他坐在一个高过世上一切君王与国度的高位上。他不仅是一个国度的主宰，更是万国的主宰；万国都当承认这一点，这是合宜的。
他的荣耀高过诸天——即那使他显为荣耀的。他荣耀属性的彰显并不限于地上；它们延及诸天；它们并不限于可见的诸天；它们远远超越，达于无限的空间。宇宙——大地与众星界——都满了对他荣耀的彰显；而在受造之物的界限之外（倘若它们有界限），神就在那里——没有限量——同一位神——在那里也配得普世的颂赞！谁能明白这样的神呢？参 Psalm 8:1 的注释。
英文原文
The Lord is high above all nations - Hebrew, Exalted above all nations is Yahweh. That is, he rules over all nations; he directs their affairs; he is their sovereign king. As a matter of fact, and from the necessity of the case, he is on a throne which is elevated above all the kings and kingdoms of the world. He is the Sovereign not only of one nation, but of all; and it is meet that this should be acknowledged by them all.
And his glory above the heavens - That which renders him glorious. The manifestations of his glorious character are not confined to the earth; they extend to the heavens; they are not confined to the visible heavens; they extend far beyond, in the regions of illimitable space. The universe - the earth and the starry worlds - all are full of the manifestations of his glory; and far beyond the bounds of created things (if they have a boundary), God is there - without limit - the same God - worthy there of universal praise! Who can comprehend such a God? Compare the notes at Psalm 8:1.
5
Psalm 113:5
谁像耶和华我们的神呢？——谁能与我们的神耶和华相比呢？参 Isaiah 40:17-25 的注释。其含义是：没有任何受造之物——没有任何偶像——能与耶和华相比。这里的论断特别针对随即列举的属性——他屈身俯察天上地下的事；他抬举贫寒人等等。就神而言，“总体上”没有受造之物能与他相比，这是真的；就他的每一项属性而言，它们都远超一切受造的卓越，这也是真的。
他坐在至高之处——旁注作“自己升高而居住”。直译作“使高处成为居所的那位”。这用语适用于坐在崇高宝座上的那一位。参 Psalm 8:1。他的居所——他的宝座——他永久的座位——在天上：那样高、那样崇高，以致他要看顾大地，甚至要看顾诸天，都需要无限的屈尊。
英文原文
Who is like unto the Lord our God? - Who can be compared with Yahweh our God? See the notes at Isaiah 40:17-25. The meaning is, that no creature - no idol - can be compared with Yahweh. The remark here has special reference to his attributes as immediately specified - his humbling himself to behold the things in heaven and in earth; his raising up the poor, etc. It is true "in general," in regard to God, that no creature can be compared with him; it is true, in regard to each one of his attributes, that they are far above all created excellence.
Who dwelleth on high - Margin, "exalteth himself to dwell." Literally, "The one making high to sit." The language is applicable to one who is seated on a lofty throne. Compare Psalm 8:1. He has his dwelling - his throne - his permanent seat - in the heavens: so high and exalted that it requires infinite condescension to look upon the earth, or even upon the heavens.
6
Psalm 113:6
自己谦卑，观看天上地下的事——他如此之高，以致要观看在我们看为至高之物，也须俯身；而他确实这样俯身，垂顾他在天上地上所造之物。
观看天上地下的事——更按字面，是“观看天与地”。即使观看天——这在我们已如此之高——更遑论观看地——与诸天广大天体相比如此微不足道——对神而言都是屈尊。这需要他俯身——即使仅仅是看太阳——看星宿——看那些遥远的世界！然而他确实这样行。没有一个世界不是他时刻察看的；没有一个受造之物，其利益不是他看顾的；没有一只昆虫、一朵花、一个原子，他不是以同样细致的注意看顾，仿佛再没有别的事物需要他的眷顾。
英文原文
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.
7
Psalm 113:7
他从灰尘里抬举贫寒人——即从人生最卑微的境况中。他把他们提升到富足、地位、尊荣的境况。他有能力这样行；他也确实这样行。这并不是要作为一条普遍真理来断言，也不是断言事情总是如此，而是说这属于那些显明他的威严、他的大能、他的良善，并奠定赞美之根基的事。
从粪堆中提拔穷乏人——即从最贫苦的境况中。这样的事例足够众多，足以证明这样的断言是正当的，并足以显明这是赞美神的合宜根基。
英文原文
He raiseth up the poor out of the dust - From the most humble condition in life. He exalts them to conditions of wealth, rank, honor. He has power to do this; he actually does it. This is not intended to be affirmed as a universal truth, or to assert that it is always done, but that it is among the things which show his majesty, his power, and his goodness, and which lay the foundation for praise.
And lifteth the needy out of the dunghill - From the condition of lowest poverty. Instances are sufficiently abundant in which this is done, to justify such an assertion, and to show that it is a proper foundation of praise to God.
8
Psalm 113:8
使他们与王子同坐——即赐他地位——一个位置——与地上的贵族和伟人同列。世界历史上有许多这类事例。英格兰的贵族，包括其中几位大法官，有不少正是这样从极其卑微的生活中被抬举起来的。在每一个国家里，神都显明他有能力，把连世袭的头衔与尊荣都无法赋予的名分与地位，赐给最卑微的人：莎士比亚就是一个手套匠兼羊毛商的儿子。神有能力进入最卑微贫穷的茅舍，从中带出一批人，他们要作为天才与伟人站在他们那一代的最前列。神对地上列国所握有的这种能力，没有什么比它更绝对；这样一位拥有并施行此能力者，配得称颂与尊崇。
就是与本国的王子同坐——在蒙他拣选为自己子民的人中，与那些受选治理这民的人同列。这里含着的意思乃是：这比在不认识真神的外邦民族中升至权位更为尊荣。被认为配治理一个基督教国家，比治理外邦民族更尊荣；在教会中——在神为自己救赎的人之上——作治理者，比管理一个属世的政府更为尊荣。
英文原文
That he may set him with princes - May give him a rank - a position - with nobles and great people upon the earth. Many instances of this nature have occurred in the history of the world. Not a few of the nobles of England, including several of its lord chancellors, have been raised thus from very humble life; and in every nation God shows that he has power to give to those of humblest rank a name and place which no hereditary titles and honors can bestow: thus Shakespeare was the son of a glover and woolstapler. God has power to come into the humblest cottage of poverty, and to bring forth those who shall stand foremost in their generation as people of genius and power. Nothing is more absolute than the power which God thus holds over the nations of the earth, and it is meet that a Being who has this power, and who exercises it, should be praised and honored.
Even with the princes of his people - Among those who are selected to preside over the people whom he has chosen for himself. It is implied here that this would be a higher honor than to be exalted to power among a pagan people - a people ignorant of the true God. It is a higher honor to be counted worthy to rule a Christian nation than a pagan people; it is a higher honor to be a ruler in the church - over those whom God has redeemed for himself - than it is to administer a secular government.
9
Psalm 113:9
他使不能生育的妇人安居家中……——页边注按希伯来文作“使她住在家中”。就是使她成为一家之主母的意思。参见 Psalm 68:6 的注释。比较 1 Samuel 2:5。这也是作为神当受赞美、当受敬拜的一个理由提出来的。在后嗣的一切指望都已断绝之处，他出面干预，把喜乐散布于一家之中。我们可以放眼四望，在神俯就眷顾人间之事上——在他把穷人从最卑微的境况中提拔起来上——在他把低微地位的人擢升到尊荣、信任、财富、权势之位上，看见赞美神的丰富理由；但归根到底，我们若想找到最能温柔打动人心、与灵魂最温暖的情感相连的赞美缘由，最可能在家庭的圈子里找到——在那把家庭成员联结起来的彼此相爱、共同的喜乐、温柔的情感之中。在这样的家庭里，本诗开头与结尾的话——“哈利路亚”“哈利路亚”——尤为贴切；若地上有哪个群体当把这话应用到自己身上，那就该是这样的家庭，它被一切温柔、圣洁、可爱的事物呼召去“赞美”耶和华。
英文原文
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 Psalm 68:6. Compare 1 Samuel 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.
本诗的作者，与紧邻其前的几篇一样，不明。其性质非常笼统，没有暗指任何可供人确定作者之名或写作场合的情形。它与随后的五篇诗一起，构成希伯来人所说的“哈利路”，即赞美之歌，在重大场合、在年度节期歌唱，尤其是在逾越节和住棚节。Buxtorf, Lexicon. Tal., p. 613 等。
本诗表达神的威严，宣告祂配得普世的赞美，实质上分为两部分：
一、笼统陈明神当受赞美，并呼召所有人都参与这项事奉（Psalm 113:1-3）。
二、当赞美祂的理由（Psalm 113:4-9）。
（1）祂超乎万民之上（Psalm 113:4）；
（2）无人能与祂相比（Psalm 113:5）；
（3）祂自己谦卑，切意观看天上的事和地上的事（Psalm 113:6）；
（4）祂抬举贫寒人，使他们居于尊贵有势之位（Psalm 113:7-8）；
（5）祂设立安排家庭，连同家庭关系中一切温柔喜乐之事（Psalm 113:9）。