“Praise Yahweh!
Praise!
O servants of Yahweh!
Praise the name of Yahweh!”
Psalm 113 continued the idea of praise to Yahweh, or the Alleluia cry to begin this short psalm without any titles. This Alleluia cry, the Hebrew “Hallelujah,” may also be a call to worship Yahweh. The servants of Yahweh, the Israelites were called to prayer. They were to praise the name of Yahweh.
“Praise Yahweh!
O give thanks to Yahweh!
He is good!
His steadfast love endures forever!
Who can utter the mighty deeds of Yahweh?
Who can declare all his praise?
Happy are those
Who observe justice!
Happy are those
Who do righteousness at all times!”
Psalm 106 is a continuation of Psalm 105, but is less joyful since it points out the many problems that the Israelites had. Once again there is no title to this psalm. However, it starts out with a rousing hymn to Yahweh. Praise Yahweh or alleluia, is the Hebrew “Hallelujah.” They are to give thanks to Yahweh because he is good. His steadfast love endures forever, a theme that is repeated over and over again. Who can say what all the mighty deeds of Yahweh are? Who can declare his praise? However, the happy ones are those who observe justice and are righteous all the time.
“A psalm of David, a song at the dedication of the Temple
I will extol you!
Yahweh!
You have drawn me up!
You did not let my foes rejoice over me!
Yahweh!
My God!
I cried to you for help!
You have healed me!
Yahweh!
You have brought up my soul from Sheol!
You restored me to life
From among those gone down to the pit!”
Psalm 30 is another psalm of David, but explicitly mentioned as from the dedication of the Temple. However, the Temple was not completed until the time of King Solomon his son. Thus it is a thanksgiving psalm for the great works of Yahweh. David or this psalmist wanted to extol Yahweh. There was a specific reason for this thanksgiving. David had been healed in some way because his foes or enemies could not rejoice. He had cried for help and Yahweh healed him. He must have been on his death bed because he was brought back from Sheol or the pit, the underworld of death. He was restored to life, almost like a resurrection. He was saved from death.
“You have rescued me
From the horns of the wild oxen.
I will tell of your name to my brothers and sisters.
In the midst of the congregation
I will praise you.
You who fear Yahweh!
Praise him!
All you offspring of Jacob!
Glorify him!
Stand in awe of him!
All you offspring of Israel!
He did not despise me.
He did not abhor me.
He did not forget the affliction of the afflicted.
He did not hide his face from me.
But he heard,
When I cried to him.”
Apparently things turned out okay because Yahweh rescued David or the psalmist. He now wanted to give praise and thanksgiving. He was rescued from the horns of the wild oxen. Now he wanted to profess the name of Yahweh before his brothers, his sisters, and the whole congregation. He wanted to praise Yahweh, but he also wanted all the offspring of Jacob and Israel to do the same. It is interesting to note that both names are here and they mean the same thing. Yahweh did not despise or abhor him in his affliction. Yahweh never hid his face but in fact heard his call when he cried out to Yahweh.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 