Many of us have songs that take us back to a place, remind us of important events, or remind us of a specific person. It is no different for the saints of old. In Matthew 26:30, Jesus and His apostles sing a hymn after the last supper. Psalm 113 is the beginning of the Hallel songs that would be sing at Passover, and it would have likely been the first of the songs sung at that Passover feast in the upper room.
Imagine the setting where Jesus is singing these words, knowing he would soon be betrayed and crucified. Do the words to this psalm take Jesus back to a place He once occupied, not scorned or ridiculed, but Creator? Would verses 5-7 take deeper meaning, sacrificing Himself to lift up those in need of salvation? Does the song bring any sense of doubt or apprehension in our Savior, or does He gain resolve, knowing these people need Him?
This psalm would have been sung every year of His life at Passover, a reminder of how much man needs God’s intervention and how much He has done for us. After this Passover, however, Jesus finds the resolve and strength to go to the cross. Songs may remind us of many things, when we read Psalm 113, we should be reminded of how much we need our Savior and how much He has done for us. We can be taken back to that fateful Passover night, see the resolve He has in going to the cross and commit ourselves to having the same resolve in our spiritual lives.
lesson by Tim Smelser
