Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!
Parallel translations
- WEB Who stoops down to see in heaven and in the earth?
- BSB He humbles Himself to behold the heavens and the earth.
- NKJV Who humbles Himself to behold The things that are in the heavens and in the earth?
- NASB Who looks far down to The heavens and the earth?
- NLT He stoops to look down on heaven and on earth.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Though enthroned on high, God stoops low to behold heaven and earth. His greatness is matched by His gracious condescension.
Overview
The God who dwells above the heavens must 'stoop down' even to observe creation, so far is He above it. Remarkably, this same exalted God humbles Himself to attend to the lowly. This condescension finds its supreme expression in the incarnation, where the Most High took on human flesh (Philippians 2:6-7).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Isa 57:15For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
- Ps 11:4The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD’s throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.
- Ps 138:6Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.
- Isa 66:2For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
- Isa 6:2Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
- Job 4:18Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly:
- Job 15:15Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 113:6 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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