“From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD'S name is to be praised.”
My Notes
What Does Psalms 113:3 Mean?
"From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD'S name is to be praised." The GEOGRAPHIC scope of praise: from where the sun RISES (east) to where it SETS (west) — the entire earth, every longitude, every time zone. The praise is as WIDE as the daylight. The worship follows the sun around the planet. As the sun moves from horizon to horizon, the praise moves with it. No location is exempt. No hour is uncovered.
The phrase "from the rising of the sun" (mimmizrach shemesh — from the rising/east of the sun) makes the EAST the starting-point: the praise BEGINS where the day begins. The worship starts at dawn. The rising sun is the first call to praise. The light's appearance is the cue for the name's declaration. The natural world's rhythm becomes the worship's schedule.
The phrase "unto the going down of the same" (ad mevo'o — unto its going-in/setting) makes the WEST the endpoint: the praise doesn't stop at noon. It continues ALL DAY — from the sun's RISING to the sun's SETTING. The entire arc of daylight is filled with praise. The worship covers the FULL DAY. No hour is praise-free.
The phrase "the LORD'S name is to be praised" (mehullal shem YHWH — praised is the name of the LORD) makes the NAME the object: not just God generally but God's NAME specifically. The name — YHWH, the covenant-name, the revealed identity — is what receives the praise. The worship is NAMED worship. The praise addresses a specific identity. The worship isn't generic spirituality. It's directed at the NAME.
Reflection Questions
- 1.What all-day, all-location worship is your life offering?
- 2.What does 'from rising to setting' teach about praise covering the FULL temporal scope?
- 3.How does the praise being directed at the LORD's NAME (not generic divinity) describe specificity in worship?
- 4.What hour of your day currently has NO praise — and what would filling that gap change?
Devotional
From SUNRISE to SUNSET — the LORD's name is to be praised. The praise is as wide as the DAYLIGHT. As the sun arcs across the sky, the praise follows. From the eastern horizon to the western horizon, every degree of longitude, every hour of the day — the name of the LORD is the subject of worship.
The GEOGRAPHIC scope eliminates every exception: no location is too far east. No location is too far west. The praise covers the ENTIRE earth — every continent, every nation, every community that the sun touches. The worship is PLANETARY. The scope is the scope of SUNLIGHT. Anywhere the sun shines, the name should be praised.
The TEMPORAL scope is the full day: not just morning worship. Not just evening prayer. FROM rising TO setting — the entire daylight arc. The praise fills every HOUR. The worship covers every MOMENT between dawn and dusk. The name is praised continuously — not in sporadic bursts but in unbroken coverage from horizon to horizon.
The NAME is the specific object: the praise isn't directed at a vague divine force. It's directed at the LORD's NAME — YHWH, the covenant-identity, the revealed name. The worship has a specific RECIPIENT. The praise has a personal ADDRESS. The geographic and temporal scope serves a NAMED God. The universe-wide worship has a NAME-wide focus.
What 'from sunrise to sunset' praise — what all-day, all-location worship — is the LORD's name receiving from your life?
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same,.... Meaning not from morning tonight; for it designs not…
From the rising of the sun ... - From the farthest east to the farthest west - the sun in its rising and setting being…
In this psalm,
I. We are extorted to give glory to God, to give him the glory due to his name.
1. The invitation is very…
Cross References
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