1 Praise the LORD!
Praise, O servants of the LORD,
praise the name of the LORD!
2 Blessed be the name of the LORD
from this time forth and forevermore!
3 From the rising of the sun to its setting,
the name of the LORD is to be praised!
4 The LORD is high above all nations,
and his glory above the heavens!
5 Who is like the LORD our God,
who is seated on high,
6 who looks far down
on the heavens and the earth?
7 He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the ash heap,
8 to make them sit with princes,
with the princes of his people.
9 He gives the barren woman a home,
making her the joyous mother of children.
Praise the LORD!
If you have been pursuing your God given purpose in life for any extended length of time you well know that there are those times when you are absolutely in over your head. When all you can do is sit in your mess and beg for help. There are those moments when the thought of you being able to fulfill your purpose seems impossible. We can try to do it on our own, but in reality we fall dreadfully short of any chance of success. We are caught in the trenches and at any moment things are about to blow up. If you just so happen to find yourself powerless to help yourself there is a psalm that might give you a fresh perspective, and maybe, even encourage you in the midst of your disposition.
God is above all
Psalm 113 is all about praising God because He has the power to help the helpless. The psalm starts off praising God repeatedly. The reason for this praise begins to unravel starting in verse 4. God is above all creation and He alone is the supreme sovereign ruler over all things. The point here is to show that God rules over the heavens and the earth, He is the highest of highs. No one can reach Him. He sits enthroned over all things.
He looks down
The psalmist continues his reason for such a magnificent resound of praise in verse 6. He looks down. The mighty, powerful God of all things looks down toward His creation, and He acts out of compassion to the marginalized and lowly. As the psalm progresses we see that the poor, one who is down in the dirt begging for help because he cannot help himself, are lifted up and seated with royalty. God, being the only one who has the right to offer someone a seat of honor, does, lifting up the poor. We are often called to do great things that we, in fact, cannot do on our own. We lack therefore we are poor. We identify with the poor in that we are not able on our own. We are not enough, but He is more than enough. We are lowly, but He is most high. All the while being most high, God looks down concerned for the position of the lowly. So He lifts them up.
When we can’t, He can
In the last verse God lifts up a barren women and makes her a mother of children. In ancient Israel, a women’s purpose and whole point of life was to produce children, to carry on the dynasty of a family. To be barren was to be unable to fulfill your purpose. It was a tragic misfortune and even considered a curse. God made the impossible possible by a miraculous intervention. He looks down when there is no way, and He makes a way. He does the miraculous because in His power He helps the lowly who cannot help themselves.
For you
I don’t know your circumstance or what it is you are trying so desperately to rise above, but I know that the God of all creation looks down on the lowly with compassion. He helps those who cannot help themselves, and when there is no way to rise above, He makes a way. He makes a way because He cares for you, and He has all the power to help. For this reason, give Him praise.
Life as I know it,
_rec
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