Psalm 113 “He Raises And He Lifts”

Psalm for Today = 113:4-8

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.

    and his glory above the heavens!

Comments:

After the invocation of praise the Lord (v.1-3), verse 4 states that which should be obvious, yet which we continually need to be reminded of, that “The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens!” It is the lot of mankind, left to himself,  to worship either the heavens as the highest and most glorious thing he can observe, or to give glory to the nation to which he belongs as the highest authority and greatest cause on the earth. Neither is true.

What is also so amazing about God in this psalm is the testimony that, though he has to “look far down” to consider even our greatest works, He raises and lifts the poor and the needy from the dirt. It would seem that most often worldly power is used to keep others from getting power. Those at the top must keep everyone else from getting to the top in some global and all too deadly game of “king of the hill”. But it is like someone hasn’t told God our rules.

What God does as the highest and most glorious is raise up the lowly and wretched and give them power and glory. He uses his might to bring satisfaction to others, not to himself. Truly, there is none like Him! How unlike human rulers he is.

Ironically, when God raises others (including us) up, he is not diminished, but when we keep others down, we are! 

He is a God most worthy of our praise!

Question:

·         How have we seen God raise up the poor and needy?

·         What will I do with whatever power and honor God has entrusted to me this week?
 

Psalm 89 "The Festal Shout"

Psalm 89:14-18

"Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;

    steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.

Blessed are the people who know the festal shout,

    who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face,

who exult in your name all the day

    and in your righteousness are exalted.

For you are the glory of their strength;

    by your favor our horn is exalted.

For our shield belongs to the Lord,

    our king to the Holy One of Israel."

Photo by William White on Unsplash

Comment: 
The psalmist is almost leading a group cheer for what God has done in the past, and for who God is in relation to his people. I sense a rising crescendo in this passage. 

At the end of this long psalm, we learn that the psalmist was currently in difficult circumstances and was asking when the Lord would intervene. 

I love how enthusiastic he gets talking about what God has done…even way back in the history of his country. 

He lived out his phrase, "Blessed are the people who know the festal shout"! Why would the people shout at the feast? Because they were certain of the generous goodness of God!

I hope I can be as stoked as they were about God’s faithfulness…past, present, and future!

When we rejoice in the Lord all day long, instead of seeking our own glory, we find ourselves lifted up as well. Regarding those who know the fetal shout, he rest of v. 15-16 says,

who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face, 

who exult in your name all the day

    and in your righteousness are exalted. (v.15b-16)