In Psalms one hundred thirteen the Psalmist said, “Who is like unto the LORD our God, who dwells on high, who humbles himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!”, and in chapter one hundred thirteen and verse seven of Psalms the Psalmist said of Jehovah God, “He raises up the poor out of the dust” where we read,
He raises up the poor out of the dust, and lifts the needy out of the dunghill;
The verse begins, “He raises up the poor out of the dust, …” The Psalmist said, “He raises up the poor” which means “He, Jehovah God, erects, lifts up, stands up, fixes and establishes the lowly, weak, thin and needy” “out of the dust” or “from the dry earth, dust, powder, ashes, debris and rubbish”. The Psalmist said Jehovah God lifts up the lowly and needy people from the powder, ashes and rubbish of the earth.
The verse continues, “… and lifts the needy out of the dunghill;” The Psalmist added the words, “and lifts the needy” which means “and exalts, makes lofty and sets on high the people in want, subject to oppression, abused and troubled” “out of the dunghill” or “from the ash, refuse, filth and rubbish heap”. The Psalmist said Jehovah God exalts and sets on high people who are in want, subject to oppression and abused.
When we think through the words in this verse, we see how the Psalmist described the way Jehovah God notices people who are “poor and needy”. Sometimes those with much less means feel like they are living in the “dust” of the earth, and they dwell in filth and rubbish heaps. This causes them to feel forgotten and alone. However, Jehovah God notices them, and He is able to “lift” them out of those dreadful places and to “set them on high”. God is in the rescue business, and the salvation of mankind was the reason He sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of everyone. When we put our faith and trust in Jesus, He will forgive our sins, cleanse us from all unrighteousness, grant us everlasting life and lift us out of the squaller of the world to be seated with Him. (See 1 John 1:9; Ephesians 3:6-7) Let us give praise, honor and glory to Jehovah God and His Son Jesus who see the “poor and needy” and provide salvation from their difficult places.
Next time the Psalmist says of Jehovah God, “that he may set him with princes”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website “thewordfortodaywithray.com” or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book “Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II” and the new novel “Elizabeth County” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from “Strongs Concordance”.
Ray Hanselman 