AdventDay 17
The lowly lifted up
Week 3 · Tuesday · Psalm 113: He Lifts the Needy From the Ash Heap
For today
The God enthroned on high stoops down to see. He lifts the needy and gives the childless a home, and this psalm invites you to trust that no one is beneath his notice.
Begin with these verses
verse 5Who is like the LORD our God, the One enthroned on high? verse 6He humbles Himself to behold the heavens and the earth.
verse 7He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the dump verse 8to seat them with nobles, with the princes of His people. verse 9He settles the barren woman in her home as a joyful mother to her children. Hallelujah!
In Christ
How this psalm points to Jesus
The New Testament echoes this psalm · verse 7
Mary's song, like Hannah's before her, praises God for lifting up the humble. In Jesus God stooped lower still, taking the form of a servant.
He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap. He seats them among princes and bestows on them a throne of honor. For the foundations of the earth are the LORD’s, and upon them He has set the world.
verse 46Then Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord, verse 47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! verse 48For He has looked with favor on the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed.
verse 52He has brought down rulers from their thrones, but has exalted the humble. verse 53He has filled the hungry with good things, but has sent the rich away empty.
verse 6Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, verse 7but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness. verse 8And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross.
Optional. Kept only on this device, and never counted.