Day 23 • The Week of Love

Scripture Readings:
Psalm 113
Genesis 25:19-28
Colossians 1:15-20

Our reading from Psalm 113 today is a beautiful song of praise. As with many psalms, it is a call to praise God, followed by all the reasons why God should be praised. The psalms do not demand praise of God just for the sake of praise alone but declare clear reasons why God deserves to be praised based on God’s past actions and future goals. Such needed reminders, especially in our corporate worship together.

This psalm is still used in Jewish holidays today and is the first of six psalms that comprise the Hallel, which is a liturgy of worship for festive occasions. Psalm 113 points to actions God has taken many times in ancient Israel’s history. God is shown to be the highest authority in all the cosmos, yet stoops down to raise up the poor from the dust the needy from the ash heap of the world and place them alongside princes. God also is mindful of women, especially those in Israel's history who have prayed for children, like Hannah, and have answered their prayers. This is a high, transcendent God, yet a God who is willing to be active among us, even the lowest among us. This is why the Psalmist declares God as worthy of praise.

As I write this, the United States is facing a very contentious presidential election (2024). In the past several years, Christianity has featured prominently within the political discourse, and not always for the better. We have heard horrible things, and just downright lies said about the poor and the needy, especially among immigrants. We have heard horrible things about “childless women,” as if they are not living up to their full potential as human beings or citizens if they are not mothers. A lot of this rhetoric comes from those who claim to follow Jesus in the political arena. It is enough to break your heart and ask, “Is God present? Is God working among us at all?”

This psalm reminds us that God has worked powerfully in the past, especially among those the world tends to look down on and even hate. This psalm encourages us to look for God in the places we least expect. Instead of the halls of power and thronerooms of our world, we are directed to look at the impoverished, ash heaps, and barren places of our world. There, we will see God at work. In fact, that is exactly where we see God arrive in the flesh. A baby was born to a childless woman who was among the poor and needy in her society. That is who God partners within our world today.

Reflection Steps

When we read this Psalm from a place of desperate need, it can feel out of touch with our cercumstances. How am I to praise God in the midst of so much need and pain? Conversely, if we read this Psalm from a place of privilege, we can also feel like the words don’t fit, especially when we see others experience so much pain and need. For those of you in the first category, what ways may God be encouraging you to hold on just a little longer for delivery to come? How might God be encouraging you to express your need to both God and those who could help? For those of you in the second category, how might you be the hands and feet of God in the places that are crying out for help and deliverance? Take a moment to read through Psalm 113 and ponder the ways we can all come together and bring about collective healing that results in triumphant praise.