December 1, 2024

Praise the LORD! Praise, O servants of the LORD, Praise the name of the LORD. Blessed be the name of the LORD From this time forth and forever. From the rising of the sun to its setting The name of the LORD is to be praised.

The LORD is high above all nations; His glory is above the heavens. Who is like the LORD our God, Who is enthroned on high, Who humbles Himself to behold The things that are in heaven and in the earth?

He raises the poor from the dust And lifts the needy from the ash heap, To make them sit with princes, With the princes of His people. He makes the barren woman abide in the house As a joyful mother of children. Praise the LORD!

Psalm 113:1-9

I cherish this Psalm and often sing it in the morning as I prepare for the day. While the entire Psalm is remarkable, I am particularly drawn to the second stanza. Here, God is exalted above the heavens and the earth, yet He humbles Himself to be intimately aware of our circumstances. The Hebrew word for “humble,” מַשְׁפִּילִי (mashpili), means “to be low” or “abased.” This signifies that God lowers Himself to be near us, engaging with our lives and situations. This profound truth is most clearly seen in the incarnation, when Jesus is called Immanuel, meaning “God with us.”

“Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.”

— Matthew 1:23