Psalm 113:7-9 – “Kindness”

As always, here’s my fairly literal translation of these verses:

⁷Raising [the] poor from the dust, He raises [the] needy from the dung pile,

⁸to make [him] dwell with nobles, with the nobles of his people,

⁹making [the] barren [woman] to dwell [in] the house, the mother of the sons,

    joyful.

Praise the LORD.

One of the reasons I have particularly enjoyed studying the Bible over the years is because it helps me to know God for who He really is. This world is so full of totally misguided views of God. It is sad that so few people ever really “know” Him, that is, know Him for who He really is and not for who everyone seems to think He is. If we study the Bible, we get to see firsthand, for ourselves, exactly who He really is – and who He isn’t. What particularly always amazes me is to see how unbelievably kind He is. Perhaps it is because we are all so full of sin, but for whatever reason, we seem to naturally expect Him to be angry and fed up with us. We expect Him to be occupied with “important” matters, not the petty details of our unimportant existence. Perhaps on the “religious” side of things, we expect Him to be occupied with “church” business and evangelistic campaigns and missionaries to Africa and such, and that it certainly can’t be important to Him that I’m going to the grocery store.

Can I say that, after having studied the Bible personally for nearly 40 years, those are all misguided views of God? He is none of the above. He is a God who cares intimately that I’m going to the grocery store. If that is what I need to do for the next hour, He is supremely interested. He loves me. He wants to go with me. He wants to help me, to be my strength and shield. He wants to help me love people even as I go – love my family in the going itself, love the people I interact with, acquaintances I happen to run into, and just in general to help me live my faith as I go. Actually, He is so involved, it isn’t even really my going. It is His and He’s allowing me to be a part of whatever it is He happens to be up to. My life is His life, even in things as simple as “going to the grocery store.”

The passage before us is just another place where I see all of this in the Bible. Look at it. This series of Psalms 111, 112, and then 113, is a passage of exalted praises to the God of Heaven, the High One of glory, and yet what do we find Him doing? Look back through these three psalms and what do you see? You’ll see verse after verse of how great God is, mingled with verse after verse of kindness to His people. And even more than that, as we see in 113:7-9, that kindness even seeks out the very lowest of people to shower His kindnesses on them.

What is particularly striking me today is this final verse, 113:9: ^“making [the] barren [woman] to dwell [in] the house, the mother of the sons, joyful. Praise the LORD.” Notice again, this verse is the conclusion of 111, 112, and 113. These three psalms have pondered the exalted greatness of God, the One “exalted over all the nations, His glory above the heavens.” And yet where does it all end? What does the final verse say? It is a verse that includes the words “house,” “mother,” “sons,” and “joyful.”  

Does anyone else see what I see? Isn’t this beyond amazing? Where does the exalted greatness of God leave us? In the affairs of a palace somewhere? In a temple? In some amazing church service? Certainly He is in all those places, but here we find ourselves in a home, with a mother and her children, joyful. And there we conclude it all with the words, “Praise the Lord.” That’s the kind of God He is. Straight from the Bible. No one’s opinion. There right in front of us. He is the High and exalted One who considers it one of His great works to place mothers in homes with their children, joyful.

Kindness. Just as the Bible says, “God is love.” He knows the deepest needs of our hearts. He knows the greatest joys. He knows the deepest desires of our hearts – oftentimes even though we ourselves do not. My wife and I would be quick to acknowledge we are the last people in the world the Lord should have ever entrusted and blessed with children. And yet He did. And now He’s even given us grandchildren. The grace and kindness in all of that makes we wish I could just praise Him for all eternity. Hmmm. Guess that is what I’ll do! The trick is to keep these thoughts in my mind and praise Him today – to live in love for Him today in my little world – the one where I think I have big problems.

Lord, help me remember today Your great kindness, and help me trust You and love You no matter what “challenges” I think I have to face.

Thank You for letting me know You – the real You – the You You told us You are in Your Word. You are everything my silly heart could have ever dreamed You’d be – and so much more.

Praise the Lord!