Psalm 113 (NRSV)
Read Psalm 113 on biblegateway.com
Verse 1Praise the Lord! Praise, O servants of the Lord; praise the name of the Lord.
Verse 2Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time on and forevermore.
Verse 3From the rising of the sun to its setting the name of the Lord is to be praised.
Verse 4The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens.
Verse 5Who is like the Lord our God, who is seated on high,
Verse 6who looks far down on the heavens and the earth?
Verse 7He raises the poor from the dust, and lifts the needy from the ash heap,
Verse 8to make them sit with princes, with the princes of his people.
Verse 9He gives the barren woman a home, making her the joyous mother of children. Praise the Lord!
Devotion
The psalmist reminds us that praising God should happen from sunup to sundown, not just with words but with our actions. Exalted above all, God came down to earth through Jesus Christ to heal and save us from our sins. In thanksgiving, we are called to praise God and tend to society’s outcasts.
I witness God at work through the volunteers, who coordinate our church’s bi-monthly mobile food pantry. The number of families needing assistance continues to increase. There’s no grumbling, only smiles and willing hands as they load boxes of food and fresh produce into the cars of hungry neighbors. What we witness is a mutual blessing: those who received food find relief and hope, while those who share the food experience joy and a purpose, living out their faith. In serving our neighbors with joy and compassion, we are not only meeting physical needs but also offering praise to God through our actions.
Prayer
God of compassion, may our service become praise, honoring you, who stooped down to raise the lowly. Let us remember that you, O God, delight not in outward show, but in faithful hearts that seek to serve our neighbors with compassion and joyful hearts. Amen.
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