The Word Made Fresh
1Praise the LORD!
You who serve the LORD, lift up your praises.
2The LORD’s name is honored –
always has been and always will be.
3So, praise the LORD from sunrise to sunset!
4The LORD is above the nations.
The LORD’s glory is more magnificent than the skies above.
5Who else is anything like the LORD our God?
God is enthroned high above us,
6and watches over everything in heaven and on earth.
7God raises the poor from their distress,
and lifts those who are in need from their despair,
8placing them on the same level as princes
and royalty among God’s people.
9God provides a home to the woman who has no children,
and then gives her children and she rejoices in motherhood.
Praise the LORD!
Commentary
1-4: The “servants of the LORD” (that’s us!) are called to praise God from morning to night.
5-9: God’s mercy to the poor and needy is highlighted, along with the blessing of children given to “the childless woman.” Israel’s early history, of course, contains several stories of barren women being blessed with children: Sarah (Genesis 11:30, 21:1-2), Rebekah (Genesis 25:21), Rachel (Genesis 30:1, 22-24) and Hannah (1 Samuel 1:2, 11, 19-20) come quickly to mind.
Takeaway
Those who are poor and in need are among the most innocent among us. Those who are wealthy through their deceitfulness are the guiltiest. Which group do you think will be blessed when we “shuffle off this mortal coil?”