Day 234, Year 1

The Humble are the Opposite of the Wicked

“The LORD lifts up the humble; He casts the wicked down to the ground.” (Psalm 147:6 NKJV)

Humble people are those who seek God the most. Today’s verse contrasts the words “the humble” (‘anav) with the “wicked.” “Wicked,” rasha’ in Hebrew, here also means “against God.” In other words, people who are humble and distressed often seek God’s help, while those who are hostile toward Him are the opposite. As mentioned yesterday, God will give grace to the humble. One of the many ways in which the Lord bestows grace to the humble is by lifting them up. “Lift up,” ‘ud in Hebrew, also means “to restore, or to relieve.” God is going to restore the strength of and support the humble or distressed. He supports such people in two ways. On one hand, He provides them relief from hardships; on the other hand, He restores the strength of their lives. This can be understood in two ways. God changes the external predicaments of believers, and/or He increases our inner strength so that we can overcome all difficulties. God wants to restore all that humble people had lost and ultimately establish His people. Indeed, His purpose in lifting up the humble is to establish an intimate relationship with us, while the focus is on increasing our inner strength and renewing our lives. 

God responds to all according to people’s words and deeds, including their attitude toward Him. This verse is harsher than the previous verse, “God is opposed to the proud” (James 4:6). Today’s verse seems to point out that there are only two kinds of people in this world: one is the wicked who oppress others and are hostile toward God, and the other is the humble who are being oppressed and seek God. Thus, believers should pray according to the promise of this verse, ask Him to lift us up, and cast the wicked down to the ground. In my opinion, the wicked who turn the humble into prideful should be cast down promptly. Otherwise, there will be fewer humble people in the world. We should persistently pray to God to cast down the wicked so that more humble people can be saved. When people choose to do evil and turn against God, they are spiritually dead, and they have no choice but to head their destruction to the ground. When God casts down the wicked, it is also the time He lifts up the humble. But we need to pray for God’s grace so that we can be humble forever and pass on His grace and support to others in need.

Reflection questions:

1) Are you used to asking the Lord Jesus for help when you are in need? If you do, what are the common results?

2) Do you feel God’s support from time to time, which renews and empowers you? What do you do if you feel a lack of strength?