Day 245, Year 1

The Humble will be Satisfied

“The poor shall eat and be satisfied; Those who seek Him will praise the LORD. Let your heart live forever!” (Psalm 22:26 NKJV)

The “poor” (‘anav) shall eat and be satisfied. Going over the previous passage, it refers to those who were “in the assembly.” Most likely indicating that even the poor were able to have their fill, too, during the times of ancient Israeli festivals. When massive sacrifices took place during festival times, it would allow the poor to be fed with abundant food. In my opinion, this can imply that the humble being is fed spiritually in the heavenly assembly of God and thereby satisfied. Thus, for the needy, the poor, and the weak, the Lord can give each of them some alternative “food.” In any case, the humble or the poor will be satisfied. This reminds us to have a heart that is chasing after God, to maintain the spiritual craving at all times, and to humbly wait for His grace before Him.

The word “seek,” darash in Hebrew, here means “to consult, enquire of, to seek deity in prayer and worship, to seek (with a demand), investigate, study, follow, seek with application, or to seek with care.” In other words, those who seek God not only follow Him, but also desire to seriously study and learn everything about Him. In times of need, we pray to God and follow through with His guidance. Today’s verse mentions that those who seek God will be willing to spend time to deeply understand and thoroughly obey Him. Precisely because we who humbly seek God will surely find Him, and we will eventually praise Him with a joyful heart.

The word “live,” chayah in Hebrew, here means “to prosper, or live prosperously.” The psalmist wished: May the humble and God-seeking hearts live forever. Hence, the psalmist’s focus is not on how well he eats or what good results are coming from seeking God. Rather, it is the heart that desires and seeks God that continues to flourish forever. Indeed, life on earth is a journey of longing and seeking God. Believers’ hearts in seeking God’s heart should burn ever brighter like an unceasing fire. I believe that this is one of the meanings of the human heart to live prosperously in this verse. If God gives us material prosperity, we can offer some of it to Him and share it with those in need, transforming the material gains into spiritual blessings for ourselves and others. A heart that seeks God prospers forever and transcends all personal satiation or hunger. Our hearts should be constantly and actively seeking, longing, and praising God, and enjoying all that comes from Him.

Reflection questions:

1) Are you a person who seriously seeks God at all costs, and without any reservations? If there are any obstacles in your seeking, how would you remove them with the Lord’s help?

2) Is now your heart seeking, longing, and praising God more and more fervently? Or have you become increasingly indifferent toward Him? Why?