“Who is like the Lord our God, who sits enthroned on high,
but stoops to behold the heavens and the earth?
The Lord takes up the weak out of the dust.” Psalm 113:5-7
On islands in British Columbia we could wander for hours, stooping to pick up shells, stones, sea-smoothed wood, bits and pieces of this or that. It was a quiet, absorbing activity lulled by the sounds of gentle waves splashing, then fizzing as they withdrew again. Gull calls pierced the air. Cormorants skittered over water. Time was measured by how long my back would stoop over.
So imagine like the psalmist that God stoops, searching, to take us up. Not sure about that picture? Then here is another picture:
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the former of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross. (Phil. 2:5-8)
That’s more than just stooping; that’s God becoming one of us…for us. Now what would the psalmist say to that?! What do I say? Where does God carry me?
Suggestions:
1. Take this verse with you and ponder its meaning for you throughout the day. What do you notice? What do you wonder? What do you say? Where is God carrying you?
2. Or read all of Psalm 113 and see where these verses fit in.
3. Or comment with a photo of your own that is a window of this verse’s meaning for you.
Tomorrow’s psalm will be Psalm 114.
Starting January 1, 2016, for 150 days I am posting a daily psalm verse with a photo that is a visual meditation on the text for me. Each day a verse from the next psalm is chosen until all 150 psalms have been featured. To participate you may subscribe to my blog at https://elainedent.net or “friend” me on Facebook and watch for the daily links to blog posts. Disclaimer: I am not a photographer and most of the photos are from a cell phone or small camera while hiking the Appalachian Trail or the C&O Canal/Great Allegheny Passage Trail.
Chuck Miller says
That’s an amazing picture we’re given by the psalmist. Thanks for making it so vivid for us!