“The enemy shall not exact upon him; Nor the son of wickedness afflict him. And I will beat down his foes before his face, And plague them that hate him. But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him: And in my name shall his horn be exalted. I will set his hand also in the sea, And his right hand in the rivers. He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, My God, and the rock of my salvation.”
Psalm 89:22-26 KJV,https://bible.com/bible/1/psa.89.22-26.KJV
Hope for the Poor in Spirit
Jesus began His famous Sermon on the Mount with an upside-down perspective and eight counter-cultural blessings—commonly known as the beatitudes.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 5:3 ESV
To be physically poor is to lack resources or material possessions. The word "poor" might trigger a mental image of someone who can’t pay their bills, can’t break free from the cycle of poverty, or can’t afford food, clothing, or shelter.
So what does it mean to be spiritually poor, and why does Jesus think that’s a good thing?
Those who realize their own spiritual poverty know that, without God, they are spiritually bankrupt. Those who are poor in spirit understand the desperation of their situation—that they can have nothing, do nothing, and be nothing without Him. Those who are poor in spirit recognize that it’s humility, not pride or self-reliance, that’s a ...