“Thy testimonies are wonderful: Therefore doth my soul keep them. The entrance of thy words giveth light; It giveth understanding unto the simple. I opened my mouth, and panted: For I longed for thy commandments. Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, As thou usest to do unto those that love thy name. Order my steps in thy word: And let not any iniquity have dominion over me. Deliver me from the oppression of man: So will I keep thy precepts. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; And teach me thy statutes. Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, Because they keep not thy law.”
Psalm 119:129-136 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/psa.119.129-136.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 ...