“LORD, remember David, And all his afflictions: How he sware unto the LORD, And vowed unto the mighty God of Jacob; Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house, Nor go up into my bed; I will not give sleep to mine eyes, or slumber to mine eyelids, Until I find out a place for the LORD, An habitation for the mighty God of Jacob. Lo, we heard of it at Ephratah: We found it in the fields of the wood. We will go into his tabernacles: We will worship at his footstool.”
Psalm 132:1-7 KJV,https://bible.com/bible/1/psa.132.1-7.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 ...