What Even is “Poor in Spirit?” | Matthew 5:3
September 16, 2023
What does “Blessed are the poor in spirit” really mean?
Psalm 22 is technically a lament, but there is such HOPE in it. I almost skipped over it. Let’s face it, we are all ready to be done with the laments of David. Right? I have made up a list of the Psalms to cover and working on getting a schedule down and I was so vulnerable and honest with you guys last week that I wanted to move on quickly and on a totally different track.
I don’t know what I thought 22 was not right or not worth getting into. But as I started to look at 23 and I saw some of the notes I had previously made on 22 I realized how stupid I was being. So here is 22. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
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[3:46] There are familiar phrases in Psalm 22. When you read it, you will know it, but it is not in the place you know you heard it from. Verse one is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” See. You’ve heard this before, but Jesus said it (Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:33). We can appreciate how cool this is. That David, great (x28)-grandfather to Jesus, is writing this Psalm about how he is feeling and what he is suffering through is then quoted by Jesus while he is on the cross just gets me. It blows my mind. I imagine a corny scene in heaven when Jesus gets back up there and he runs to find David and is like “I quoted you Granddaddy David”. It brings tears to David’s eyes and he pulls his grandson, who is also God and the savior of the world, into his arms for a hug that only a granddaddy can give, and feels immense pride in his family. I clearly watch too much Hallmark. I digress.
[11:15] David, like Jesus, is lamenting that he is crying out to God and that He is just not listening. He is not swooping in to save him. The next lines David is telling how faithful God has been to his fathers. How their trust in God delivered them, how they trusted and were not disappointed.
Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One [yet, You are holy, enthroned in the praise of Israel. NLT]¹
You are the praise of Israel.
In you our fathers put their trust;
They trusted and you delivered them.
They cried to you and were saved;
In you they trusted and were not disappointed. [or ashamed]²
¹ I really love that yet, You are Holy. (Here is a fantastic sermon on Holy by Jackie Hill Perry)
² Love this too, that those who hope in him will not be disappointed.
Look at this legacy that has been left. How the Lord was involved with the children of Israel is mentioned 2 more times in this Psalm. This is so important. We must share what God has done with others. They need it for a reference.
[15:40] David says, but I am a worm. Like he is clearly not his fathers. They cried out to you and were heard and rescued. But not me. Then he talks about how he is being mocked and insults are being hurled at him and that people are saying “where is your god that delights in you? HA.” Again, this is Jesus on the cross. This is what he endured while hanging there. David talks about how he knew the Lord from the womb, yet he is still alone.
While “many bulls surround me, strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.” I had to take a minute and look at just what significance the bulls of Bashan had. Bible Hub said this: “The bulls of Bashan are here alluded to as remarkable for their size, their strength, and their fierceness; and area designed to represent men that were fierce, savage, and violent. The allusion is to the fierce and cruel men that persecuted him and sought his life.” (https://biblehub.com/commentaries/psalms/22-12.htm specifically Barnes notes on the Bible. And this was an interesting read about them, too. https://www.gotquestions.org/strong-bulls-of-Bashan.html) David felt threatened is what this boils down to.
ICYMI: Parable Series on Bible Talk
[24:50] This part continues and the words are not repeated in the New Testament, but there is such a connection, again, to what Jesus was enduring. “My strength is dried up like a potsherd” [that’s a pottery fragment, but NLT uses sunbaked clay and that gives a picture of cracked and weak] verse 15; then in verse 16 pierced hands and feet. Hmmm. Verse 17 people stare and gloat over me and in 18 they divide my garments among them by casting lots (John 19:24). Y’all get it.
[27:09] Now David changes gears. It’s like he has finally remembered that “you, o LORD, be not far off.” He knows he can call on the Lord and that he will be heard. He will come to his aid and give him strength. David says he will declare it to the congregation. This is a part of the legacy I was talking about earlier. He calls for his brothers (other believers, if you will) to praise God to honor Him.
[27:40] The next bit, the bit about where David finds his praise is just…inspiring. Here are verses 25 and 26 from the Passion: You’re the reason for my praise; it comes from you and goes to you. I will keep my promise to praise you before all you fear you among the congregation of your people. I will invite the poor and broken, and they will come and eat until satisfied. Bring Yahweh praise and you will find him. Your hearts will overflow with life forever! (emphasis mine).
Don’t. You. Just. Love. That. God is who we even get the idea to praise from. Without him there would be no praise. He’s the reason. It comes from him. Of course, it should go back to him. Honestly, he is the only one who deserves it. God is good all the time. All the time God is good. Praise him from whom all blessings flow. Those who bring him praise will find Him. In the good things. In the bad things. Hard ones too. Because he is there for all of it.
[Insert PRAISE here. Shouting ensues.]
One day all the nations, every knee shall bow, every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. “For dominion belongs to the LORD and he rules over the nations.” Verse 28
[29:36] We close this Psalm with the hope I mentioned at the beginning. Future generations will be told about the Lord. Bible Hub says “one generation after another shall report God’s righteousness and what He has done.”
Verse 31: They will proclaim [to be conspicuous, they aren’t whispering] His righteousness [saving deeds, NET] to people yet unborn—for He has done it [It is finished]. It is finished. Friends, Jesus says that. John tells us that Jesus says this phrase and then gives up his spirit. (John 19:30)
He. Has. Done. It.
