The Lord Raises Up the Humble*

 “The LORD raises those who are bowed down; . . .” (Psalm 146:8b)

In this second part of verse 8 another strong reason is given to put our trust and hope in the Lord God of Jacob, shifting our trust and hope away from a “prince,” or a “son of man” or “we the people.”  

The fifth reason we are to put our trust and hope in the Lord God Jacob is because “the Lord raises those who are bowed down.” What does it mean to be “bowed down”? There are 3 ways you could look it; however, only one of those ways is applicable to its use in this verse. First, it could mean someone who is bent over in pain when you have a stomachache or just in a lot of pain you want to bend over or curl up to get some relief from the pain.

The second way a person may be bowed down is when bowing before someone to greet that person who is a dignitary or magistrate, a person in authority over you as sign of being in subjection to that person, such as, before a king or a servant before a master. Bowing in this way is typically a gesture of humbleness, to esteem someone as being over you. On the other hand, it may only have the same significance as a handshake when greeting a stranger, a colleague, or even a friend as a gesture of peace – you are greeting the person in peace.

The third way a person may be “bowed down” is how it’s being used in our verse. It describes the person who is suffering hardship, being oppressed; or is discouraged, distressed or just feeling low. It’s when you see the situation or circumstance you find yourself in as being hopeless and you’re helpless to help yourself. This understanding carries the sense of a helpless humility, which the Psalmist writes about in Psalm 42:5, where he says his soul is “cast down”; another way of saying “bowed down.” There are two levels to this meaning: one is related this life; the other is related to our eternal state before a holy God. As it relates to this life, it could be a financial hardship that is so severe you don’t know where your next meal is coming from; it could be a terminal illness; or could be that you have fallen into the hands of evil people or a person and not able to escape their grip. We also see this understanding applied in the life of the apostle of Paul as recorded in 2 Corinthians 1:6-11, where he writes that he and his companions were “burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life”; so much so, they dared not “trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead.” Their situation was such that they could only turn to God for help, knowing that He was the only One who could and would deliver them from their despair at the hands of those who troubled them so greatly; raise them up from the depths of despair, raise them up from being “bowed down.” Thus, we see that the Lord God of Jacob is able to raise us up from the troubles in this world.

As it relates to spiritual matters and our eternal state, the Lord God of Jacob raises up the humble sinner, a “bowed down” sinner. As sinners, we are lost and without hope outside the kingdom of God in Christ, held in bondage to sin, serving our lusts, passions and affections in unrepentant slavish obedience; we are under condemnation with the punishment being eternal torment in hell. Ephesians 2:12 describes this person as “having no hope and without God in the world.” However, it is those sinners who “bow down” before God in humbleness of heart, weeping in sorrow for their sins and crying out to God in repentance of their sins that God will save and raise up to a new life in Christ by the washing and regeneration of the Holy Spirit, as He applies the blood of Jesus Christ to the bowed down sinner for the forgiveness of his or her sins, imputes to him or her the righteousness of Christ and brings that humbled sinner into His kingdom making him or her fit to live forever in eternal blessedness. Won’t you this day “bow down” before the living God in humbleness of heart, repent of your sins and put your trust in Jesus Christ alone for your salvation? He will raise you up and save you from the eternal torment of hell and will raise you up in this life to persevere through the trials and tribulations of this world by the power of the Holy Spirit to the glory of God. He is our only Deliverer in this life and in eternity; there is no other.

Jesus Christ is the only One to put your hope and trust in, because when you “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, . . . He will lift you up” (James 4:10).

Soli Deo Gloria!

* This is the ninth in a series of devotionals from Psalm 146.