A few months ago, my heavenly Father very specifically directed me to Psalm 113. At that time, I was not familiar with it, but I was greatly encouraged, especially by the last verse about the barren woman being settled in her home as the happy mother of children. Now, being 49, I was not thinking of having more children - that was not possible for me anyway, but the Lord knows that it has been hard for me that I was able to have only one child (although she is undoubtably the best daughter in the world! :-). He had heard my prayers, and captured every tear.
No, my heavenly Father was telling me something else, and I did not connect this until quite recently. He spoke to me through His wonderful Word, through the living words of Psalm 113, and showed me that I was indeed to become the happy mother of children (through Compassion alone, I already have four sons and one daughter). What's more, He was to show me much about praise for His Name, about His heart for the poor and oppressed, for injustice and the scope of His watchfulness and care. It's all there in Psalm 113!
Verses 1 through 3 declare that the Name of the LORD is to be praised! Indeed, it is to be praised by all the servants of the LORD from every corner of the creation, both now and forever more!
Verses 4 through 9 tell us just a few of the reasons that He is to be praised: He is exalted over all the nations (all the peoples of the earth) and His glory above the heavens! There is no one like Him! He sits enthroned on high, He stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth (He cares and is not absent), He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap - His heart cares deeply about the oppressed of our world, those whose lives have been fraught with injustice. Our father sets the lowly on the seats of princes (He uses the 'foolish' things of this world to shame the 'wise'), and when a barren (or only-child-ed) woman is settled in her home as a happy mother of children, it is the hand of the LORD Who has accomplished it! Praise the LORD indeed! Both now and forevermore!