Don't let the downtrodden be humiliated again. Instead, 

let the poor and needy praise your name.

Psalms 74:21 NLT

How often does our culture blame the downtrodden for the place they find themselves?

"Everyone has the same opportunity", "all you have to do is work hard".

Are those kinds of slogans going to lead to the poor and needy praising God?

Asaph's song reflects the reality that people often face that the "system" is really difficult, that they're knocked down, knocked back, humiliated again.

I often drive past a free food bank, great community service, yet the queue of people waiting to get in is right on one of the busiest streets in town. The downtrodden being humiliated again. 

We blame victims, question their mental health when they're angry, don't really listen to what they need.

We often don't slow down enough and wait for the downtrodden. 

Yet that's what Jesus did. 

He stopped. 

He talked.

He listened.

He offered hope and healing. 

And just like this song says, people praised his name. 

I wonder how different my day would be if I did more of what Jesus did?

#Psalms

#psalm74

#offerhopeandhealing