"For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly; but the haughty he perceives from far away" (vs. 6).
Do you ever struggle with feelings of insignificance, like the world is just passing you by? Are you concerned that you have never done any great, earth-shattering deeds, even something noble and selfless like making a big impact for the Lord?
A lot of times our problem in this area may lie in looking at things from a worldly perspective. We want to be a "mover and shaker." We want to be known, recognized, remembered, popular. But those qualities sound like they belong more to the haughty than the lowly. What if it doesn't really matter how big or great our deeds are? What if our most important calling is quietly doing the right things and walking humbly with God?
Think about some of the people commended in scripture. Gideon, the least in his family in the weakest clan. Ruth, a poor Moabite widow. Daniel, a conquered refugee from a defeated land. Who do we read about in the Gospels? Jesus and the rich donors putting large gifts in the Temple? No, the poor widow who put in a penny. Jesus and the princes and priests? No, the fishermen and the tax collector.
David may have put down giants, conquered Jerusalem, and united a people - but he was always a simple shepherd boy at heart, and this psalm reflects that. Consider its hopeful closing: "Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve me against the wrath of my enemies; you stretch out your hand, and your right hand delivers me. The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands" (vs. 7 and 8).
God has His eye on the little guy.
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