DCLM Daily Manna 14 September 2026: Humility in Greatness
KEY VERSE: “He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation” (Psalm 89:26).
TEXT: Psalm 89:25-27
25 I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers.
26 He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.
27 Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.
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Emperor Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, also called Caligula, actively promoted his own worship during his brief reign as Roman emperor from AD 37 until his assassination in AD 41. He famously demanded and received adoration as a living god. He was quoted as saying, “Remember that I have the right to do anything to anybody.” He humiliated his senators by making them run behind his litter or forcing them to fight for his amusement.
Unlike Emperor Caligula, David knew his limits as Israel’s king. The Lord promised to make him “higher than the kings of the earth” in our text, yet he constantly prayed to God in humility: “He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.” This virtue of constantly depending on God and ascribing greatness and supremacy to Him was what preserved King David on the throne, despite several attempts on his life.
Humility comes from the heart. It is a product of grace through heart circumcision. It manifests the virtue of self-abasement and resentment for the praises of men. Unlike popular thinking, where the rich and powerful are said to be inherently proud while the poor and weak are supposedly meek and humble, the state of the heart is the determining factor, and not the richness or emptiness of the pockets. We have seen poor people and even beggars whose character and boisterous nature are repulsive. And conversely, we have seen people of power and influence maintain such a commodious attitude that draws everyone to them.
God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. Like David, we are bound to remember our little beginnings, no matter what heights we may have attained in life presently. We must, in humility, acknowledge God and ascribe all greatness to Him alone. And if, for any reason, our talents, knowledge and achievements in life inadvertently draw unwarranted attention to us, we should politely insist that God is behind it all. We should avoid big names that kill a puppy. We must reject all adulation and hide ourselves behind the cross whenever the world attempts to deify us.
The Bible in One Year: Numbers 14–15
Thought for the Day: The heart is the factory where our attitudes are manufactured.
DCLM Daily Manna 14 September 2026
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