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“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.”
— *Matthew 5:3–5 (ESV)*
Let us look at what the Word of God says. These words are not the words of a prophet, or an apostle, or a psalmist. These are the opening statements of Jesus Himself in what we call the Sermon on the Mount. He is not giving suggestions. He is declaring the laws of His Kingdom.
The song “Kingdom of the Humble” turns our attention again and again to these words:
> “Blessed are the poor in spirit—
> the kingdom of heaven is theirs.
> Humble hearts, empty hands—
> God’s kingdom belongs to them now.”
This is a radically different kingdom from the kingdoms of this world. In the world, the strong, the assertive, the self-confident, the self-sufficient seem to rule. But in the Kingdom of heaven, Jesus says the poor in spirit possess the kingdom, the mourners are comforted, and the meek inherit the earth.
The song echoes this divine paradox:
“Humble hearts, empty hands—God’s kingdom belongs to them now.”
The central theme is the nature of true kingdom entrance and kingdom life: humility, brokenness, meekness. God’s kingdom does not open to the strong, but to those who acknowledge their utter spiritual poverty and come with empty hands.
The setting is crucial. Matthew 5 begins:
> “Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them…”
> — *Matthew 5:1–2*
In the background is Israel under Roman occupation. Politically dominated, economically pressured, religiously divided. Many expected a Messiah who would overthrow Rome, assert Jewish national power, and establish visible supremacy.
Jesus does the opposite of what they expect. He does not begin His messianic manifesto with:
He sits down, takes the posture of a rabbi, and speaks to His disciples within earshot of the crowds. What He now declares are the entry conditions and value system of the Kingdom of God.
“Blessed” here is not a casual “happy.” It is a divine verdict: approved, favored by God, under His smile.
He begins with three shocking statements:
1. Poor in spirit – theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
2. Those who mourn – they will be comforted.
3. The meek – they will inherit the earth.
This completely reverses the expectations of both religious Jew and Roman citizen. In their world, poverty, mourning, and meekness were signs of weakness and failure. Jesus says these are the very marks of those to whom the Kingdom belongs.
The song takes us into this same upside-down reality:
“Come poor in spirit, come as you are—
the kingdom of heaven is yours.”
The call is not, “Come when you have fixed yourself.” The call is, “Come as you are, in your spiritual bankruptcy and emptiness.”
To understand the depth of this teaching, we must look at some key Greek words Jesus used.
### 1. “Poor” – *ptōchos* (πτωχός)
“Blessed are the poor in spirit…” — *Matthew 5:3*
The word translated “poor” is *ptōchos*. This is not the word for someone who is merely struggling financially. It describes a beggar, one who is utterly destitute, who has nothing, who must stretch out his hand and plead for help.
*Ptōchos* carries the sense of one who:
To be “poor in spirit” is to recognize that before God:
This is directly opposed to religious pride and self-righteousness. It is the opposite of the Pharisee who “trusted in themselves that they were righteous” (Luke 18:9). It is the attitude of the tax collector who smote his breast and said, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” (Luke 18:13).
The song captures this posture:
“Humble hearts, empty hands—
God’s kingdom belongs to them now.”
Empty hands are *ptōchos* hands. No bargaining chips. No spiritual résumé. No claims of worthiness. Only need.
### 2. “Meek” – *praus* (πραΰς)
“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” — *Matthew 5:5*
The Greek word is *praus*. It does not mean weak, passive, or timid. In classical Greek, *praus* was sometimes used for a wild horse that had been trained, broken, and brought under control.
The idea is strength under submission, power under the control of another will.
Meekness is:
Moses is called “very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3). Yet Moses confronted Pharaoh, split the Red Sea, and led a nation. He was not weak. He was yielded.
Jesus Himself says:
> “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle (*praus*) and lowly in heart…”
> — *Matthew 11:29*
Meekness is the character of Christ formed in us.
The promise attached is staggering:
“they will inherit the earth.”
The ones who inherit the earth are not the aggressive empire-builders, but those whose strength is submitted to God. This completely reverses worldly ambition.
These word studies show us that the kingdom of God belongs not to those who think they are rich and powerful, but to those who know they are spiritually bankrupt and submit fully to God.
Let us move through the themes expressed in the lyrics and connect them with the fuller testimony of Scripture.
### A. “Blessed are the poor in spirit—for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
The song repeats this line again and again. Repetition in Scripture and worship is intentional. Jesus begins and ends the Beatitudes section with the same phrase “theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3, 5:10). This forms what scholars call an “inclusio,” a frame. Everything inside is kingdom life.
To be “poor in spirit” is the starting point of all genuine relationship with God. Without this, there is no entrance into the Kingdom.
Consider:
> “For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing,
> not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.”
Their spiritual problem was self-sufficiency. Their assessment of themselves contradicted God’s assessment.
> “For thus says the One who is high and lifted up,
> who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:
> ‘I dwell in the high and holy place,
> and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit…’”
God dwells with the contrite and lowly, not the proud and self-sufficient.
The song’s phrase “Humble hearts, empty hands” is a practical definition of “poor in spirit.” A humble heart is one that agrees with God’s verdict about man:
Empty hands symbolize that there is no works-based ground for approaching God. Salvation is by grace alone, through faith, not of works (Ephesians 2:8–9). The poor in spirit say, “Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to Thy cross I cling.”
Notice the tense:
> “for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Not “will be,” but “is.” This is a present possession. The poor in spirit already belong to the Kingdom of heaven, even while they walk on earth. The song reflects this:
> “God’s kingdom belongs to them now.”
### B. “Blessed are those who mourn—for they will be comforted.”
This mourning is not mere human sadness. It is not self-pity. It is the mourning that flows from a revelation of sin—our own sin, the sin of God’s people, the brokenness of a fallen world.
This mourning is seen in:
Paul describes this as godly sorrow:
> “For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.”
> — *2 Corinthians 7:10*
Godly mourning agrees with God about the horror of sin and longs for His righteousness to prevail.
The promise is:
> “they will be comforted.”
The Greek word for “comforted” is related to *paraklētos*, the word used for the Holy Spirit: “Helper,” “Comforter,” “Advocate” (John 14:16, 26). Those who mourn in a godly way are met, consoled, and strengthened by the Holy Spirit Himself.
Isaiah foretold this:
> “…to comfort all who mourn;
> to grant to those who mourn in Zion—
> to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
> the oil of gladness instead of mourning…”
> — *Isaiah 61:2–3*
There is a deep spiritual law here:
Many Christians seek comfort without first embracing godly mourning. They want the oil of gladness without ashes, joy without repentance. But Jesus places mourning at the beginning of His Kingdom charter.
### C. “Blessed are the meek—for they will inherit the earth.”
The world teaches: “If you do not assert yourself, you will lose. You must push, dominate, and protect your interests.”
Scripture says the opposite. Psalm 37, which Jesus echoes, says:
> “But the meek shall inherit the land
> and delight themselves in abundant peace.”
> — *Psalm 37:11*
The entire psalm contrasts the wicked who seem to prosper temporarily with the righteous who wait for the Lord. The meek do not seize; they inherit. Inheritance is not earned; it is given on the basis of relationship. The meek are those who trust God’s timing, God’s vindication, and God’s ways.
Meekness is foundational to spiritual warfare. James 4:6–7 says:
> “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
Notice the order:
1. Humility and submission to God
2. Then effective resistance of the devil
Unsubmitted believers who try to “resist the devil” without meekness and humility meet spiritual frustration. God does not empower the proud. He resists them. But He gives grace—His active help—to the humble.
The song speaks of the “kingdom of the humble.” This is accurate. The Kingdom belongs to those who:
They may look insignificant in the eyes of the world, but in the unseen realm they carry immense authority because they are aligned with God’s heart.
### D. “Come poor in spirit, come as you are—the kingdom of heaven is yours.”
Here the song becomes an invitation. This echoes Jesus’ own call:
> “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
> — *Matthew 11:28*
Notice again Jesus does not call the strong, the capable, and the self-satisfied. He calls the weary and burdened. Likewise, the song calls the poor in spirit.
“Come as you are” does not mean “stay as you are.” It means “Do not try to clean yourself up before you come. Come in your true condition of spiritual need.”
The gospel is not God rewarding the spiritually strong. The gospel is God rescuing the spiritually bankrupt.
The paradox is this:
This is precisely what Jesus said to Laodicea (Revelation 3:17–18). They needed to acknowledge their true poverty to receive true riches.
The repeated refrain in the song is a kind of spiritual hammer, driving this truth into our spirits:
> “Blessed are the poor in spirit—
> the kingdom of heaven is theirs.
> Humble hearts, empty hands—
> God’s kingdom belongs to them now.”
Each repetition is an opportunity to renounce self-sufficiency and step again into the posture of kingdom receptivity.
This message must not remain theory. The Beatitudes are not merely to be admired; they are to be lived. How do we walk in the reality of “Kingdom of the Humble”?
### 1. First, we must acknowledge our spiritual poverty.
We must come out of denial. Many believers are like Laodicea—spiritually lukewarm yet thinking they are rich. The first step is to agree with God’s Word:
“Lord, in myself I am poor, needy, without righteousness, without power to change my own heart.”
> “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh.”
> — *Romans 7:18*
To be poor in spirit is not a one-time entry condition. It is a continual attitude of dependence. Jesus said:
> “Apart from me you can do nothing.”
> — *John 15:5*
We must reject the lie of self-sufficiency.
### 2. Second, we must embrace godly mourning.
Ask the Holy Spirit to give you His grief over:
Instead of defending ourselves, we humble ourselves. Practically:
Godly mourning always leads to comfort, not despair. The Holy Spirit is the Comforter of the contrite.
### 3. Third, we must submit our strength to God and learn meekness.
Meekness is learned. Jesus said, “learn from me, for I am meek and lowly in heart” (Matthew 11:29).
Practically, this means:
Ask the Holy Spirit:
“Lord, where am I insisting on my own way? Where am I asserting self instead of submitting to You?”
Then act in the opposite spirit. Where you would naturally push, choose to yield. Where you would naturally exalt yourself, choose the lowest place.
### 4. Fourth, we must align our confession with the Kingdom.
Derek Prince often emphasized that confession—what we say with our mouths—is decisive in spiritual warfare and spiritual growth. Many believers speak contrary to the Beatitudes. They say:
We must instead make scriptural confessions that align with being poor in spirit, mourning, and meekness.
For example:
As we speak in agreement with God’s Word, the Holy Spirit shapes our inner attitudes to match our confession.
### Proclamation
Make this declaration aloud, thoughtfully, in faith:
“Lord Jesus, I receive Your words as the law of Your Kingdom. You said, ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’ Today I acknowledge my spiritual poverty. I have nothing in myself to commend me to God. My heart is humble; my hands are empty. I renounce self-righteousness, self-sufficiency, and pride. I declare that the Kingdom of heaven is mine, not because of my worth, but because of Your grace.
You said, ‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.’ I choose to mourn over sin—my sin, the sin of Your people, and the sin of this world. I receive the comfort of the Holy Spirit, the oil of gladness instead of mourning.
You said, ‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.’ I surrender my strength, my rights, my ambitions to You. I choose meekness—strength under Your control. I trust You to vindicate me and to give me the inheritance You have prepared.
I declare: I am poor in spirit, and the Kingdom of heaven is mine. My heart is humble; my hands are empty. God’s Kingdom belongs to me now, in Christ Jesus. Amen.”
### Prayer
“Father, in the name of Jesus, I ask that You write these Beatitudes into the deepest part of our being. By the Holy Spirit, expose every area of pride, self-reliance, and hardness of heart. Grant us the grace to see our true condition and to embrace spiritual poverty.
Holy Spirit, produce in us godly sorrow that leads to true repentance. Where we have taken sin lightly, give us Your grief. Where we have excused ourselves, bring us to confession and cleansing in the blood of Jesus.
Lord Jesus, You are meek and lowly of heart. We ask You to form Your meekness in us. Bring our strength under Your control. Break every stubborn, unyielded area of our will. Teach us to trust Your timing, Your vindication, and Your ways.
Establish us as citizens of the Kingdom of the humble. Let our lives demonstrate that the poor in spirit truly possess the Kingdom, that mourners are truly comforted, and that the meek will indeed inherit the earth.
We ask this in the authority of the name of Jesus, and we thank You for hearing us. Amen.”
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