You, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. … So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. … No one from the east or the west or from the desert can exalt themselves. It is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another. David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and that his kingdom had been highly exalted for the sake of his people Israel. … Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. … Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; I will sing and make music to the Lord.

But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first. … In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

1Sa 2:7; Ps 3:3, 1Co 3:7, Ps 75:6-7; 1Ch 14:2, 1Pe 5:6, Ps 27:6; Mt 19:30, Pi 2:5-11

Most of this verse compilation, originally in the King James’ Version, is from: Anne Graham Lotz. Daily Light for Life’s Moments. In: Daily Light for Every Day. J. Countryman. Nashville, TN. 1998.

Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.