Matthew 21:16 - Infants' Worship (Devotions)

Yesterday was Palm Sunday. Painted in our minds is the picture of Jesus riding a donkey into Jerusalem. There are children as well as adults, waving palm branches in the air before they throw them on the dusty ground to make a green carpet on which Jesus could ride with His donkey.

Later on, Jesus is in the temple. And children are still echoing that refrain, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" They were watching Jesus as He cast out money changers and healed the sick. This just rankles the Pharisees. They were threatened by Jesus' true righteousness and his influence. They were jealous and couldn't stand little kids repeating this refrain.
So they asked Him, “Do You hear what these children are saying?” (Matthew 21:16, New American Standard) 

And Jesus--quoting from Psalm 8--said to them, “Yes; have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies You have prepared praise for Yourself’?”

The children who were in the temple on Palm Sunday were old enough to walk and talk.
"Infants and nursing babies?" How can they possibly offer praise to God? By their very cries, babies express their total dependence on Someone else to take care of them.

We don't like feeling helpless. Yet as grown adults, we can choose to direct our cry for help to God Himself. It may not feel like praise and worship: but it is!

No guilt in life, no fear in death—
This is the pow’r of Christ in me;
From life’s first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow’r of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home—
Here in the pow’r of Christ I’ll stand.”
          -Keith Getty & Stuart Townend, "In Christ Alone"

Psalm 61:1–2 (New Living Translation; NASB)
"O God, listen to my cry! Hear my prayer! 2 From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I." Amen