Saturday, January 24, 2015

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Psalm 20

 

“We will shout for joy WHEN you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God…Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we will trust in the name of the Lord our God.  They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.” (Psalm 20:5, 7, 8)

 

Imagine you are the commander of a battalion on the eve of a huge war.  What do you need in order to make the next day’s battle a victory – skilled troops, a strategic battle plan, favorable weather, advanced weapons technology?  The psalmist poses a different list.

 

Psalm 20 is a prayer for the king before he goes out into battle.  Instead of praying for strong and courageous troops or powerful weapons, the prayer is directed toward the deliverance of God, the protection of His Presence, and the blessed assurance that in times of trouble, when the king cries out for help, the Lord will hear and answer.

 

We engage in a battle every single day.  “[Our] enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1)  “In this world [we] will have trouble.” (2)  Our own flesh with its “sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit and…they are in conflict with each other” such that we battle even against our own selves. (3)  My only hope for victory is in the Name of the Lord.  In battle, those that trust in the chariots and the horses are “brought to their knees and fall.” (v. 8).  But, if we take the time to willingly and lovingly go to our knees before the battle, and cry out to the Lord in the battle, we will “rise up and stand firm.”

 

Jesus, we praise you for your promise that when we ask, seek and knock, you will answer, reveal, and open.  Regardless of where others may place their trust, we commit to put all of our trust in you and you alone.  Help us to remain true to our commitment by the power of Your Spirit.

 

Scripture References

(1) 1 Peter 5:8

(2) John 16:33

(3) Galatians 5:16