Our God
Opening Prayer
Almighty God, Your ways are awesome and mighty. As I read Your Word, sensitize me to Your will and ways.
Read PSALM 68
1 May God arise, may his enemies be scattered;
may his foes flee before him.
2 May you blow them away like smoke—
as wax melts before the fire,
may the wicked perish before God.
3 But may the righteous be glad
and rejoice before God;
may they be happy and joyful.
4 Sing to God, sing in praise of his name,
extol him who rides on the clouds;
rejoice before him—his name is the Lord.
5 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,
is God in his holy dwelling.
6 God sets the lonely in families,
he leads out the prisoners with singing;
but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.
7 When you, God, went out before your people,
when you marched through the wilderness,
8 the earth shook, the heavens poured down rain,
before God, the One of Sinai,
before God, the God of Israel.
9 You gave abundant showers, O God;
you refreshed your weary inheritance.
10 Your people settled in it,
and from your bounty, God, you provided for the poor.
11 The Lord announces the word,
and the women who proclaim it are a mighty throng:
12 “Kings and armies flee in haste;
the women at home divide the plunder.
13 Even while you sleep among the sheep pens,
the wings of my dove are sheathed with silver,
its feathers with shining gold.”
14 When the Almighty scattered the kings in the land,
it was like snow fallen on Mount Zalmon.
15 Mount Bashan, majestic mountain,
Mount Bashan, rugged mountain,
16 why gaze in envy, you rugged mountain,
at the mountain where God chooses to reign,
where the Lord himself will dwell forever?
17 The chariots of God are tens of thousands
and thousands of thousands;
the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary.
18 When you ascended on high,
you took many captives;
you received gifts from people,
even from the rebellious—
that you, Lord God, might dwell there.
19 Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,
who daily bears our burdens.
20 Our God is a God who saves;
from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death.
21 Surely God will crush the heads of his enemies,
the hairy crowns of those who go on in their sins.
22 The Lord says, “I will bring them from Bashan;
I will bring them from the depths of the sea,
23 that your feet may wade in the blood of your foes,
while the tongues of your dogs have their share.”
24 Your procession, God, has come into view,
the procession of my God and King into the sanctuary.
25 In front are the singers, after them the musicians;
with them are the young women playing the timbrels.
26 Praise God in the great congregation;
praise the Lord in the assembly of Israel.
27 There is the little tribe of Benjamin, leading them,
there the great throng of Judah’s princes,
and there the princes of Zebulun and of Naphtali.
28 Summon your power, God;
show us your strength, our God, as you have done before.
29 Because of your temple at Jerusalem
kings will bring you gifts.
30 Rebuke the beast among the reeds,
the herd of bulls among the calves of the nations.
Humbled, may the beast bring bars of silver.
Scatter the nations who delight in war.
31 Envoys will come from Egypt;
Cush will submit herself to God.
32 Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth,
sing praise to the Lord,
33 to him who rides across the highest heavens, the ancient heavens,
who thunders with mighty voice.
34 Proclaim the power of God,
whose majesty is over Israel,
whose power is in the heavens.
35 You, God, are awesome in your sanctuary;
the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people.
Praise be to God!
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Meditate
Rejoice! You are part of a victory procession!
Think Further
What a glorious thought that the day is coming when God shall arise and his enemies be scattered before him. It is not a pretty sight when he unleashes his fury against them (21–23)! Far too often in our experience, however, it is the righteous who are in distress while the godless hold sway. Thankfully, that is not the whole story. This psalm is a reminder that God is always victorious. We have a glorious celebration as he leads his people in triumph, an act symbolized by God, represented by the Ark, heading the procession when Israel marched through the wilderness (7–10).
God deploys his forces in their invincible battalions. His triumph over the enemy is not because of the faithfulness of his people but in spite of their unfaithfulness (13). Israel therefore had much to celebrate in the unwavering faithfulness of this God of grace, who not only routed their enemies before them but blessed their land and their flocks (7–10). Notice his special attention to the fatherless, the widows, the homeless and the lonely—people to whom we too should lend our unstinting support (4–6).
Israel’s God is our God, the one who includes us in his triumphal procession (24–26), as Paul explained to the church in Ephesians 4:8–10. Indeed, this is the raison d’être of the nation of Israel, to help people like us to achieve what the Westminster Shorter Catechism describes as the chief end of man: “to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.” As the new Israel (Gal. 3:29), we can join in exuberant worship with the original tribes of Benjamin and Judah and Naphtali and all the others (27). After all, his majestic rule is not confined to Israel but encompasses the cosmos.
Apply
In what ways can your life display a joyful witness that will attract others to Jesus (32–35)?
Closing prayer
Heavenly Father, I have so many reasons to be joyful. When life seeks to drain all joy from me, remind me of my many blessings in You.
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