I’ve been reading Psalm 118. It’s worth a sermon or two in the future, but something jumped out at me today that I want to share. The Psalm – and we don’t know who wrote it – begins with thanksgiving to God for overcoming enemies that had surrounded him to a distressing degree. Three times, the Psalmist, after describing the dilemma, writes, “. . . in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.”
It is interesting to me that the author, while clearly praising God and giving Him credit for his deliverance, says “I” will destroy them. I think a clue to understanding this is found in verse 14, which reads, “The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation.”
There are seasons in our lives when we are walking in manifested strength and joy. It is easy during those high times to forget about our dependence on God. We are too accustomed to crying out to Him only in times of distress, and when nothing is threatening us, we are forgetful of Him.
We go in OUR strength (or what we think is our strength) and OUR joy, then we remember Him when we need salvation (and I’m talking here about salvation with a small ‘s’; salvation from specific circumstances).
We are New Testament believers, of course, so we should be starting with the truth that we have already been saved. He has not only redeemed us from hell, but from the curse of the law and all that entails. But certainly the OT concept carries over from time to time, and while we don’t worry about hell, we still forget that we need Him every day and every hour.
The psalmist here is, of course, quoting Moses’ song right after Pharaoh’s army was swallowed up in the Red Sea (Exodus 15:2). But I believe what he is saying here is this: “I never forget that my strength comes from the Lord; I never forget that my joy (song) comes from the Lord. So when I need salvation, it is easy for me to remember that He will save.”
Some members of our church family have undergone and some continue to undergo, some severe trials lately. I want you to know how pleased I am as your pastor to see the faith filled compassion and lifting up of weary arms that has taken place as you, the church, have responded to these things.
The Lord is my strength, so I will be strong. The Lord is my song, so I will sing. The Lord is my salvation, so I will destroy that which surrounds me to steal, kill, and destroy. That is the faith walk, friends. We never forget where our strength, joy, and salvation come from, so WE can do all things.
We will destroy our lack with giving. We will destroy sickness and disease with our words. We will destroy depression with singing. The gates (the counsel, plans, and judgments) of hell will not prevail against us because we, the church, are built on the solid rock of Jesus Christ, who defeated death itself at the cross.
I am grateful to God, the father of our Lord Jesus, to be working alongside a praying, believing, confessing church. There is no one I’d rather have by my side in times of rest OR in times of battle. Onward to victory!
