Thursday 16 May, 2013

1 May the Lord answer you when you are in trouble. May the God of Jacob keep you safe. 2 May he send you help from the sacred tent. May he give you aid from Zion. 3 May he remember all of your sacrifices. May he accept your burnt offerings. Selah 4 May he give you what your heart longs for. May he make all of your plans succeed. 5 We will shout with joy when you win the battle. We will lift up our flags in the name of our God. May the Lord give you everything you ask for. 6 Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed king. He answers him from his holy heaven. The power of God’s right hand saves the king. 7 Some trust in chariots. Some trust in horses. But we trust in the Lord our God. 8 They are brought to their knees and fall down. But we get up and stand firm. 9 Lord, save the king! Answer us when we call out to you!

What an affirming psalm!  The confidence that the psalmist has in his Lord is infectious: “Now this I know:  The Lord gives victory to his anointed.  He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary with the victorious power of his right hand.  Some trust in chariots and some in horses but we trust in the name of the Lord our God”!  I love these verses for the passion for, and absolute trust in, God that is expressed!

The psalm makes me conscious of the times when I have trusted in my own possessions (chariots) or I have trusted in my own ability to work (horses).  But here, we are being exhorted to trust in God!  What a great psalm to pray through and to pray over situations that we may be facing!

 

Lord, I thank you that you give me victory.

Lord, I thank you that you answer me from your heavenly sanctuary with the victorious power of your right

hand.

I thank you, Lord, that I can put my trust in you rather than in things.

Lord, I thank you that I can rise up and stand firm while others around me are falling to their knees.

Lord, I thank you that you answer me when I call and that you give me victory!

Amen

Written by Ps Jen Irving