Introduction

Some mornings feel heavier than others, don’t they? The alarm sounds, the headlines scream, the to-do list grows, and your heart whispers, “Lord, I could use some help here.” You’re not asking for fireworks. You’re asking for a Father. You’re asking for a God who stands up in the storm and says, “Peace.” You’re asking for a King who doesn’t just sit on a throne but steps into the mess of your Monday and makes it holy ground.

Psalm 68 is a song for souls like ours. It paints a picture of God getting up. Not pacing. Not wringing His hands. Rising. And when He rises, everything shifts. Fear loses its fangs. Lies lose their grip. Threats lose their teeth. The psalmist doesn’t pad the promises. He speaks like a man who’s watched the sun crack the horizon after a long night. He knows what happens when God shows up.

Maybe you’ve been carrying a conflict that keeps circling your mind like a hawk over a field. Maybe sorrow is sitting at your table, uninvited yet unyielding. Hear this hope: when God draws near, enemies scatter, joy returns, and peace settles the soul. You don’t have to manufacture courage. You don’t have to muscle through. You get to look up.

E.M. Bounds said, “Prayer can do anything that God can do.” That’s not a slogan; that’s a lifeline. Prayer brings our trembling hearts to the throne that never trembles. Prayer doesn’t make God willing; it makes us aware. He is already moving, already mindful, already mighty. And Psalm 68 reminds us that His rising is our rescue.

Picture it. The morning mist that looks so thick from your porch evaporates the moment the sunshine warms the field. The candle wax that holds its shape on the table yields the second a flame leans close. So it is with the enemies of your soul—guilt, shame, despair, deception—when the Lord stands in the center of your circumstances. They don’t negotiate. They melt. They don’t linger. They lift. And in their place, joy comes dancing like a child in a sprinkler on a summer day. Peace perches in the heart like a bird that has finally found a branch strong enough to hold it.

This psalm invites you to breathe. To smile again. To remember that the God who led Israel through deserts and battlefields has not lost His address or His authority. He arises in hospital rooms. He arises in courtrooms. He arises in kitchens and cubicles and quiet cars in crowded parking lots. He arises in the hearts of the humble. And when He does, His people don’t just survive; they sing.

Listen now to the Scripture that will guide us:

Scripture Reading — Psalm 68:1-3 (ESV) 1 God shall arise, his enemies shall be scattered; and those who hate him shall flee before him! 2 As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away; as wax melts before fire, so the wicked shall perish before God! 3 But the righteous shall be glad; they shall exult before God; they shall be jubilant with joy!

Do you hear the music of those words? “God shall arise.” Not maybe. Not on most days. He shall. And when He does, there’s a ripple effect across the landscape of your life. Threats scatter. The righteous are glad. Joy bursts into the room like a long-lost friend. And even if affliction lingers, it loses the final word. Peace steps in and sits down.

So today, expect God. Expect Him to stand up in your story. Expect Him to turn your sighs into songs, your trembling into trust. Expect Him to secure you with a calm that holds fast when winds howl. We will look to the God who rises, we will warm ourselves in His presence until joy returns, and we will welcome His peace right in the middle of what hurts. And as we do, let’s ask Him to do what only He can.

Opening Prayer Father, thank You that You rise on behalf of Your people. Stand up in our midst today. Scatter the enemies of fear, accusation, and despair. Melt what has been hard in us—our anxiety, our anger, our unbelief—before the fire of Your holy presence. Lift our eyes to see You, and fill our hearts to rejoice in You. Let Your peace settle over every affliction and Your joy spring up in every weary soul. Speak through Your Word, steady our steps, and make us glad before You. In the strong name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

God Arises and Enemies Scatter

The psalm shows God in motion. He stands. He steps forward. His presence fills the scene. When He takes the field, the whole field changes.

This is not a small mood shift. This is the King taking action. The throne is not silent. The holy Name moves with purpose and care.

When He moves, opposition loses shape. Threats cannot hold a straight line. Those who set themselves against Him lose nerve. Fear loses its shout. Hope lifts its head.

This gives courage to pray. We are not calling on an empty sky. We are calling on the Lord who acts. We bring what presses us down. We ask Him to stand in the middle of it. We wait for His answer with open hands.

This also guides how we look at our days. We measure the scene by His presence. Power does not belong to pressure. Power belongs to God. His action defines the story.

“God shall arise” carries weight. The word “shall” signals certainty. The psalmist is not guessing. He speaks from history with God. Think of the ark lifting in the wilderness and the camp moving in step. “Rise up, O Lord” was the cry that marked their march. The same Lord stands here. The same covenant faithfulness holds. He is not late. He is not unsure. He is present and able. When Scripture says He stands, it speaks of royal action. A judge steps up to the bench. A warrior steps to the line. A shepherd steps toward the flock. The focus is His initiative. The pressure does not lead Him. His promise leads Him. His name is bound to His people, and His people call on His name. This line teaches the heart to expect Him. It shapes the way we wait. We watch with faith. We set our eyes on His character. We hold the line of prayer until His hand is seen.

“His enemies shall be scattered” paints movement in the other direction. The word means to break ranks and rush away. Think of troops that cannot keep formation. Confidence drains. Plans fall apart. Pride loses its mask. The enemies here include every power that lifts itself against God and against the life He gives. In Israel’s day, that meant armies and idols and the leaders who pushed them. In our day, it also includes sin that wants to rule us, lies that twist the truth, patterns that keep us bound, and the cruel voice of accusation. These do not hold when the Lord steps in. They lose unity. They lose ground. They run. This does not teach us to stare at the enemy. It teaches us to look to the Lord. It trains our mouths to say, “You act, Lord.” It trains our wills to stand firm. It trains our feet to move in obedience. We resist in His strength. We forgive because He commands it. We renounce what is dark because He is light. We speak truth because He is faithful. And as we walk in step with Him, the things that opposed His work do not stand their ground.

“As smoke is driven away” gives a picture we can feel. Smoke looks thick, yet a breath of wind thins it and carries it off. The psalm ties that picture to the fate of those who oppose God’s rule. Their stand is short. Their claim is fragile. Then the line about wax near fire adds another layer. Wax keeps shape only while it is cool. Bring heat close and it yields at once. That is how the text speaks about the wicked in the light of God’s presence. This matters for how we fight. We do not argue with smoke. We open the window and let the wind in. We do not lean on our own heat. We welcome the holy fire. We draw near to God, and He draws near to us. His nearness is not bare force. His nearness is holy love. It exposes what is false. It cleans what is stained. It breaks what is hard. It softens what is stiff. When we bring our homes, our habits, and our hidden places into His light, the dark cannot keep its grip. When a church gathers in honest praise and steady prayer, old chains begin to lose their links. The text is not asking us to stir up noise. It is teaching us to make room for the Lord. Where He is honored, smoke does not fill the room.

“But the righteous shall be glad” shows the other side of His action. Joy is the fruit of His reign. The righteous here are those God has set right with Himself. In Christ, this is our place. He carried our sin at the cross. He rose to give us new life. By faith we are counted clean. By the Spirit we are made new. That standing brings a sound. The psalm stacks words for joy. Glad. Exult. Jubilant. This is not thin cheer. This is settled happiness in God. It starts in the heart and comes out through the mouth and the hands. It sings. It serves. It shares. It is possible even when tears are present. It grows as we keep close to Jesus. It grows as we remember mercy. It grows as we obey in small steps. This joy is a sign that the Lord is near. It is also a weapon. It pushes back despair. It keeps us steady in hard tasks. It brightens the face of the church. It tells the world that grace is real. Psalm 68 calls us to stand in that gladness. Lift your voice. Lift your head. Let praise fill the space that fear once filled. Where God is honored, His people live with bright eyes and strong hearts.

Joy Rises in His Presence

Joy rises where the text locates us: “before God ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO