The Unstoppable God: Marching with a Victorious King
Introduction: The Victory Parade
Good morning, church. There is a world of difference between reading about a historic battle in a history book and standing on the street during a victory parade. One is quiet information; the other is loud participation. One is a memory of a past event; the other is a joyous, overwhelming celebration of a victory that changes everything, right here and right now.
If many psalms are like intimate journal entries or quiet prayers whispered in the dark, Psalm 68 is a victory parade. It is a thunderous, sweeping, glorious highlight reel of the power of God. It doesn't move in a neat, orderly line; it bursts forth with explosive images of God on the march, of powerful enemies scattering like smoke, of a conquering King ascending His throne, and of a joyful, singing, dancing procession of worshippers celebrating His unstoppable reign.
This is not a psalm about a distant, passive, retired God. This is the song of an unstoppable King who is actively on the move. And it’s an invitation to us to stop living like tired, defeated soldiers in a war we think is lost, and to find our place in His triumphant parade.
I. Our King is a Mighty DELIVERER
Before anything else, this psalm establishes that our God is a God who acts decisively. He is a King who goes to war for His people.
A. He Scatters His Enemies
The psalm opens with a powerful battle cry: "Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered..." This is a declaration of cause and effect. When God decides to stand up, the opposition, no matter how powerful it seems, simply dissolves. The psalmist uses two vivid images: enemies vanish like smoke in the wind, with nothing left to grasp. They disappear like wax before a fire, melting into nothingness in the heat of His presence.
What are the "enemies" that seem so powerful in your life? Is it the smoke of anxiety that clouds your mind? Is it the suffocating grip of an addiction? Is it the mountain of debt that feels immovable? This verse is our prayer of faith: "Let God arise in my situation." When He arises, the things that threaten to undo us are undone themselves.
B. He Defends the Defenseless
Who does this all-powerful King fight for? Verse 5 gives us a breathtaking portrait of His heart: He is "a father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows." Our conquering King is not a cruel tyrant who uses His power for His own glory. His infinite strength is wielded on behalf of the most vulnerable, the most overlooked, the most heartbroken. His justice is always intertwined with compassion. He is the great defender of those the world has forgotten. When you feel alone, abandoned, or powerless, know that you are precisely the one the King rises to defend.
C. He Delivers Daily
Verse 19 is a verse you should write down and put on your bathroom mirror. It is a lifeline: "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation." God’s deliverance isn't just a one-time historical event. His salvation is a daily reality. The word "loadeth" is a picture of piling on a heavy burden—but in this case, the burden is a mountain of grace, mercy, and help. Every single morning, He loads you up with a fresh supply of what you need for the day.
II. Our King is a Generous VICTOR
When a king wins a great victory, he returns with the spoils of war. But what our King does with His spoils is what makes Him glorious.
A. The King Who Ascends and Gives Gifts
Verse 18 is the majestic summit of this psalm, a verse that echoes into eternity: "Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them."
The Apostle Paul, in Ephesians chapter 4, pulls back the curtain and tells us plainly this is a prophetic picture of Jesus Christ. After His triumphant victory over sin and death, Jesus ascended on high, taking His rightful throne at the right hand of the Father. He led captivity captive, meaning He broke the power of all the spiritual forces that held humanity in bondage.
And then, in an amazing act of divine generosity, He "received gifts for men." A human victor would receive tribute for himself. But our King received the spoils of His victory not to hoard them, but to pour them out upon His people. These are the gifts of salvation, of righteousness, and the incredible gift of the Holy Spirit Himself to empower and guide us.
B. Grace for the Rebellious
But the most stunning phrase, the one that should bring us to our knees, is this: He gives these gifts "yea, for the rebellious also." This is the heart of the Gospel. We were the enemies. We were the ones waving the flag of rebellion. We were the ones He came to conquer. Yet, His victory was not to destroy us, but to redeem us. He defeated us with love, conquered us with grace, so that, impossibly, "the LORD God might dwell among" us. His victory makes enemies into sons and daughters.
III. Our King Deserves Joyful WORSHIP
The only logical, emotional, and spiritual response to such a mighty and generous King is joyful, unreserved worship.
A. An Invitation to the Procession
The psalm paints a vivid picture of this worship. It’s a parade: "They have seen thy goings, O God; even the goings of my God, my King, in the sanctuary." There are singers out front, musicians in the back, people celebrating. This is not a boring, lifeless funeral procession. It is a dynamic, energetic, passionate celebration of a living, victorious King. When we gather for worship, we are not just fulfilling a duty; we are finding our place in this ancient and ongoing victory parade. We are linking arms with the saints of every generation, marching and singing together.
B. A Call for Unified Praise
The psalmist notes that tribes from all over Israel—representing historical rivals and different regions—are present. In a world, and sometimes even a church, that is divided by so many things, our common allegiance to our victorious King is the ultimate unifier. He is the one who breaks down the walls of hostility and brings us together into one choir, marching under His banner of love.
C. A Call for Global Acclaim
Finally, the vision explodes beyond the borders of Israel. Verse 32 calls out: "Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth..." The victory of our King is not a secret to be kept; it is a reality to be proclaimed to the entire world. Our worship here is one small, beautiful part of a massive, global chorus that grows louder every day, a chorus that will one day be the only sound on earth: "Blessed be God."
Conclusion: Live in the Victory
We serve an unstoppable God. He is a mighty Deliverer who scatters our deepest fears and cares for us in our weakness. He is a generous Victor who won the ultimate battle in order to shower His grace even on rebels like us. He is a glorious King who is worthy of our most joyful and unified worship.
The question for us today is simple: Are you living like your King has already won?
Too often, we live like tired, defeated soldiers, fighting in our own strength, consumed by our worries, living as though the outcome of the battle is still in doubt. The triumphant roar of Psalm 68 is here to shake us from our slumber. Lift up your heads! Your King has ascended. The victory is secure.
So, this week, when you feel defeated, when the enemy seems strong, I challenge you to make the first verse of this psalm your personal battle cry. In the midst of your struggle, declare with faith: "Let God arise." Invite the conquering King to arise in your heart, in your family, in your finances, in your future. He has already won the war. It's time we started marching in His victory parade.
