Psalm 68:1-13 - NLT
1 Arise, O God, and scatter your enemies. Let those who hate God run for their lives. 2 Drive them off like smoke blown by the wind. Melt them like wax in fire. Let the wicked perish in the presence of God.3 But let the godly rejoice. Let them be glad in God’s presence. Let them be filled with joy.4 Sing praises to God and to his name! Sing loud praises to him who rides the clouds. His name is the LORD— REJOICE IN his presence! 5 Father to the fatherless, defender of widows— this is God, whose dwelling is holy. 6 God places the lonely in families; he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy. But for rebels, there is only famine and distress. 7 O God, when you led your people from Egypt, when you marched through the wilderness, 8 the earth trembled and the heavens poured rain before you, the God of Sinai, Before God, the God of Israel.9 you sent abundant rain, O God, To refresh the weary promised Land. 10 There your people finally settled, and with a bountiful harvest, O God, you provided for your needy people. 11 The Lord announces victory, And throngs of women shout the happy news. 12 Enemy kings and their armies flee, While the women of Israel divide the plunder. 13 Though they lived among the sheepfolds, Now they are covered with silver and gold, as a dove is covered by its wings.
God is our deliverer! Our Greatest weapon in the war against the enemy is God himself! Many years ago someone gave me a book called “Hand on the Helm” by Katherine & Pollard Carter It is a book about some outstanding and incredible miracles that have changed the course of Human history. It is a book about God answering Davids prayer Arise o God, and scatter your enemies!
One such story happened in 1968. A whole village in South Vietnam experienced a miracle of Divine intervention and protection. Under cover of darkness a Viet Cong soldier, one of a battalion of over one thousand in the area came to the village and warned, “Tomorrow is your day. So if you need to get out of this village get out now” It turned out that most of this village were Christian. They met together and decided that they were greatly outnumbered but that indeed Christ was their defender; The whole village agreed that they would turn to Jesus in prayer. Fervently they sang and prayed. Then at dusk they could see the enemy moving toward the edge of the village, The Lord filled their hearts with peace and they continued to sing. Shots began to ring out, but as soon as they started they stopped. All night the villagers prayed! Then in the morning it was obvious that the enemy had scattered. Several days later some of the Viet Cong were captured by advancing forces, and brought to the village as prisoners. When asked what had happened, they replied. “As we began to shot the village was surrounded by beings dressed in shining white, as we shot at them they just increased in brightness and advanced toward us, they wouldn’t fall. So we ran and didn’t stop. God caused them to be blown off like smoke and to melt like wax in the fire! He was the greatest weapon on that day!
We often forget to lift our heads a few inches! We look straight ahead at the circumstances and wonder how to get out. We look to the left and right for help from our friends or family, if we just looked up to the king of Glory we would see deliverance and victory!
Psalm 3:3 “But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter of mine head.”
Sometimes it only takes a little lifting to get our heads up into the Glory
Sometimes your head may be way down in a pit but you just need to lift it one notch higher to see Jesus and experience His glory.
The bible says Ï know the plans I have for you plans for good and not for evil”
1 Cor 13:12 “For now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face:
Now I know in part; but then shall I know even as I am known.”
When the Lord touches you today you shouldn’t get up too quickly or move away from the power of his presence And Glory too soon.
Stay in his presence until you receive all He has for you.
As we walk through our own wilderness we need to see that God is working for our good!
The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. He eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements, and to store his few possessions.
One day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky.
It was just more than he could take. He was stunned with grief and anger. "God, how could you do this to me!"
But the next day, he woke to the sound of a ship approaching the island to rescue him.
"How did you know I was here?" he asked in wonder.
"We saw your smoke signal," they replied.
We will not always understand, but we can always trust, that God is Bigger:
God is on your side! In all life’s trouble and sorrow God is there! His promise is true, and his deliverance is real!
Again against all odds God delivers us.
Imagine how:......
a) Moses felt with the Red sea in front & the Egyptian army behind.
b) Jonah felt when he was swallowed by a fish
c) David felt with Sauls army breathing down his neck
d) Peter felt in prison when the Angle came
e) Paul felt when the ship was sinking
BECAUSE HE LIVES I CAN FACE TOMORROW
Bill and Gloria Gaither have written many wonderful Christian songs. One that Gloria wrote in the late 1960’s came while she was expecting a child. The couple was going through some terrible problems. Bill had been seriously sick, their music had been attacked as not being spiritual. On new years eve night, Gloria sat in a dark room experiencing a time of torment and fear. She said, “I sat alone in the darkness thinking about the rebellious world and all of our problems - and about our baby yet unborn. Who in their right mind would bring a child into a world like this?” She was at the height of her fear and then something happened. She said, “I can’t quite explain what happened in that next moment, but suddenly I felt released from it all. The panic hat had begun to build inside was gently dispelled by a reassuring presence and a soft voice that kept saying, ‘Don’t forget the empty tomb, don’t forget the empty tomb.’ Then I knew I could have that baby and face the future with optimism and trust for I had been reminded that it was all worth it just because He lives.”And she wrote: “How sweet to hold a newborn baby, and feel the pride and joy he gives; but greater still the calm assurance, this child can face uncertain days because He lives. Because He lives I can face tomorrow, because He lives all fear is gone, because I know He holds the future. And life is worth the living just because He lives....
In Psalm 68 we see that God is:
Father to the fatherless,
Defender of widows—
God gives the lonely a family
He sets the prisoners free and gives them joy.
We are in covenant relationship with the Lord of Glory, and the King of the universe, He is our defender.
Note in this Psalm that even in the wilderness God leads us and causes rain to fall upon us. To bring refreshing to the Land and bountiful provision to us.
The good news is that even wilderness experiences will lead to bountiful provision.
Psalm 55:22 Cast all your burdens upon the Lord and He will sustain you.
The Lord not only sustained the Children of Israel in the Wilderness, He demonstrated His Glory there!
If you are wondering what God is up to in your wilderness, The answer will always be the same, He is building your trust and faith in Him. God will sustain us in the place of need, even when it seems like a hopeless situation. Even when it seems all is lost. His hand is with us still!
His goal is to lead us out of the wilderness and into His promise!
In Psalm 68 we see that the enemy is totally defeated and that the Lord announces the victory and the Woman shout the victory!
There is a worship here that brings the Glory of God. Sacrificial worship. The Lord speaks the victory and the people proclaim it.
David learnt that by praising & worshiping God He was actually saying God you are in charge!
Worship releases Gods glory!
Not just worship when things are going right ~ but worship when things are not so right
In order for the bride to look her best the grooms father will send her gifts of Gold & Silver in order for her to adorn herself. We see in Psalm 68 that Gold and silver are part of the blessing of those in the sheepfolds!
Why does the Father do this?
Simple he wants people to see what a beautiful bride his son is marrying
He wants people to be drawn to the bride because He knows that the bride will exalt the Son.
She will tell every one how wonderful he is. Then they will all want to come to the wedding feast!
Now is the time to worship until He comes. To remember your greatest weapon is God Himself!
let the godly rejoice. Let them be glad in God’s presence. Let them be filled with joy. 4 Sing praises to God and to his name! Sing loud praises to him who rides the clouds. His name is the LORD— rejoice in his presence
Come O mighty one, Come O fire and Glory, for out of your Holy Mount will come Deliverance
Worship here!
Ian Johnson www.papelim.org.nz
