2002-01-01
Good Morning Faithful Ones,
We continue our look at Israel’s “National Song of Triumph,” a psalm written by King David to celebrate the occasion of the return of the Ark to Jerusalem from the Philistines, which recalls its journey from Sinai to the Promised Land long before that. Today, we will examine PS 68: 19-23, the section that offers praise to God for victory over the Jebusites when David and the Israelites he led captured Jerusalem for God. The significance of this was Jerusalem was to be God’s “chosen city on the hill.” And now, today’s passage: “Praise the Lord, Who carries our burdens day after day; He is the God Who saves us. Our God is a God Who saves; He is the Lord, our Lord Who rescues us from death. God will surely break the heads of His enemies, of those who persist in their sinful ways. The Lord has said, ‘I will bring your enemies back from Bashan; I will bring them back from the depths of the ocean, so that you may wade in their blood, and your dogs may lap up as much as they want.”
It is interesting to note just who the Jebusites were. Noah’s three sons were Shem, Japheth, and Ham. One of Ham’s sons was Canaan. The Canaanites were his descendants, including the group known as the Jebusites. All of this can be found documented in GN 10, particularly verses 2,6 &16. One passage in which God really reveals Himself and His will is JS 3: 9-11. “Then Joshua said to the people, ‘Come here and listen to what the Lord your God has to say. As you advance, He will surely drive out the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites. You will know that the living God is among you when the Covenant Box of the Lord of all the earth crosses the Jordan ahead of you.’ ” I often cite GN 15: 13-21 when either the Abrahamic Covenant or God’s will for the extent of the territory the Promised Land is my subject. The part particularly germane to today’s discussion is GN 15: 19-20, which I hope you will read. Before the time when David captured it, we know that Jerusalem was called Jebus from mention of this in JG 19: 10-11. If you read 2 SAM 24: 14-25, you will learn the fascinating series of events which led to David buying the Jebusite, Araunah’s, threshing stone-at the top of Mt. Morah which later became the location of Solomon’s Temple. Note God’s attitude and part in this. This is also mentioned in 1 CH 21: 15 and 2 CH 3: 1.
In a number of my messages I have spoken about God’s willingness and ability to protect His children. We can really see it here. In PS 68: 19, praise is offered to the Lord “Who carries our burdens day after day.” That focuses my attention on the same reminder found in MT 11: 18-30, which I have cited so often. We forget that His shoulders are the only ones wide and strong enough to offer this rest and protection from our cares. That He is “the God Who saves us and rescues us” is made clear in RO 3: 24-25. Note the language in PS 68: 21, “God will surely break the heads of His enemies.” It immediately brought to mind the Protevangelium, GN 3: 15, “I will make you and the woman hate each other; her offspring and yours will always be enemies. Her offspring will crush your head, and you will bite her heel.” This assertion by God announces the struggle that will go on between mankind and serpent’s evil, but it also contains the promise of victory over evil when carefully examined. Mankind will struggle, but with faith will survive. No one survives having his head crushed!
The rest of today’s passage deals with the hunting down of Israel’s enemies (22) and the God-directed and assisted victory over them. Let’s look at some citations which shed light on victory that comes from God. King Hezekiah spoke these words to the people when the Assyrians under Emperor Sennacarib were about to attack Jerusalem. 2 CH 32: 8, “He has human power, but we have the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles. The people were encouraged by these words of their King.” Now, some of Paul’s words: RO 8: 37, “No, in all these things we have complete victory through Him Who loved us!” 1 COR 15: 57, “But thanks be to God Who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” 2 COR 2: 14, “But thanks be to God! For in union with Christ we are always led by God as prisoners in Christ’s victory procession. God uses us to make the knowledge about Christ spread everywhere like a sweet fragrance.” 2 TIM 2: 19, “But the solid foundation that God has laid cannot be shaken; and on it are written these words: ‘The Lord knows those who are His’ and ‘Whoever says that he belongs to the Lord must turn away from wrongdoing.’ “Christ’s words through John on victory through faith in God also support all that has been said. REV 3: 5, “Those who win the victory will be clothed like this in white, and I will not remove their names from the book of the living. In the presence of My Father and of His angels I will declare openly that they belong to Me.” Now, look at God’s own words through John. REV 21: 7, “Whoever wins the victory will receive this from Me: I will be His God, and he will be My son.”
The words “Jehovah Nissi” mean “God is my banner.” I always think of this marvelous attribute in connection with the protection He provides both in physical battle, like David’s battle against the Jebusites, or spiritual battle, like the battle we must fight against unseen forces of evil in our lives. Knowing this about God helps us to carry out His will even when there is the threat of peril to our lives physically or to our spiritual lives through challenges to our faith encourages us. We can know real courage of faith brings victory, that victory which transcends the grave. Hallelujah!
PRAYER: O Lord, through the words that David wrote in PS 68: 19-23, we are reminded of the love and protection You offer Your children. No matter what battles we must face, we can know that through faith in You and Your Son we can take comfort in knowing that You are willing to carry our burdens. We can know that we will be rescued from spiritual death through our stubbornness in remaining trusting and obedient to You and in taking the steps necessary to keep our faith in You strong. It is Your sovereign will to offer us this protection, salvation, and victory over death. It is our responsibility to remain steady in our faith and to demonstrate tenacious courage when it is challenged by Your enemies. When we study Scriptures like GN 3: 15 and PS 68: 21, we are reminded of and comforted by the promise that evil will one day be wiped out. While waiting for that Day is difficult for us, we can rest assured that You will keep Your promise and be motivated to prepare ourselves for that Day. The victory over spiritual death only You can grant is eternal and precious. We humbly offer You our adoration, worship, trust, obedience, praise, honor, and glory. In Christ’s name, amen.
Tomorrow, we will look at the triumphal procession carrying the Ark into Jerusalem and what it foreshadows from PS 68: 24-27. How can we miss the love and protection from our enemies that God offers us? No matter what challenges we face each day, God is eager to be their for us with help and encouragement. All He asks us to do is the seek Him out and listen to His commands. That is what any loving parent does for his children, only our Jehovah Nissi does it so much better than human parents can. Peter and I send you our love too.
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn