I’m sure you have been in a
situation where you have felt overwhelmed. 
I know I have.  In those moments
of prayer, we often dispense with the pleasantries of prayer and get down to
business.  Usually these prayers begins
with, “God…help.”  Although today’s
passage of Psalm 68 includes some “pleasantries”, the entire prayer is based in
God’s promises as the Psalmist cries, “God…help.”

 

28 Summon
your power, God; show us your strength,

our God, as you have done
before.

29 Because
of your temple at Jerusalem kings will bring you gifts.

30 Rebuke
the beast among the reeds,

the herd of bulls among the
calves of the nations.

Humbled, may the beast
bring bars of silver. Scatter the nations who delight in war.

31 Envoys
will come from Egypt; Cush will submit herself to God.

 

With renewed spirit, the
Psalmist prays to the Lord, the God with all strength.  Through his power, the entire earth is aware
of His power (cf. 68:22-23).  Moreover,
His people know Him as their Warrior-Redeemer (cf. 68:5-6, 19-20).  With this in mind the prayer is asking God, “will you do it again?”

 

When we read these parts of
the Psalms, we must be careful to not put our nation in the place of
Israel.  Israel was unique in that God
created them as His people and as a
nation.  This has never happened before
or since.  The closest parallel to Old
Testament Israel is the New Testament Church. 
In the same way Israel cried out to the Lord for Him to summon His power
and demonstrate His ability to save, so we cry out to the Lord to deliver and
sustain us. 

 

A careful student of the
Scriptures might hear in this request the prophecy of Isaiah 2:1-4 when the
Gentile nations submit to the Lord Almighty. 
Eventually, God will arise and defeat all His enemies and His power will
be revealed in an undeniable way.  One
day, “the nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the
earth will bring their splendor to it”
(Revelation 21:24).

 

While we wait, we go from
strength to strength in the power of His Name. 
When we pray for Him to summon His power, we are not praying to a god
who is deaf.  Absolutely not!  We are praying to the God Who raises the
dead, heals the sick, makes the blind to see, the deaf to hear, and mute to
speak and the spiritually dead alive in Him. 

 

(Chorus)

Saviour

He can move the mountains

My God is mighty to save

He is mighty to save

Forever

Author of salvation

He rose and conquered the grave

Jesus conquered the grave

 

(Bridge)

Shine your light

And let the whole world see

We’re singing for the glory

Of the risen King Jesus

Shine your light

And let the whole world see

We’re singing for the glory

Of the risen King

“Mighty to Save”

© 2006 Hillsong Music
Publishing (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)

Ben Fielding | Reuben
Morgan

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