#DailyDevotion When In Despair Over The World, Call On The LORD’s Great Power & Might
Psalm 68 28Summon Your power, O God! Exert Your strength, O God, in what you do for us, 29from Your temple over Jerusalem! Kings will bring You presents.
David calls upon God to bring His power to exercise it on behalf of His people. When God does this Israel will have its people through David’s son Solomon. In Solomon’s time the kings would bring him presents to listen to his wisdom. For us, we call upon the LORD to fulfill for us what He promised in King David’s greater Son, Jesus Christ. Indeed, already kings have come to Him and offered Him presents through the Church. We pray our LORD Jesus Christ to exercise His strength and power to put down the nations of the world and establish the New Heavens and New Earth, the New Promised Land where righteousness reigns.
30Rebuke that beast among the reeds, and his herd of bulls with its calves. He trampled on the nations in his lust for silver; He scattered the people who delight in war. 31Princes will come from Egypt; Ethiopia quickly will stretch out her hands to God. 32O kingdoms of the world, sing to God, sing to praise the Lord, ( Music) 33Who drives through the highest heavens, the ancient heavens. Listen, His voice thunders mightily – 34acknowledge the power of God; His majesty is over Israel, and His power is in the skies. 35O God, You are awesome when You come from Your holy place. But the God of Israel is the One Who gives His people strength and power. Praise God!
In David’s day, he may have been looking at threats from Egypt. The beast would have been whatever pharaoh was in control at the time. I can’t tell you historically if Egypt was on the march conquering people looking for wealth. We know that God would scatter those looking to war with Israel at the time. Israel had God’s blessing through David and Solomon. When Solomon was installed as king, many nations including Egypt (who gave a bride to Solomon), Ethiopia, and Sheba came to give him homage.
David calls upon the nations and kingdoms of the world to God and to praise the LORD. He describes the LORD as driving through the highest heavens and who voice thunders mightily. He tells them to acknowledge the LORD’s power and His majesty. The LORD is awesome when He came from His holy place and helped David defeat his enemies, bring peace to Israel and conquer the land promised by the LORD. He acknowledges his ability was not innate. His power is the God of Israel. It is God who defeated all His enemies.
On the Last Day, everyone will submit to our LORD Jesus Christ. Even now, He sends forth the Holy Spirit into the world through the Word of His Gospel. Now, Jesus is conquering hearts, converting them and turning them to His Father. Through His weakness and shame He has conquered sin, death and the power of the devil. When He rose from the dead, He exerted His power over death. We call to the nations, peoples, tribes and tongues to repent and turn to Jesus for salvation. We call upon them to sing to the LORD Jesus Christ freely, willfully, and joyfully for His great salvation. The power to overcome men’s hearts comes only from the LORD. It is not our power or ability that does it. As David conquered the land and brought peace to his people, Jesus has conquered our enemies. He will have us inherit the earth when He comes again and puts everything and everyone that is wicked and unbelieving into the lake of fire to suffer forever, while we will see God the Father and our LORD Jesus Christ who gives us His light and glory. Let us then now begin our hymns of praise and glory as we prepare to sing them anew in His kingdom.
Heavenly Father, just as You gave David victory over Israel’s enemies, now through You Son, Jesus Christ, give us victory over the enemies of Your people today. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.