10 How long will the enemy mock you, God?
Will the foe revile your name forever?
11 Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?
Take it from the folds of your garment and destroy them!
12 But God is my King from long ago;
he brings salvation on the earth.
13 It was you who split open the sea by your power;
you broke the heads of the monster in the waters.
14 It was you who crushed the heads of Leviathan
and gave it as food to the creatures of the desert.
15 It was you who opened up springs and streams;
you dried up the ever-flowing rivers.
16 The day is yours, and yours also the night;
you established the sun and moon.
17 It was you who set all the boundaries of the earth;
you made both summer and winter.
What is striking in this section is how the psalmist finds strength in his knowledge of God’s mighty acts of the past.
Yesterday’s section of this psalm depicted the despondency of the psalmist in the face of the destruction that the enemy had wrought on Israel. The low point of the psalmist’s despair was his contention that God had rejected them.
In today’s section, the psalmist turns his attention to God’s deeds of the past. He is the king who brings salvation. He is the lord of creation who rules over all. He doesn’t go into specific acts so much as paints a portrait of God’s irrepressible power and might.
When we consider the brokenness of this world, the prevalence of evil, the rampant injustice, and the relentlessness of unbelief it is easy to get discouraged. Where is God? Why doesn’t He do something? This psalm is an invitation for those times to reflect that despite appearances, God is truly Lord of all. I may not be able to discern His activity, but that does not mean He is not active. I may not understand the workings of His sovereignty, but that does not mean He does not rule. In fact my life may be very difficult, but that does not mean that I am not loved.
So my prayer today again is for those who are facing trials and challenges that are sapping their hope. I pray that the Holy Spirit would enrich their faith. I pray that they may be led to hold on to God, knowing that He is holding on to them, despite the struggles they face.
Live Stream worship each Sunday at 9:30 AM and Wednesdays at 7:00 PM. Please go to this page for more information: https://stjohnslutheran.net/live-streaming-worship-at-st-johns/