Worship: A Study in PsalmsSample

What does it say?

The writer recalled how God caused their fathers to flourish and lamented that He no longer went out with their armies, even though they had not forgotten His name.

What does it mean?

This psalm was used in corporate worship to grieve utter defeat at the hands of their enemies. God’s people were being ransacked even though they worshipped the name of the Lord rather than other gods. The claim of fidelity to God indicates the psalm may have been written during the days of King Hezekiah. Despite ridding Judah of foreign idols and reinstating national worship of God Almighty, he watched the Assyrian army plunder his kingdom without restraint. The psalmist’s resolve to remain faithful to the Lord is rivaled only by the boldness of his request that God would wake up, rise, and help them – an appeal based solely on His unfailing love for His people.

How should I respond?

Victory over sin that has gripped your life is freeing. Still, a spiritual victory shouldn’t give us a sense of entitlement before God. We’ve come to expect His unmitigated blessing, like school children receiving a reward for doing as the teacher asks. Are you resolved to trust the Lord, regardless of what He allows in your life, or is your obedience directly linked to His blessings? Pray boldly about the difficulties you’re facing, and then resolve to hope in God alone (Job 13:15) with a faith that can be proven genuine (1 Pet. 1:6-7).