Clergy/Leaders’ Mail-list No. 2-079 Sunday 21 Apr 2002

Reading: PSALM 108 – A SOLDIER’S PRAYER

(From ‘Encounter with God’ Bible Reading Notes)

‘The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord’. (Prov 21:31) ‘Show your power, O Lord!’

Although apparently composed of sections borrowed from Psalms 57 and 60, in its present form this psalm is the prayer of a soldier at war.

We may imagine the psalmist as a soldier on sentry duty, assigned the last watch of the night. As a new day breaks, he sings praises to God to ‘awaken the dawn’ (v 2). The glow of daybreak illuminates the vast expanse of heaven, inspiring him to declare that the Lord’s steadfast love and faithfulness are vaster still; that, like the morning light, his glory is ‘over all the earth; (v 5).

Suddenly, the psalmist remembers the battle that will soon erupt, and pleads for God to save his people from their enemies. He recalls the Lord’s promise of victory over every nation. Yet any triumphalism is brought up short by the sober realisation (v 11) that God does not automatically march at their side. Even so, God is their only hope of victory ‘for the help of man is worthless’ (v 12).

Scripture often speaks of the futility of military might, and of the folly of nationalistic pride.(Ps 20:7; 33:17; 115:1,9-11; 147:10-11) If not even Israel could count on God’s automatic endorsement of their rulers and military campaigns, how much more presumptuous is it for other nations to imagine the same! So the soldier (whom Scripture identifies as King David) finds wisdom as he looks ahead to battle, realising that God is the God of all nations; that God delivers all whom he loves; and that therefore victory lies not in the hands of men, but in the hand of God.

Pray today for the needs of your nation: that its might may serve justice, and that its citizens may honour the God on whom their lives depend.

– Rev Dr Michael Knowles

Copyright Scripture Union, 2002

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