Day 141

Psalm 68 Part 3

Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden (NASB). I Love the NLT translation of v19-20:” Praise the Lord, Praise God our Savior! For each day He bears us in His arms. Selah Our God is a God who saves!  The Sovereign Lord rescues us from death”. This psalm speaks much of the ark coming to Jerusalem, but that only happened after David defeated Israel’s surrounding enemies. David thought of how God rescued him in those conflicts. In doing so He used the somewhat uncommon but wonderful phrasing of Yahweh Adonai (God the Lord NASB).

In describing God’s victory in v21, David used an image from Gen3:15 where God promised that the Messiah would strike a fatal head wound against Satan. The victory would be total, with God’s people walking as winners over the field of battle.

After the great triumph over their enemies, David and Israel could bring the ark of the covenant into Jerusalem (2Sam6)). This was not David’s parade, but God’s (v24). Its progress was a victory march completing the exodus.

The confidence of future victories expressed in vs 28-31 ultimately refers to a time still in the future when Jesus will actually reign on earth, as Revelation describes. But now in our obedience to the great commission, there is continual advance of the kingdom on earth.

Knowing the ultimate victory of God, David invited the nations to worship Him now (v32). It was far better for them to do it now out of a willing, surrendered heart than to do it later as the conquered enemies of God.  “The Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations^[a] will hear it; and then the end will come.” (Matt24:14NLT) In V33 the Hebrew word ‘ancient times’ looks not only backward to time past; but forward to the future. The conclusion v35: The God who is actively involved in the life and victory of His people is worthy of praise.

Whatever victory Israel may have won and inspiration they received from this psalm, their victories did not last. The lasting victory still waits for the Messiah’s great kingdom.