Burning Ones

If it had not been the LORD who was on our side—
let Israel now say—
if it had not been the LORD who was on our side
when people rose up against us,
then they would have swallowed us up alive,
when their anger was kindled against us;
then the flood would have swept us away,
the torrent would have gone over us;
then over us would have gone
the raging waters.
Blessed be the LORD,
who has not given us
as prey to their teeth!
We have escaped like a bird
from the snare of the fowlers;
the snare is broken,
and we have escaped!
Our help is in the name of the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.

Psalm 124

The nation of Israel was not weak. Just read a passage like Exodus 1:7-10 or 2nd Chronicles 1:9 and you’ll get the picture. They were a powerful, numerous people that more than likely could have relied on their own strength to defend their borders and conquer their enemies. This is one of the most shocking things that I’ve learned as I’ve read through the histories of the Old Testament. And yet David gives all of the glory to God over and over again throughout the Psalms, including Psalms 124.

Like Paul, David could have trusted in himself and the power of his nation easily.
I think David shows himself to be a lot like Paul in Phillipians 3:3-7; he had every reason in the flesh to boast. It actually made sense for him to boast! Not many people can say that, but he could. David was the king of one of the most powerful nations in the earth, and yet God gave him the eyes to see that apart from God, the nation would have been swallowed alive. This is not because they were weak. It is because in the end the one who decides these things is God.

So David gives glory where glory is due. No matter how powerful a nation is, they all fall to the hand of God. Just look at the Assyrians. Their empire is ruined when God visits judgement upon them for their sins, and they had almost defeated the whole known world by that point. All man stands at one level before God, and that level is very low. So, in the end David was also a man who reveals himself to be poor in spirit.

This is something that I so badly want for myself. I want to understand that no matter what I do in the flesh (some of it good even!), ultimately any good that comes of my life is because of God’s grace towards me. I mean that literally. I have no good apart from him! That’s what I want to believe and experience. So pray for me, because I need major help if I’m going to get there.

Love you guys!

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