This week’s Song To Live By is Psalm 9

Andy writes:

Life is a battle, and a pretty brutal one at times.

Whilst we may never find ourselves dodging spears or blocking swords in a middle eastern melee, each of us as followers of Jesus lives right in the middle of a war zone, and the nations continue to rage around us.

The powerful truth that the Psalmist clings to; and that we must clasp on to is that our God is a mighty God; victorious in battle; more than capable of vanquishing both his and our enemies. He’s won great victories in the past, and we call on him to win more, here and now, in our lives and the lives of those we love, and all over the earth.

Because we do face enemies every day. Evil enemies that are out to get us. Some days our awareness of this reality is dimmer than others. We maybe marvelling at the magnificence of our maker; mucking around with our mates; or just muddling through the mundane Monday - but at other times we are all too aware that there are mischievous and malevolent manoeuvres being undertaken all around us, and even in us.

As the people of God we face the bloody battle against the sin that crouches at out door seeking to master us; we have the ongoing war of attrition against the systems of this world that though fading still seek to drag us down; still we see evil Pharaohs reek havoc all over the earth and we have the evil one and his emissaries eager to undermine and ultimately destroy the work of God in our lives with their last lashing out before their ultimate death and demise.

And so we must call on our great and victorious God to ride once again into battle for us. To smash the idols of the nations as he did in Egypt; to cast down the arrogant as he loves to do; and to get his glory all over the earth just as the waters cover the sea.

David, the psalmist, was a great warrior and a seasoned fighter. He played his part - but he knew - that in life, in the heat of the battle, against the enemies that are too big for us. You call on Yahweh, the one who has won, the one who always wins , the one who will win it all. You ready horse and your riders for the battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord.

A Prayer

God, thank you that you have won the victory - you won it at the cross, and you always win. Come and slay my sin; damage my doubt; shatter my self reliance - come and win it all. Sabotage the systemic evils all around me; eradicate the idols in my culture, cast down the kings that work against your purpose - come and win it all. Deliver us from the evil one, lead us not into temptation. For yours is the Kingdom and the power and the glory. Might God, come and win it all.