“Now
I know that the LORD saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy
heaven With the saving strength of His right hand. Some trust in chariots, and
some in horses; But we will remember the name of the LORD our God. They have
bowed down and fallen; But we have risen and stand upright. Save, LORD! May the
King answer us when we call.”
In
the first five verses the people prayed for the king, their leader! Now in verses 6-9, David is confident of
victory as he leads them into battle against the enemy. One great pastor of
yesteryear would often say, "Everything rises and falls with
leadership", and he was right.
Now
the king speaks and assures his people that he is confident of success because
the Lord has chosen him ("anointed") and heard his prayers. When
we know that we are the Lord’s chosen and anointed people we can be assured
that He will take care of us and keep His promises!
The
people had prayed "May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble" (v.
1), and David's reply was, "He will answer him from His holy heaven…"
(v. 6). The Lord would not only send help from Zion (v. 2) but also from
the very throne of heaven! (v. 6). Just as God's hand had reached down and
saved David in the past (18:9-18), so His hand would deliver him from the
enemy. In the covenant God made with David, He had promised him success in
battle (2 Sam. 7:11), and David claimed this promise by faith.
Was
the enemy coming with horses and chariots? There was no need to fear, for
Israel's faith was in the Lord. Israel's kings were commanded not to acquire
great numbers of horses and chariots (Deut. 17:16), a law that Solomon
disobeyed (1 Kings 10:26-27). Note that the law of warfare even mentions horses
and chariots (Deut. 20:1-4, Deut. 32:20 and 2 Sam. 10:18). God had defeated
Egypt's best troops (Ex. 14:6-30; 15:4), and He could defeat the enemy
attacking David (Ps. 33:16-17; Prov. 21:31; 2 Kings 19:20-23).
"If
God be for us, who can be against us?" (Rom. 8:31). God's people don't boast in their human
resources but in the God who alone can save them in every situation. Only this
kind of faith will honor the strong name of the Lord. Did you notice that at
least three times “the name of God…” is mentioned (vv. 1, 5, &
7)! The enemy might come against us with
the great might with their weapons of war but, “we will remember the name of
the LORD our God!” The enemy will go
down in defeat, but Israel will stand upright as victors.
This
chapter ends like it begins, with a prayer and a plea! “Save, LORD! May the
King answer us when we call.” David
is the king of Israel, but he acknowledges that there is a greater King! And that King is the Lord Jesus Christ! Here David, the people, and the troops are acknowledging
the sovereignty of the great king of Israel. Unless the Lord is King, there can
be no victory.
"For the LORD is the great God, And the great
King above all gods"
(Psalm 95:3). “Lift up your heads, O you gates! Lift up, you everlasting
doors! And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD
of hosts, He is the King of glory” (Psalm 24:9-10).
Like
David, we might plan our strategy and make our petitions (v. 4), but the Lord
alone can determine the outcome. I trust
this Psalm will be one that you will read often and make your prayer!
God
bless!
