Psalm 68 | Part 3
Transcript
This is Holly with Presence Point and welcome to our Psalms for Shepherds series. As we continue our time in Psalm 68, today we’re focusing on verses 19 through verse 27 of this song. It is in this portion that David is reminding the people that God is dwelling with them just as He dwells with us today.
Psalm 68:19-27
19 Blessed be the Lord,
who daily bears us up;
God is our salvation. Selah20 Our God is a God of salvation,
and to God, the Lord, belong deliverances from death.21 But God will strike the heads of his enemies,
the hairy crown of him who walks in his guilty ways
[or the virile that rely on their own strength].22 The Lord said,
“I will bring them back from Bashan,
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
23 that you may strike your feet in their blood,
that the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from the foe.”24 Your procession is seen, O God,
the procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary—…
25 the singers in front, the musicians last,
between them virgins playing tambourines [singing]:
26 “Bless God in the great congregation,
the Lord, O you who are of Israel’s fountain!”27 There is Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead,
the princes of Judah in their throng,
the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.
David, once again, picks paint this beautiful picture entering the sanctuary. But he begins this passage with the reminder that on a daily basis, God bears us up just as He did the children of Israel. He is ever present, providing for and protecting us as He sees fit for our lives, knowing what’s best for us. He never leaves. There’s never a time that He’s on vacation or taking a break. He could ask, “What IS a weekend?” as the Dowager on Downton Abbey once noted, because He doesn’t need one.
David doesn’t stop with the reminder of God’s daily bearing up, however. He also offers the listener a moment to pause and reflect when he added “Selah” (or interlude) at the end of verse 19.
There’s much we can cover in this portion of Psalm 68 today, but we’re going to stop here, and I’d like to offer the same challenge to you. With the reminder that whether you need to take refuge in God, or stop and offer praise in worship to God, or simply relax and rest in Him, and know that He is in control, listen carefully to what David says in this verse: “Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation.”
Maybe you need to personalize that verse this week, saying out loud: “Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears me up. God is my salvation.” And either take refuge in that truth, or praise and worship the Father for that truth, or take a deep breath and exhale and know that God is in control in any and every situation you’re experiencing at this moment in your life.
That’s our prayer for you this week. As an under-shepherd with many and varied responsibilities, take the next five minutes or maybe 10 to take refuge, to praise and worship, and know that God is in control. With that confidence, may you live deeply into your calling this week.
DIGGING DEEPER QUESTIONS:
- How often do you take refuge in the Good Shepherd?
- How often do you stop and offer praise in worship to the Chief Shepherd?
- How often do you simply relax and rest in the Great Shepherd?
