Remember this, that the enemy has reproached, O Lord, and that a foolish people has blasphemed Your name. Oh, do not deliver the life of Your turtledove to the wild beast! Do not forget the life of Your poor forever. Have respect to the covenant; for the dark places of the earth are full of the haunts of cruelty. Oh, do not let the oppressed return ashamed! Let the poor and needy praise Your name. Arise, O God, plead Your own cause; remember how the foolish man reproaches You daily. Do not forget the voice of Your enemies; the tumult of those who rise up against You increases continually. —Psalm 74:18-23

This morning, we will come to the real heart of the matter, and this is that fools are blaspheming God by oppressing and attacking His own people. Asaph calls Israel the Lord’s turtledove, asking God to deliver this poor little nation from the wicked ones. He reminds God that they are poor, oppressed, and needy, and asks God to give them something to praise Him for by their deliverance from those who reproach Him daily.

As it was with Israel during the time of this psalm being written, so it is with us today. The tumult of those who are against the Lord is increasing today, as Asaph wrote. Is it right for us to cry out to God, asking that He defend His great name? Yes,it is, and we honor Him by doing so! God’s people never have to fight in their own strength, and they shouldn’t even try.

There are two things that we must keep in mind. In John 10, Jesus said, “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received of My Father” (vv. 17-18). And, in Acts 22, Paul wrote, “Now it happened, as I journeyed and came near Damascus at about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me. And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ So I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting’ ” (vv. 6-8).

No one was in control of Jesus’ life but Jesus. No one took it. He gave it of Himself. And no one is control of our lives but God. He does allow us to lay down our lives at times, but, as Paul learned, those who persecute God’s people are persecuting Jesus! Just as Asaph reviewed in his mind the history of Israel’s victories through God in the past, even back to the days of Noah, so let us keep in mind that Moses didn’t part the Red Sea. God did! Joshua didn’t bring down the walls of Jericho. God did. The Medo-Persians didn’t defeat Babylon. God did. Our God cooled the flame for Shadrach, Meschech, and Abed-nego; He shut the lions’ mouths for Daniel; He opened the prison doors for Peter, and He caused the chains to fall off the hands of Paul and Silas. No Christian will ever fight or face the enemy of death in their own strength. This gives us battlefield supremacy over every enemy and takes out the sting of even death for our faith. Be bold, and stand firm in the face of attack. Our King is coming, and no one will be able to stand against Him. Meanwhile, He has given us the power to stand until He comes and meets us in the air! That might even be today!

Excerpt from “Beside Still Waters” now available on Amazon.

BARRY STAGNER

Spend a few quiet minutes in the Psalms each day. Keep reading in Beside Still Waters by Barry Stagner.

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