The Lord Gives Victory

IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

The Lord Gives Victory

Date: Oct. 3, 2015

Passage

Psalm 21:1-13 (ESV)

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

1   O LORD, in your strength the king rejoices,
    and in your salvation how greatly he exults!
2   You have given him his heart’s desire
    and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah
3   For you meet him with rich blessings;
    you set a crown of fine gold upon his head.
4   He asked life of you; you gave it to him,
    length of days forever and ever.
5   His glory is great through your salvation;
    splendor and majesty you bestow on him.
6   For you make him most blessed forever;
    you make him glad with the joy of your presence.
7   For the king trusts in the LORD,
    and through the steadfast love of the Most High he shall not be moved.
8   Your hand will find out all your enemies;
    your right hand will find out those who hate you.
9   You will make them as a blazing oven
    when you appear.
  The LORD will swallow them up in his wrath,
    and fire will consume them.
10   You will destroy their descendants from the earth,
    and their offspring from among the children of man.
11   Though they plan evil against you,
    though they devise mischief, they will not succeed.
12   For you will put them to flight;
    you will aim at their faces with your bows.
13   Be exalted, O LORD, in your strength!
    We will sing and praise your power.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV) is adapted from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. All rights reserved.

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Daily Bread

First, the king rejoices in the Lord (1-7). David was a king but he was humble and praised the Lord for all his victories (1). The LORD had also given him all that he desired and many rich blessings (2-3). He asked the Lord for life, and the Lord gave him life (4). All blessings that we receive actually come from God, for God even gives us strength to work. David rejoiced in God's unending blessings and the joy of God's presence in his life (6). God has also blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus (Eph. 1:3). We have every reason to be joyful because God's unfailing love is with us and we will not be shaken (7).

Second, be exalted in your strength, Lord (8-13). The psalmist uses the future tense in these verses. He is absolutely sure that God will continue to defeat his enemies (8). He is full of praise to the Lord and exalts Him for his strength (13). The Lord is the source of all our victories. Even though we are weak, the Lord is strong. The Lord defeated all our enemies through his cross and resurrection. Like the psalmist David, we can live victorious lives if we trust in the LORD and exalt Him.

Prayer: Father, I rejoice in your unfailing love. Help me to depend on your strength in fighting every battle.

One Word: The Lord gives me strength

Complacent or Victorious?

Revelation 3:1-13

Key Verse: 3:5

The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.

Today's Question

How is Christ exalted?

See answer and references