Psalm 68:4-5 (NIV)
Sing to God, sing in praise of His name, extol Him who rides on the clouds; rejoice before Him—His name is the Lord. A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy dwelling.
I had been reading Psalm 37 this morning; and then our Verse of the Day caught my eye. As I read Psalm 68, a theme began to emerge that I believe is a word for us today: “The Protection and the Justice of God”.
Track along with me for a few verses:
Psalm 37:1-2; 7-11
1 Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; 2 for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.
7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. 8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. 9 For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land. 10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found. 11 But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity.
Psalm 68:1-6
1 Let God arise, Let His enemies be scattered; may His foes flee before Him. 2 May you blow them away like smoke— as wax melts before the fire, may the wicked perish before God. 3 But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful. 4 Sing to God, sing in praise of His name, praise Him who rides on the clouds; rejoice before Him—His name is the Lord. 5 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy dwelling. 6 God makes a home for those who are lonely; He leads out those who are captive into prosperity; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.
I encourage you to read both of these Psalms today … and let them speak to your heart. Let the Word of God assure you this morning that Father God is still on the throne! Yes, and He will forever be the power and strength of His people … the Great Defender! God knows both the wicked and the righteous! And He knows their end from the beginning! Could we but remember these following words and trust God:
Psalm 139:13-18
13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful; I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. 17 How amazing are your thoughts concerning me, God! How vast is the sum of them! 18 Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand; when I awake, I am still with you.
God knows each one of us intimately … and He invites each one of us to know Him intimately. And as we come to know the Father … let us learn to trust Him in all things that concern us. Let us keep praying for His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. And as Peter wrote: “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (Cf. 2 Peter 3:8-9)
So Now You Know 