GOD’S HAND OF VICTORY (5)

“…You will stretch out YOUR HAND against the wrath of my enemies, and YOUR RIGHT HAND will save me” – Psalm 138:7b

GOD’S HAND of VICTORY is ever ready, able, and stretched out to revive and save us from all wrath: “Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch out YOUR HAND against the wrath of my enemies, and YOUR RIGHT HAND will save me. The Lord will perfect that which concern me; Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever; do not forsake the WORKS of YOUR HANDS” (Psa.138: 7-8). This Psalm of David centres around God’s Promise to honour His Word and to complete His Work. It is also a declaration that even the kings of the nations will praise the Lord.

The psalm begins with a bold declaration of praise for the past: “I will praise You with my whole heart; before the gods I will sing praises to You. I will worship toward Your holy temple, and praise Your name” (vv.1-2a). Even before kings or judges (“the gods”) King David would hold nothing back in his praise to God. It would be done with all his being, with his whole heart, leaving no room for mixed motives of divided devotion. David imagined himself showing all lifeless gods how useless they are and how great is the only true God. Praise belongs to the LORD alone and not to the impotent idols of the nations, whose very kings will have to submit to the LORD!

Next, David highlighted his reasons for praise (vv.2b-3). His was not empty adoration, but purposeful praise, driven by clear motives: His meditations on God’s lovingkindness, Truth (Who He is), the Magnified Word, and practical testimonies of help and deliverance (What God had done). The Lord had answered and rescued him several times. When his strength failed, God made him “bold with strength” in his soul (v.3b). In essence, we’re to praise God: for Who He is, for His revelation (The Word, magnified above His very name), and what He does.

Beyond the past, David prophesied of the Future Day when the kings of the earth would also praise the LORD, in response to hearing His Words through those who proclaim (vv.4-6). It shall become universally clear that “great is the glory of the LORD” (v.5b). Ironically, this great, glorious, highly exalted God, holds the lowly – the humble – in high regard. On the other hand, God keeps His distance from the proud (v.6). This truth about God’s differing attitudes to the humble and the proud is buttressed by Proverbs 3:34, James 4:6, and 1 Peter 5:5.

David then expressed his firm Faith in God for the future (v.7-8). Meditating on the Greatness of God and His kindness to the humble, gave him confidence that God would revive him in his present trouble. Understanding God’s greatness and Lovingkindness builds our Faith. And, the key Instrument for God’s HELP is HIS HAND: “You will stretch out YOUR HAND against the wrath of my enemies, and YOUR RIGHT HAND will save me” (v.7b). God’s Help comes with all His Skill and Strength to defend us against the wrath of our enemies. Spurgeon wrote: “Adversaries may be many, and malicious, and mighty; but our glorious Defender has only to stretch out his arm and their armies vanish.” 

Finally, because we are significant parts of the works of God’s Hand, He is committed to “perfect that which concerns” us (v.8). David knew that this God of greatness and goodness had a plan concerning him, and would absolutely perfect that plan. Paul expressed like Faith: “Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phi.1:6). Our revelation of the never-ending Mercy of God reassures us that He would never forsake him, who belongs to God by creation and redemption!

God, by His Hand of Victory, is ever true to His Promises! “HIS CREATING HANDS formed our souls at the beginning; HIS NAIL-PIERCED HANDS redeemed them on Calvary; HIS GLORIFIED HANDS will hold our souls fast and not let them go for ever” (Burgon, cited in Spurgeon).