The Psalmist celebrates his people’s victory over their enemies even before the battle has been fought. He’s so convinced that all the surrounding influences that attempt to corrupt the people and draw them away from their calling as God’s people that he speaks of it in the past tense. It’s in the middle of the fray of battle that this song writer is expressing his confidence of victory. It’s while the war is raging that he commits himself totally to the battle and then closes his song with, “With God we shall do valiantly; it is he who will tread down our foes.”

It’s the contest that draws the best out of us. It’s the challenges of life that stir up courage and valor to stand and fight and not give way to the advances of the enemy. There is an old Greek story of a soldier under Antigonus who had a disease that was extremely painful and likely at any time to destroy his life. In every campaign he was in the forefront of the hottest battle. His pain prompted him to fight in death to forget it, and his expectation of death at any time made him court death on the martial field. His general, Antigonus, so admired the bravery of the man that he had him cured of his malady by a renowned physician. From that moment the valiant soldier was no longer seen at the front. He avoided danger instead of seeking it, and sought to protect his life instead of risking it on the field. His tribulation made him fight well; his health and comfort destroyed his usefulness as a soldier.

If we were relieved of the struggles and pains and hardships of life we too might lose our commitment to the cause. Were you relieved of some burden, or healed of some disease, or set free from some worry, you might lose in moral and spiritual power and influence.

Chuck
“Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done. Sing to him; yes, sing his praises. Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds.” (Psalm 105:1-2)