THURSDAY 5th
Psalm 68
NIV (vv34-35) – ‘Proclaim the power of God, whose majesty is over Israel, whose power is in the heavens. You, God, are awesome in your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God!’
ESV (vv34-35) – ‘Ascribe power to God, whose majesty is over Israel, and whose power is in the skies. Awesome is God from his sanctuary; the God of Israel—he is the one who gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!’
The words of a hymn came to my mind when I came to consider these verses, ‘I sing the almighty power of God’, (RH 124) I don’t know how many of our readers know it, I remember hearing it sang as a solo a long while back and every time the hymn comes to my mind, I can hear the solo being sang, sadly the soloist recently passed away. The words fit in with these verses as both the psalmist and the hymn writer are expressing through different mediums the power of God, his power is displayed in so many ways for all to see, but most powerfully in the message of the Cross, the place where fallen humanity can be reconciled to God.
Read through the words of this hymn (words below) and spend some time meditating upon the power of God in general, at work in the Cross and then more specifically at work in your life as you have been born again. Consider the words of the final verse in the hymn, God’s hand is my perpetual guide . . . why should I then forget the Lord . . .’ Maybe someone is reading this devotion and you have started to forget all about the Lord and his goodness, life perhaps has become burdensome or too busy, and you have neglected to keep in step with the Spirit, allow the power and the presence of God to fill you again and to put a spiritual spring in your step, draw near to God again and he will draw near to you.
I sing the almighty power of God,
That made the mountains rise,
That spread the flowing seas abroad,
And built the lofty skies.
I sing the wisdom that ordained
The sun to rule the day;
The moon shines full at God’s command,
And all the stars obey.
I sing the goodness of the Lord,
Who filled the earth with food,
Who formed the creatures thru the Word,
And then pronounced them good.
Lord, how thy wonders are displayed,
Where’er I turn my eye,
If I survey the ground I tread,
Or gaze upon the sky.
There’s not a plant or flower below,
But makes thy glories known,
And clouds arise, and tempests blow,
By order from thy throne;
God’s hand is my perpetual guard,
He guides me with his eye,
Why should I then forget the Lord,
Whose love is ever nigh?