Psalm 118:1-16 - God on Our Side

Psalm 118:1-16
¹ Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His lovingkindness is everlasting.
² Oh let Israel say, “His lovingkindness is everlasting.”
³ Oh let the house of Aaron say, “His lovingkindness is everlasting.”
⁴ Oh let those who fear the Lord say, “His lovingkindness is everlasting.”

⁵ From my distress I called upon the Lord; The Lord answered me and set me in a large place.
⁶ The Lord is for me; I will not fear; What can man do to me?
⁷ The Lord is for me among those who help me; Therefore I will look with satisfaction on those who hate me.
⁸ It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.
⁹ It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.

¹⁰ All nations surrounded me; In the name of the Lord I will surely cut them off.
¹¹ They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me; In the name of the Lord I will surely cut them off.
¹² They surrounded me like bees; They were extinguished as a fire of thorns; In the name of the Lord I will surely cut them off.
¹³ You pushed me violently so that I was falling, But the Lord helped me.
¹⁴ The Lord is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation.

¹⁵ The sound of joyful shouting and salvation is in the tents of the righteous; The right hand of the Lord does valiantly.
¹⁶ The right hand of the Lord is exalted; The right hand of the Lord does valiantly.

Message: God on Our Side

Time: The psalms were written by many different people across a period of a thousand years in Israel's history. They are thought to have been compiled and put together in their present form by some unknown editor shortly after the captivity ended about 537 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying:

Theme's I see:

• His lovingkindness is everlasting.
• The Lord is for me.
• Take refuge in the Lord
• In the name of the Lord I will surely cut them off.
• The Lord helped me.
• The Lord is my strength and song.
• The right hand of the Lord does valiantly.

It is easy to just focus on how God makes me or life better. We are a people of comfort and safety and sometimes I think we just stare at the benefits too quickly without seeing the condition. The condition is we are to be a people of God, serving Him, turning our lives over to Him, giving him the praise for all things, recognizing that we need a Savior, we need a Lord, we need a substitute for the sin that fills our lives. This is not about just saying we are a fan of a sports team that just won the championship. We can't just jump on the bandwagon and then think that all of life, for eternity, will work in our favor. We must be a people that live the faith, day in and day out. We must align ourselves to Him and trust in Him for all things, no matter what.

My position: This chapter starts with "Give thanks to the Lord." This is what the people of God do, thank God no matter what.

God's promise: "He is good." This is why I can give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. "His lovingkindness is everlasting." His love never changes. This is what I must stare at. He is a loving God. I don't stare at this just when things are going in my favor. I stare at all times. I need this reminder. May this be the outcry of Israel, the house of Aaron and all those who fear the Lord.

My position: verse 4, "Fear the Lord," verse 5, "call upon the Lord." Lord, help me to begin each day in this manner, fearing the Lord, calling upon the Lord. I want to come unto you God each day. Holy Spirit, bring into the presence of God.

God's promise: After calling on the Lord in verse 5-7, the promise is He will answer me. "The Lord is for me, I will not fear. What can man do to me? The Lord is for me among those who help me."

My position: verse 7, "Therefore I will look with satisfaction on those who hate me." - I will not hate those who hate. Do I see this? This flies in the faith of the competitive spirit which is bred in me with sports. We are not against each other. I am for you. I don't have to fear man, I only need to fear God. Man can't hurt me.

My position: verse 8 -  It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes. - This is key, again, I am not to trust in man nor princes nor leaders. Yes, I am to obey them. Romans 13:1 - Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. I am to show my respect to the office of the president, my boss, the mayor, the governor, my pastor, the leaders over me, my father. This order has been set up by God. We are to have rulers over us, over me. This isn't a foreign concept, but my refuge is in the Lord. This is where I place my trust.

My position: verse 10 - All nations surrounded me; verse 11 - They surrounded me; verse 12 -
They surrounded me like bees. The situation is people are surrounding him. I am called to be a saint, a vessel, an instrument of the Lord. But being this is not always a popular thing. People have other agenda's. There are other priorities that are not of God. 

God's promise: verse 10 - In the name of the Lord I will surely cut them off. Verse 11 - In the name of the Lord I will surely cut them off. Verse 12 - In the name of the Lord I will surely cut them off. My confidence remains in the Lord. The Lord is not simply my confidence or my refuge and the one I take satisfaction, and who I thank, but by his power, in His name, I can stand up against my enemies and those who don't represent him. In this tolerant world, we think that respecting us or allowing us to be is not surrounding us but no one can serve two masters. I need to have confidence in God's word and what he is saying. I need to rest in those words. Help me to put my blinders on Lord, and keep them focused on You, not other people, but only You. 

My position: verse 13 - You pushed me violently so that I was falling. It is not clear the situation, but it is one of being surrounded, feeling attacked and then being attacked.

God's promise: verse 13 - But the Lord helped me. But through it all God is there. The Lord is who I have my strength in. 

God's promise: verse 14 - The Lord is my strength and song; verse 15 - The right hand of the Lord does valiantly. verse 16 - The right hand of the Lord is exalted; The right hand of the Lord does valiantly. Help me to hold onto your words God.


Promise: I am to thank the Lord for deliverance from many difficulties. I am to believe with all my heart that God is fighting for me. God is sufficient in my times of trouble.