Total victory
How do we respond to the injustice filling our daily news feed? This psalm celebrates God’s resounding victory over evil, confident that he reigns supreme, no matter what else is happening.
An Asaph psalm.
1 God is known in Judah
his name honored in Israel.
2 He made his lair in the city of Salem
his den in Zion.
3 There he shattered the fiery arrows
shields, swords, and other weapons of war.
4 How resplendent you are—
more majestic than the everlasting mountains!
5 The brave heroes have all been plundered.
Having sunk into deep sleep
none of the champion fighters
could find their hands!
6 When you roared, God of Jacob
both horse and rider stopped dead.
7 You, you are awesome!
Who can stand against you
when you become angry?
8 You pronounced your judgment from heaven.
The earth fell silent with dread
9 when you rose to enact justice
and deliver all the oppressed of the earth.
10 Human rage only ends up bringing you praise
as you respond
with the very least of your anger.
11 So make vows to YHWH, your God
and keep them.
Let all around him
bring tribute to the Awesome One
12 who curbs the ambition of princes
and strikes terror in all of earth’s kings.
The psalmist celebrates God’s conquest, as warrior-king, of Salem, the Jebusite fortress that became Israel’s capital under David. Asaph’s use of “lair” and “den” implicitly likens God to a lion, one whose majestic roar stops his enemies cold in their tracks—think Aslan in The Chronicles of Narnia. God instantly puts them to sleep, the sleep of death. This renders them unable to “find their hands,” like we can’t find our voices in nightmares. Having disarmed his enemies and destroyed their weapons, YHWH is more majestic than sun-gilt mountains.
The psalmist also pictures God pronouncing his sentence in heaven’s court and then enforcing it on earth, ending injustice and rescuing the oppressed. Zion is where heaven and earth come together as one, and Israel’s warrior-king is like no other god since he utters universal judgments in favor of the downtrodden. He’s done tolerating arrogant human self-assertion and the violent oppression it spawns. And even responding with the least anger possible, he extinguishes human fury, as he did, for example, in his treatment of Pharaoh in the Exodus. Thus, instead of displaying their power, his enemies’ anger ultimately showcases God’s power, which brings him praise.
These images call for three responses. First, reverence since our majestic king effortlessly shuts down earth’s rebels. Second, humble devotion—making and keeping vows and faithfully giving him our gifts. And third, praise for his filling the earth with justice and peace.
Jesus, you revealed your majesty on Zion’s holy hill, disarming your foes, making an utter spectacle of them. But earth’s oppressed still await universal justice. Help me believe you reign supreme and will yet renew all things. Help me live reverently, faithfully, generously. Amen.
During your free moments today, offer these words of praise:
How resplendent you are—
more majestic than the everlasting mountains!
