Prayer Enlisted for Victory
David had come to the tabernacle to offer his petition and praises before a battle. “Neither the crown on his head or grace in his soul could exempt him from trouble”[1] This liturgical Psalm was written for the people of the congregation and the priests to take up prayer on their king’s behalf. The congregation of Israel was encouraged to pray for David’s victory against the Ammonites and Syrians, who were at war against them, and who would fight with great numbers of horses and chariots [2 Samuel 10:6-8; 1 Chronicles 19:7]. It was the cavalry against foot-soldiers and logically the Israelites stood no chance of victory. The prayer was because of the overwhelming situation against them that needed God’s intervention. He did it at the Red Sea when He fought against the Egyptians, would He do it now?
We pray for our King when we say “Thy kingdom come.” We are looking for Him to reign over all and defeat every enemy that threatens our covenant of love with the Father. Our praise and worship combine to exalt the Lamb and cause disquiet in the dark realms of Satan’s kingdom. Where there is unity on earth there is disunity in the heavenly realm of darkness. Conversely, where there is disunity on earth there is unity in the reign of darkness.
We all have Days of Trouble
This was, as the Psalm starts, “A day of trouble” for Israel, and sometimes for individuals in their common life. “For affliction does not come from the dust, nor does trouble spring from the ground; Yet man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward.” [Job 5:6, 7]. David knew this from experience and in a later Psalm remarks thus: “For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was turned into the drought of summer.” [Psalm 32:4].
This “Day of trouble” is a searching and sifting time when we begin to assess those things which are of highest value and those things which can be safely relinquished. Jesus speaking to Peter said this: “And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. ‘But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.’” [Luke 22:31, 32]. All of us have those times and need God’s hand upon us.
We all, not only king David, face times of distress and opposition, when we all need a prayer said on our behalf like this one. Jesus knew that mankind was the same underneath, and spoke words of encouragement like this: “Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” [Matt 11:28]. “In prosperity there are many helps, but in adversity there is but one. God is the true refuge.”2
Mostly our trials come from a partial understanding of Christ’s victory. Paul writing to the Galatians points this out: “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” [Galatians 5:1]. We must not let any enemy put chains on us again, we have been set free.
Human Help Ruled Out
Israel was forbidden to have chariots and horses by law, so that they couldn’t claim victory in their strength, it was God who fought for them. “Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid nor dismayed before the king of Assyria, nor before all the multitude that is with him; for there are more with us than with him. ‘With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God, to help us and to fight our battles.’ And the people were strengthened by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.” [2Chr 32:7, 8]. Their weaponry was to be divine intervention.
David defeated Goliath by a stone and sling, not by the sword. [1 Samuel 17:45]. This principle still applied and in the eyes of their enemies God would obtain great glory. Unfortunately man’s first recourse is to enlist human help, and vest their confidence in man-made instruments of war and destruction. Mankind is plagued with a reliance on the visible and touchable rather than the invisible and divine. As long as we live among a self-reliant people, with initiative and ability we will be tempted to put our trust in chariots and horses. God does not need our help, suggestions or plans, He devises His own strategy. Each generation brings greater methods of destruction and yet all God needs to do is use hurricanes, volcanoes and torrential rain and the world is finished.
