Our Help is Found in the Name of the Lord

The phrase: “it could have been so much worse” is one that suggests that by some stroke of luck things have turned out much better than they should have done.  But there’s a real   sense in this psalm that David is saying: “it should have been so much worse”.  The difference being, luck was not involved, but God was, and that made the difference!

A possible translation for the phrase ‘Songs of Ascents’ is ‘marching song’ which fits very well with the military theme of this psalm.  It may have been sung with the call and repeat theme we often see in military films featuring American soldiers and their sergeant.  The psalm has two themes and the first is relief.  It’s likely this was written during the early part of David’s reign.  He’s now the undisputed King of Israel, but when Israel’s old enemy the Philistines heard about it they: ‘went out to search for David.  But David heard of it and went down to the stronghold’ (2 Samuel 5:17).  This was a major threat to the nation and David had to retreat!  So there’s a real sense of relief that God has acted in the way he has.  But there is also a theme of praise because God has acted to redeem his people, and proved faithful in an impossible situation.

But what can a psalm like this teach us today in the difficulties we face?  I believe there are three things.  Firstly, David throws down a challenge to the people; will they acknowledge the Lord’s intervention?  The phrase: ‘when people rose up against us’ (v2) suggests a surprise attack!  So the situation was desperate and the people have to acknowledge that if they are to understand the nature of the Lord’s intervention.  Despite David’s undoubted charisma and military expertise he wants them to look to the Lord, not to him!  That’s important for believer’s to do when they see answers to their prayers; otherwise we can get a very unrealistic view of our own abilities!

Secondly, the believer has to acknowledge the desperate nature of certain situations!  In verse 4 the picture David uses is of the flash floods which were common in the desert regions around Israel and could be devastating.  David was never going to be ‘Man of the Year’ in Philistine’s eyes and this verse makes it very clear the Philistines only had one thing in mind, the annihilation of David and Israel!  Yet the outcome was very different.  The language of 2 Samuel 5:20 suggests that the Lord’s intervention was, either literally or metaphorically, like the Philistine army being swept away by a flood!  David was in a defendable position, but defendable positions can be besieged and sooner or later he was going to have to come out and fight.  So he enquired of the Lord (2 Samuel 5:19).  It was such a desperate situation that only the Lord could turn it around.  When we face issues that seem too big and difficult we need to acknowledge that.

Finally, the believer needs to acknowledge that the Lord is faithful.  I can’t help thinking that David, as he invokes God’s covenant name (Yahweh), is thinking of Deuteronomy 28:7.  ‘The Lord will cause your enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before you.  They shall come out against you one way and flee before you in seven ways.’  I suspect he was also thinking of Deuteronomy 20:4: ‘the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.’   The point was even if David and Israel were facing the most desperate situation, and verses 6-7 certainly imply that, the Lord would remember his promises to them and to David!  This is why reading the Bible each day is so important.  It’s not about gaining great theological head knowledge, but knowing, in our heart, that God is faithful and we can entrust difficult times to him.  Then we can join with David and say that it’s the Lord who makes a difference and put our confidence in him! 

Like to hear a sermon on this Psalm? Our Help is Found in the Name of the Lord.