Psalm 60:11-12 God is Sovereign

Psalm 60:11-12  “O give us help against the adversary, For deliverance by man is in vain.  Through God we shall do valiantly, And it is He who will tread down our adversaries”. (NASB)

As David led the army of Israel against its enemies they came upon hard times.  In David’s leading of the army of Israel this was rather rare but as depicted in Psalm 60 they had a hard time.

The verses shown are the final two from this psalm in which David explains rather than complains about the circumstances he faces militarily.  He says, “O God, You have rejected us. You have broken us; You have been angry”. v1  In that phrase David gives room to say that perhaps God was simply standing back and allowing hardship to come on His people. 

David goes on to say, “You have made the land quake, You have split it open; Heal its breaches, for it totters.  You have made Your people experience hardship; You have given us wine to drink that makes us stagger”.  v2-3  Here there is no longer wiggle room.  It was God who did this thing.  He made the land quake.  He split it open.  He made His own people experience hardship.  He diminished their capacity to fight.  God in His sovereignty and for His own purposes did these things to His own people.

So, as a premise to David’s lament God had perhaps allowed rather than directed some external force to bear upon Israel.  But, He also took direct action causing hardship too.  He did these things for His own purpose.  Having said this it is important to remember that God had and has the capacity to prevent calamity in the lives of His people.  He is sovereign; it is up to Him.

What might the purpose have been for not only allowing this misery but also directly causing hardship?  Well at the very least it got the attention of David, the leader of His army.  David writes in the psalm of the promises of God.  He writes of the promises to deliver His people.  “You have given a banner to those who fear You, That it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah.  That Your beloved may be delivered, Save with Your right hand, and answer us!  God has spoken in His holiness: ‘I will exult, I will portion out Shechem and measure out the valley of Succoth.  ‘Gilead is Mine, and Manasseh is Mine; Ephraim also is the helmet of My head; Judah is My scepter.  ‘Moab is My washbowl; Over Edom I shall throw My shoe; Shout loud, O Philistia, because of Me!’". v4-6

Could it be that Israel had gone off without remembering God and they had to be called up short?  I think that is exactly what was happening.  The tell tale is our closing two verses for the day.  By the time David pens the last he has adequately acknowledged the difficulty he faces and put God and His plan back into it’s proper and primary position. 

David becomes reliant on God saying, “O give us help against the adversary”.  He continues expressing the futility of going it alone, “For deliverance by man is in vain”.  And finally he says that we can triumph over our enemy by relying on God; “Through God we shall do valiantly, And it is He who will tread down our adversaries”.

The lesson for us is at least two fold.  First, we should always remember that God is sovereign.  Simply put, He plays chess while we play checkers.  "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD.  "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts”. Isaiah 55:8-9 

Second, it is always better for us when we allow God to lead.  When we go it alone; when we seek deliverance by man, our efforts are in vain.  When we are sensitive to what God wants and obey His leading we will always find success.  Not on our own account will this occur but because He will succeed; He is sovereign.

To God be the Glory!  AMEN!