I was in a worship session on Monday and the Lord said to me ‘Psalm 33’. I have been meditating on it for a few days.
The outline of this Psalm of praise is sharp and clear; the call to praise (verses 1-3), the cause for praise (verses 4-19), and the conclusion (verses 20-22). The call is directed toward the righteous, for whom praise to God is fitting. The cause for praise is twofold: The Lord is dependable in both word (verses 4-9), and work (verses 10-12), and the Lord is just and loyal in dealing with His children (verses 13-19). The conclusion is an expression of the joyful hope of the godly in the Lord.
While meditating on this Psalm two consecutive passages spoke strongly to me. First, verses 8-9. Secondly, verses 10-12. These two passages have particular relevance in the current moral issue situation in Australia.
The first part I felt the Lord saying that we need to stand up and position ourselves from His perspective. The battle is always the Lord’s! He is awesome and all of creation bows before Him. It is from this place we should seek Him, pray, and declare His righteousness and love.
In the second passage I felt the Lord saying He is is complete control. We must put our trust in Him and call out for Australia to make Him Lord of all our land and peoples. This is a distinct prayer strategy given of the Lord for this seemingly difficult time.
Whilst many activities are being executed by godly people to declare family, righteousness, and life into the moral debate (these activities are needed and good), the Lord says the battle is won in praise and worship of Him. The prophets chamber, houses of prayer, and corporate congregational prayer are the real battle ground.
It is time for the Church to rise and call on the Lord for things on earth to be as it is in heaven which is the Gospel of the Kingdom mandate. The Lord is encouraging all who are praying and hear the call of this message to be bold and fear no man; but to now stand and declare Him Lord of all.
In Joshua 5:13-15 we read the account of Joshua asking The Angel of the Lord ‘Are You for us or for our adversaries?’ to which the Lord replied ‘No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come!’. In other words we are not asking if God is on our side, but are we on the Lord’s side of things. This is the key to winning the battle, we must align with the Lord and His word. We must seek Him and His righteousness and from that place of humility we will find His victory regardless of circumstances.
The Sovereignty of the Lord in Creation and History
Psalm 33:1 Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous!
For praise from the upright is beautiful.
2 Praise the Lord with the harp;
Make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings.
3 Sing to Him a new song;
Play skilfully with a shout of joy.
4 For the word of the Lord is right,
And all His work is done in truth.
5 He loves righteousness and justice;
The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.
7 He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap;
He lays up the deep in storehouses.
8 Let all the earth fear the Lord;
Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.
9 For He spoke, and it was done;
He commanded, and it stood fast.
10 The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;
He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect.
11 The counsel of the Lord stands forever,
The plans of His heart to all generations.
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.
13 The Lord looks from heaven;
He sees all the sons of men.
14 From the place of His dwelling He looks
On all the inhabitants of the earth;
15 He fashions their hearts individually;
He considers all their works.
16 No king is saved by the multitude of an army;
A mighty man is not delivered by great strength.
17 A horse is a vain hope for safety;
Neither shall it deliver any by its great strength.
18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him,
On those who hope in His mercy,
19 To deliver their soul from death,
And to keep them alive in famine.
20 Our soul waits for the Lord;
He is our help and our shield.
21 For our heart shall rejoice in Him,
Because we have trusted in His holy name.
22 Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us,
Just as we hope in You.