PSALM 21
1 The king rejoices in your strength, Lord.
How great is his joy in the victories you give!
2 You have granted him his heart’s desire
and have not withheld the request of his lips.[b]
3 You came to greet him with rich blessings
and placed a crown of pure gold on his head.
4 He asked you for life, and you gave it to him—
length of days, for ever and ever.
5 Through the victories you gave, his glory is great;
you have bestowed on him splendor and majesty.
6 Surely you have granted him unending blessings
and made him glad with the joy of your presence.
7 For the king trusts in the Lord;
through the unfailing love of the Most High
he will not be shaken.
8 Your hand will lay hold on all your enemies;
your right hand will seize your foes.
9 When you appear for battle,
you will burn them up as in a blazing furnace.
The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath,
and his fire will consume them.
10 You will destroy their descendants from the earth,
their posterity from mankind.
11 Though they plot evil against you
and devise wicked schemes, they cannot succeed.
12 You will make them turn their backs
when you aim at them with drawn bow.
13 Be exalted in your strength, Lord;
we will sing and praise your might
GIFT FROM GOD
The middle of December for many means that gifts are being planned out and bought, homes have been or will be decorated; lawns and houses glow brightly with yuletide, snowmen, reindeer, and all things lights. Then, baking those Christmas goodies, meals planned out, filling up our schedules with celebratory parties – it can be exhausting! Admittedly, and on the flip side, many do not have the insane drive to map out in detail how, when, and where things will be completed, or if they even need to be completed! You ask ten people, and you will hear ten different answers as to what is or should be done.
But we can all agree on one thing: we each have a great need for strength and wisdom in what is happening in our lives, with those we love, and in the world around us. Our lives are filled with challenges and hardships of one type or another. To live means living in a fallen world. Are you depressed yet? By no means!
Christmas reminds us of the hope we celebrate through the birth of Jesus the Messiah. Psalm 21:7 reads, “For the king trusts in the Lord (Yahweh); through the unfailing love of the Most High he will not be shaken.” We also have the unfailing love of the Most High. When we trust in His character (for God IS love), we can have the strength to not be shaken nor hopeless when difficulties come – and they will come!
When reading Psalm 21, notice the first and last lines include “in your strength.” It is not ourselves on which we can depend. We will consistently fail, even in our greatest attempts. God’s gift to us is His strength. So, celebrate this Christmas season by receiving His gift to you and me by, first of all, accepting His Son as your savior. Then, live life with His gift to you by living “in His strength.”
Author:
Other Scriptures for today:
- Isaiah 24:1-16a
- 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12
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