May 3, 2023 — Psalm 21 

“In your strength the king rejoices, O Lord, and in your help how greatly he exults! You have given him his heart’s desire, and have not withheld the request of his lips. For you meet him with rich blessings; you set a crown of fine gold on his head. He asked you for life; you gave it to him—length of days forever and ever. His glory is great through your help; splendor and majesty you bestow on him. You bestow on him blessings forever; you make him glad with the joy of your presence. For the king trusts in the Lord, and through the steadfast love of the Most High he shall not be moved. Your hand will find out all your enemies; your right hand will find out those who hate you. You will make them like a fiery furnace when you appear. The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath, and fire will consume them. You will destroy their offspring from the earth, and their children from among humankind. If they plan evil against you, if they devise mischief, they will not succeed. For you will put them to flight; you will aim at their faces with your bows. Be exalted, O Lord, in your strength! We will sing and praise your power.” Psalm 21 

“The 21st psalm is a prophecy of the kingdom of Christ, the kingdom that is and remains eternally and spiritually before God. At the same time, it also announces that those who reject this kingdom shall be destroyed.” (Martin Luther, Reading the Psalms with Luther) 

It does not matter who we might identify as the enemy — man or the devil — G-d will be victorious. When Satan wars against the people of G-d on earth, we can always win with G-d on our side. He provides a way of escape for every testing and temptation that comes our way — Paul says just as much in 1 Corinthians 10:13. Faith is the key to our victory, through G-d, which will change the world. So long as we put our trust in G-d and not solely in ourselves or in the things of this world — we will be victorious. But when we allow doubt to rule our lives, then we allow Satan to be in charge.  

Faith will allow you and me to reach the finish line of our earthly struggle. There is victory in Christ. No matter how bad things may get, whether it is a virus, a job loss, a death, an accident, or a divorce, the greatest victory is the one that we will not see in this life. We often long to know more about heaven and eternal life, but for now we only have the brief glimpses that come from scripture. Our human minds cannot fathom the reality of the glory of that G-d is preparing for all people. Praise G-d for the grace that comes through the resurrection of Jesus Christ! 

Prayer: Lord Jesus, our High Priest and our victorious King, wash us by Your blood, and plead for us with the Father, showing Him Your opened side and Your pierced hands. Preserve us in Your kingdom to serve You in true faith and piety. Restrain the enemies of Your Church, both visible and invisible, and keep us unto eternal life. Amen. 

Pastor Dave