King of Deserts and Rain

Riding the deserts, enemies fleeing, triumphal processions--so is God pictured in Psalm 68. 

Yet, there are other pictures as well--prisoners, widows, needy, death. Psalm 68 is filled with contrasting pictures. His people, needy. God, great and mighty. The great and wonderful truth comes alive again, painted in bright contrasts--the Lord in his mightiness is not distant from his people. Instead, the warrior King rides the deserts (v. 4), he rides our deserts of neediness with his abundant provision, giving rain (i.e., provision and sufficiency) in abundance (v. 9). 

I bow my head, broken, bent, blown.... I feel a touch on my head. Strength. A gift.Our warrior king bows down to daily bear our burdens (v. 19). This mighty King, whom all the earth shouts, before who the mountains tremble, cares about our little daily burdens. The Warrior King, the Burdern Bearer. The King of Rain and Deserts. 

"Summon your power, O God, the power, O God, by which you have worked for us" (Ps. 68:28 ESV)

"Your God has commanded your strength;
Show Yourself strong, O God, who have acted on our behalf" (Ps. 68:28 NASB).

"Your God has commanded your strength [your might in His service and impenetrable hardness to temptation]; O God, display Your might and strengthen what You have wrought for us!" (Ps. 68:28 Amplified).

"Parade your power, O God,
the power, O God, that made us what we are." (Ps. 68:28 Message).

​The verb translated "summon" or "commanded" is also "to appoint, give charge to" (tsavah). I believe it is saying the Lord gives us strength (rather than as some of the Englihs translations could read "be strong!")--the psalm emphasizes the power of the Lord. It is the Lord who will trample the enemies, the Lord who rebukes, sends out his voice, who gives power and strength to his people (v 34). It is the Lord's power that is given to us, paraded before the world in us.

And the amazing thing is, he is working on our behalf. Who has seen a God like our God, who works on behalf of those who wait for him?

"From of old no one has heard
or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him" (Isa. 64:4).

Instead, often we hear little whispers, "You should do better. You should be stronger. You should do more. You should...." Fill in the blank. The failures of weakness resound in our ears and echo in the dismayed emptiness that follows.

Or, it was the last straw; we are overburdened, taxed, and feel drained. What power of the Lord's? Where is that strength and abundant life he promised?

Or our enemies appear powerful. The circumstances appear powerful. And we? In light of the swirling global forces of economics, governmental changes, typhoons....

Or, we are prone to parade OUR power. We boast. We do. We are delighted to show forth what we can do.

But in our deserts, temptations, in our situations, the Lord appoints his strength to us. He pours out rain ABUNDANTLY. He gives us his strength. Moreover, he is working on our behalf. He is not saying "you should do better", he is saying "I am here with you enabling you to conquer this. I am here working. I am here fighting for you. You need only be still; the battle is the Lord's."

"Now, therefore stand still and see this great thing that the LORD will do before your eyes" (1 Sam. 12:16).

"In quietness and in trust shall be your strength" (Isa. 30:15).

And on my bent head, I feel his crown of strength. Over and around my hunched body, I feel his shield of strength. This is who I am, this is what he has done for me--the Lord is my strength and my salvation. This is now what defines you and I, the people whom God has given strength. The lies of "shoulds" and failures and doubts and crushing circumstances can bounce off; they no longer define us or limit us. The Lord sends forth his mighty voice (v. 33 of the same Psalm) and commands strength unto me. He places it himself on me. Feel it gently, powerfully, like fire from the crown of our heads to our hearts. As the Psalm closes, I--we--echo:

"Awesome is God in his sanctuary; the God of Israel--he is the one who gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!" (Ps. 68:35).