PSALM 93

The LORD reigns, He is clothed with majesty; The LORD is clothed, He has girded Himself with strength. Surely the world is established, so that it cannot be moved. 2 Your throne [is] established from of old; You [are] from everlasting. 3 The floods have lifted up, O LORD, The floods have lifted up their voice; The floods lift up their waves. 4 The LORD on high [is] mightier Than the noise of many waters, [Than] the mighty waves of the sea. 5 Your testimonies are very sure; Holiness adorns Your house, O LORD, forever.

PSALM 93:1-5

THE LORD REIGNS

I am blessed to pray with people everyday. Many times when someone comes to me for prayer, they are facing a crisis or an emergency situation. Sometimes it is a health crisis. Sometimes it is financial. Sometimes it’s relational between spouses or parents and children. Sometimes it is the loss of a loved one. The point is that we are often provoked to prayer when something has gone wrong or is going wrong. We need relief from the stress, strain, loss or hurt that we face.

Many times we pray to God for answers. Sometimes we even try to tell God how to answer. I am grateful that God hears even these sorts of prayers. He tells us to, “cast all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). However in Psalm 93, the psalmist takes a different approach. He begins with praise for God’s might, splendor, and holiness. He mentions the floods of life (perhaps we could describe those floods as the problems, anxieties, and heartaches we experience). Then he kicks back up and reminds us that God still reigns! God is still on his throne! His testimonies are still true! He won’t be shaken!

What I think encouraged me most out of Psalm 93 today is that God’s “testimonies are very sure” (v. 5a). Sometimes due to our circumstances, it is hard to believe that God is in control or that He holds the whole world in His Hands (understood in verse1b). God calls us to faith and yet we seem very uncertain, hesitant to even trust God or search for His will. Yet, in the Bible we have testimony after testimony of God’s faithfulness.

To be sure, He is a God who baptizes His people. (The whole Old Testament is full of stories of how God brought his people through the water). We may go through floods, storms, and choppy seas that threaten to undo us, but when God is with us, there is nothing that can come against us. There are No promises that the floods will never come, but there are promises that when the flood comes, if our house is built on the rock of Jesus Christ, we will stand.

“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” (Matthew 7:24-27).

So how doe we respond to a God who is bigger than the flood? We trust His word (His testimonies) more than we trust the voice of the floods (v. 3a)! We prove that God’s testimonies are sure by taking God at his word in the midst of our troubles. We let the character of God, not our circumstances dictate our praise.

Reading Psalm 93 brought another song to my mind today as I meditated on taking God at His Word. It’s the song that I’m sure I’ll be humming all day as I am reminded of God’s sovereignty beyond our circumstances.

’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to take Him at His Word;
Just to rest upon His promise,
And to know, “Thus saith the Lord!”

Refrain:
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er;
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
Oh, for grace to trust Him more!

Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus – Louisa M.R. Stead 1882.

PRAYER

Father, I am grateful that your throne is higher than the restless floods that rage. I am grateful that your word is surer than the floods that surround me. I am grateful for your word and that every time I have trusted your promises, you have lead me through the waters that threatened to undo me. Your testimony’s are true! I can’t help but remember your hand upon me as I faced open heart surgery at age 39. You are worthy of all praise honor and glory! I trust in your promises! Your testimonies are sure! I echo the hymn I quoted here today, “oh for grace to trust your more.” In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

I’m reading and blogging the Psalms Through The Summer. I’d love for you to join me. You can find out a little more here.