I Read Bible
All the nations surrounded me,
but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
11 They surrounded me on every side,
but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
12 They swarmed around me like bees,
but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns;
in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
Psalm 118,10-12 NIV
Today I thought about these Verses.
I have read Psalm 118 altogether on 26 days this month. For the first time my attention was drawn to the repeated phrase “in the Name of the Lord.” That phrase is also found in V. 26 Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD.
In the Verses 10-12 this phrase describes that what has made all the difference for the believer. Even more: “the name of the Lord” describes that what makes all the difference for the believer. Whatever his adversity has been, he was not overcome by it, he was not hopeless or helpless. He found help and hope in the privilege to call on the name of the Lord, to “fight back” in the name of the Lord. God in His goodness allows us to share in His authority and power. That presupposes: The Lord makes Himself known, He reveals to us who He is. The name of the Lord stands for who He is. And it also means that He testifies Himself, His love, grace, loving-kindness and strength in our lives and whenever we are in need. He comes gladly to assist and rescue and help us.
The verses 10-12 came to make sense to me when I imagined it is the nation Israel praying here. “All the nations surrounded me, Israel. (…) They surrounded me, Israel, on every side.” Israel is to this day a small nation surrounded by countries that do not have much respect and tolerance for Israel. To live in such a small country surrounded by hostile nations can be terrifying and overwhelming. But that is not the whole truth. The small nation Israel has God on its side. God has shown Himself as Saviour and Helper many, many times.
One can also understand the verses as an exaggeration for the sake of magnifying the greatness of Gods help. The verses then can be understood as a poetic description of great adversity. Imagine being surrounded by people who are all against you, who hate you. Imagine being surrounded by a bee swarm or by burning thorns. Then you understand how someone feels when he undergoes an overwhelming adversity or is amidst a severe crisis. But the love and power of God is greater. In that sense the verses mean:
“No matter how great and overwhelming your adversity or your problems are, God is greater still. No matter how helpless you might feel, the help in the name of the Lord is what matters. You can call on Him. He can save.”
May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.
Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
Psalm 20:1+7
Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 124:8
There is a story in 2.Kings 6. It illustrates the Verses 10-12 in a wonderful way:
Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” 16 So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” And the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
In all of this, Elisha was calm, relaxed, and confident, not in himself, of course, but in His God. He not only saw the problem, but he saw the solution and knew the God of the solution. Like Hezekiah who would later face the armies of Assyria, Elisha sought to convey the same truth that Hezekiah communicated to his people in 2 Chronicles 32:7-8.
“Be strong and courageous, do not fear or be dismayed because of the king of Assyria, nor because of all the multitude which is with him; for the one with us is greater than the one with him. 8 With him is only an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people relied on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.
(see also: http://bible.org/seriespage/surrounded-enemy-2-kings-68-23)
The same attitude is shown in
Psalm 27
The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread? 2 When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell. 3 Though a host encamp against me, My heart will not fear; Though war arise against me, In spite of this I shall be confident.
Psalm 3:5f
I lie down and sleep;
I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.
6 I will not fear though tens of thousands
assail me on every side.
April 29, 2012
but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
11 They surrounded me on every side,
but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
12 They swarmed around me like bees,
but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns;
in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
Psalm 118,10-12 NIV
Today I thought about these Verses.
I have read Psalm 118 altogether on 26 days this month. For the first time my attention was drawn to the repeated phrase “in the Name of the Lord.” That phrase is also found in V. 26 Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD.
In the Verses 10-12 this phrase describes that what has made all the difference for the believer. Even more: “the name of the Lord” describes that what makes all the difference for the believer. Whatever his adversity has been, he was not overcome by it, he was not hopeless or helpless. He found help and hope in the privilege to call on the name of the Lord, to “fight back” in the name of the Lord. God in His goodness allows us to share in His authority and power. That presupposes: The Lord makes Himself known, He reveals to us who He is. The name of the Lord stands for who He is. And it also means that He testifies Himself, His love, grace, loving-kindness and strength in our lives and whenever we are in need. He comes gladly to assist and rescue and help us.
The verses 10-12 came to make sense to me when I imagined it is the nation Israel praying here. “All the nations surrounded me, Israel. (…) They surrounded me, Israel, on every side.” Israel is to this day a small nation surrounded by countries that do not have much respect and tolerance for Israel. To live in such a small country surrounded by hostile nations can be terrifying and overwhelming. But that is not the whole truth. The small nation Israel has God on its side. God has shown Himself as Saviour and Helper many, many times.
One can also understand the verses as an exaggeration for the sake of magnifying the greatness of Gods help. The verses then can be understood as a poetic desc
“No matter how great and overwhelming your adversity or your problems are, God is greater still. No matter how helpless you might feel, the help in the name of the Lord is what matters. You can call on Him. He can save.”
May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.
Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
Psalm 20:1+7
Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 124:8
There is a story in 2.Kings 6. It illustrates the Verses 10-12 in a wonderful way:
Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” 16 So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” And the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
In all of this, Elisha was calm, relaxed, and confident, not in himself, of course, but in His God. He not only saw the problem, but he saw the solution and knew the God of the solution. Like Hezekiah who would later face the armies of Assyria, Elisha sought to convey the same truth that Hezekiah communicated to his people in 2 Chronicles 32:7-8.
“Be strong and courageous, do not fear or be dismayed because of the king of Assyria, nor because of all the multitude which is with him; for the one with us is greater than the one with him. 8 With him is only an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people relied on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.
(see also: http://bible.org/seriespage/surrounded-enemy-2-kings-68-23)
The same attitude is shown in
Psalm 27
The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread? 2 When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell. 3 Though a host encamp against me, My heart will not fear; Though war arise against me, In spite of this I shall be confident.
Psalm 3:5f
I lie down and sleep;
I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.
6 I will not fear though tens of thousands
assail me on every side.
April 29, 2012
By:
Dreammmer
Age:
46-50
,
Male
