Psalm 108 is a lesson on “keep praying anyway.” It starts out in praise:
O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory. Awake, lute and harp! I will awaken the dawn. I will praise You, O LORD, among the peoples, And I will sing praises to You among the nations. For Your mercy is great above the heavens, And Your truth reaches to the clouds. (Psalm 108.1 – 4, NKJV)
Sounds great, but what’s the background? Israel is supposed to be God’s favorite:
God has spoken in His holiness: “I will rejoice; I will divide Shechem And measure out the Valley of Succoth. Gilead is Mine; Manasseh is Mine; Ephraim also is the helmet for My head; Judah is My lawgiver. (Psalm 108.7, 8, NKJV)
“I like the tribes of Israel…” And:
Moab is My washpot; Over Edom I will cast My shoe; Over Philistia I will triumph.” (Psalm 108.9, NKJV)
“I don’t care anything about Moab, Edom, and Philistia,” but…
Who will bring me into the strong city? Who will lead me to Edom? Is it not You, O God, who cast us off? And You, O God, who did not go out with our armies? (Psalm 108.10 – 11, NKJV)
We’re supposed to be the favorite. We should be able to conquer Edom, but you’ve quit helping us! What to do? Keep praying:
Give us help from trouble, For the help of man is useless. Through God we will do valiantly, For it is He who shall tread down our enemies. (Psalm 108.12 – 13, NKJV)
And he did. Israel is still here! And I don’t see any news about Edom, Moab, and Philistia (except Philistine territory – Gaza – is very much a present enemy).
Read Revelation. God wins. We win. But there are times when it appears we are not winning. And if we understand there’s a war on, this situation wouldn’t be surprising. (More tomorrow about the war.)
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints… (Ephesians 6.17, 18, NKJV)
Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” (Revelation 11.15, NKJV)