Victory in Jesus

DEVOTION

PSALMS

VICTORY IN JESUS

Ps 89:38-52

38 But you have rejected, you have spurned, you have been very angry with your anointed one. 39 You have renounced the covenant with your servant and have defiled his crown in the dust. 40 You have broken through all his walls and reduced his strongholds to ruins. 41 All who pass by have plundered him; he has become the scorn of his neighbors. 42 You have exalted the right hand of his foes; you have made all his enemies rejoice. 43 You have turned back the edge of his sword and have not supported him in battle. 44 You have put an end to his splendor and cast his throne to the ground. 45 You have cut short the days of his youth; you have covered him with a mantle of shame. Selah 

46 How long, O LORD? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will your wrath burn like fire? 47 Remember how fleeting is my life. For what futility you have created all men! 48 What man can live and not see death, or save himself from the power of the grave? Selah

49 O Lord, where is your former great love, which in your faithfulness you swore to David? 50 Remember, Lord, how your servant has been mocked, how I bear in my heart the taunts of all the nations, 51 the taunts with which your enemies have mocked, O LORD, with which they have mocked every step of your anointed one.

52 Praise be to the LORD forever! Amen and Amen.

NIV

This is all about Jesus. He was scorned, he was spurned, the world was so angry with the anointed one of God. The world renounced their covenant, Israel renounced its covenant with God, for the sake of their own traditions, the law as they made perverted it. They defiled the crown of God, Jesus. They broke down his life, his ministry among the people, but in doing so they fulfilled the will of God, sending Jesus to die for their, for our sin. Jesus was plundered, all his clothes taken and his robe was the subject of casting lots by the soldiers. It certainly appeared the enemy had won, that the Jews were exalted, their right hand lifted up, for they were able to rid themselves of this trouble maker, this man who was usurping their authority over the people. The High priest, the Pharisees, the teachers of the law were rejoicing because they had gotten Jesus killed by the Romans, absolving themselves in the process. As Jesus hung on the cross, he did so in shame, as a common criminal. But it was the will of God because he loves his creation so much to send his Son to experience this hideous torment for us. The psalmist may have though it was about his life, and his troubles, and maybe unaware of the inspiration of his words concerning Jesus. Yes, the enemies taunted Jesus ever step he took in this life, bringing life, and they rejected him. Sometimes we might actually forget the terrible suffering of Jesus experienced, and it was all for us. Let us no mock that act of love. It would seem we would never do that. The Hebrew word translated mocked, means to defame, to defy, to reproach. This is something we would never do, yet it not disbelief like that? We say we believe, but do we live like we believe? All the Lord has promised us, all the gifts, all the fruit, all the armor, all the power and might we have at our disposal, yet do we actually believe? We cannot be certain about others, but we believe it all, we live with complete faith in God. Are there moments of frustration? Are there times we feel defeated? Yes, but overcoming is by the power of God, he brings inspiration for the answer of those times of frustration or moments of temporary defeat. Our steps, just as Jesus’s, are ordered by God. What might seem at the moment as defeat, is actually victory, just like that moment on the cross, it was a victory for us took away all our sin. Although death seemed to win, the grave took him in, there was victory again, for by the power of God, the grave could not hold him and he was raised from the dead. This is our life, as we were also once dead, dead in our sin, but Jesus raised us from the grave and gave us life. Oh death where is your sting now? We live because of the power of God, so we should live in the power of God. Our life should be filled with his power, his might, his gifts, his fruit, and his armor, all for his glory. We cannot walk in defeat, but we must walk in victory.

Chorus
O victory in Jesus,
My Savior, forever.
He sought me and bought me
With His redeeming blood;
He loved me ere I knew Him
And all my love is due Him,
He plunged me to victory,
Beneath the cleansing flood

Praise be to the Lord forever, amen and amen.