By awesome deeds in righteousness You will answer us, O God of our salvation; You who are the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of the far-off seas; who established the mountains by His strength, being clothed with power. You who still the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the peoples. (Psalm 65:5-7)
Regardless of what the nations boast, when God moves in the earth and displays His might and strength, the people of the world take note. And in those times, even the hardest of souls will cry out to God for mercy; that, or they will harden their hearts further and succumb to God’s justice. Either way, in the end, God moves on behalf of His people to deliver them from oppression, injustice and persecution wherever they may be in the world. Whether in the land of Israel or in some far distant isle, God’s people can be confident that He will hear their prayers and will answer.
David lauds the fact that God created the great mountains, these huge monuments to His strength and power, as evidence that His might is unlimited and that He is able to deliver His people from any circumstance. Similarly, just as God controls the forces of the sea, He will also control the nations. Like the roaring waves of the ocean, the mighty ones of the nations become agitated and roar against God’s people, yet the One who brought the seas into existence and who allows the nations to exist will still them and cause their threats to subside.
Reading David’s words, I can’t help but think of a notable incident that occurred on the Sea of Galilee. As Messiah and His disciples boarded a boat to cross the lake, a windstorm whipped up and caused the waves to beat against the boat and begin to fill it with water. Messiah, who had been asleep, was awakened by His startled disciples and promptly rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” (Mark 4:39). Immediately the wind ceased and a calm came over the water.
If the wind and the sea obey Him, should we doubt that He can control all of the other elements that affect our life, including the roar of our enemies and those who oppose His purposes? Obviously, the answer is, “No.” And so, let us consider the question He posed to His disciples after the wind had subsided, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” David not only believed in God’s ability to save, but also in His willingness to save. We must be of the same mind. No matter how close or how far away we are; no matter our circumstance, the God who established the great mountains and controls the waves is well able to orchestrate our deliverance.
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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