Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name's sake!
Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name's sake!
Joyce Heinrich | Nov 14, 2020
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Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name’s sake! –Psalm 79:9
It’s helpful to take a few moments to read the first nine verses of Psalm 79—this passage gives us a description of the very distressful situation that precedes our Fighter Verse. It is as if we are standing beside Asaph, and with him survey the ravaged landscape for anything left intact. As far as our eyes can see there is complete destruction and waste of the once beautiful city of Jerusalem and its environs…torn apart and flattened. Did you feel like weeping as you read those verses? I did.
John MacArthur labels this portion of Psalm 79, “A Dirge and a Prayer for Israel, Destroyed by Enemies.” It is a devastating loss for Israel. The center of their identity as a nation, their temple to the living God, has been desecrated and trampled by the enemy—and the people’s hearts are broken. Added to their own grief and shame is the damning conviction that this invasion, and victory for the enemy, reflects unjustly on their God’s strength and power to protect them. God would be mocked by the uninformed onlookers and Israel’s unbelieving foes. No one has told the enemy that it was, in fact, Israel’s God who has allowed this brutal attack because of His people’s sins and unfaithfulness to Him.
Now, in the midst of chaos, loss, destruction, death, and sin, what does one do? Who will right the irreparable mess surrounding the remaining Israelites? For there is no one who can restore Israel and their relationship to God except God Almighty Himself. So… does Asaph throw up his hands and pray to die?
Never! This faithful servant of our God models for us the righteous response and enters into a spiritual battle that is as effective when employed today as it was then! He falls to his knees, and from his distressed heart he calls out to God – His God!
To this God, Asaph abandons himself.
He cries out to Him, “Help us, oh God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sin, for Your name’s sake!”
It is a sweetness to the soul to see the faith implied in these requests!
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this is not a prayer lost in antiquity, nor is it just a report of this episode in the Asaph’s life. But God included this prayer for our good. By it He has bared His heart of love and deep concern for His people. He has crafted a weapon, a priceless resource for every living soul that has received His salvation, that we might never be left without His help, solutions, and comfort in our terrors and agonies. Instead, He has offered us the privilege of prayer, of being heard by the Sovereign God.
This isn’t theoretical…we have lived it out…it is true. In answer to prayers of the distressed and hurting, God has performed countless solutions and rescues to the many problems we have faced. And since He never will leave us or forsake us, we know He will continue to hear us and act until the day we die. The sweet love that God adds to His rescue is His promise to work all things together for good to those who love Him and are called to His purposes. What a marvelous gift of hope and confidence for us. Thank You, Lord Jesus!
Psalm 79 is God’s wisdom for you and for me today. Asaph would say to this generation that as soon as trouble comes to you, use your weapon! Cry out to our Lord. Send your urgent petition to your faithful Savior! “Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name; deliver us and atone for our sins, for your name’s sake.” Then, be watching for His solution, the help that He will send. And give Him glorious thanks and praise for His love and deliverance!
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Truth78 publishes curriculum, devotional books, children’s books, church & parenting resources (including Zealous: 7 Commitments for the Discipleship of the Next Generations), Scripture memory tools and other resources designed to equip your home and church for leading children and youth to treasure God.
Dale McIntire | Nov 15, 2015
Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name’s sake! —Psalm 79:9 God’s glory is the sum total of all His infinite perfections. God, being who He is and how He is, by necessity, does all that He does for the […]
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