Our monthly women's study at church was Tuesday night and involved a look at 'upholding'...and, as part of the study, we were given a list of about 10 verses that mentioned 'upholding', split into groups of 4 - 5 and instructed to read the verses aloud and then discuss them.
I was in a group of ladies I didn't know well, so it was awe inspiring to hear their stories as we discussed the assigned verses. What appeared to be a random assignment...we each took two verses to read and initiate the comments...turned out to be an amazing word to each of us in her own unique season.
The verse that got to me is Ps. 18:35: You give me your shield of victory, and your right hand sustains me; you stoop down to make me great..
I didn't pre-read it before my turn came, just turned to it and read it cold. I got as far as 'sustains me', and when I read 'you stoop down to make me great' I had an overwhelming sense of the greatness of God and the insignificance of me; yet He was 'stooping down' to lift me up.
And, given the plain unadorned fact that I have been feeling very insignificant of late, I was undone. And completely surprised that I was undone.
Now, I don't think that only means 'great' in a worldly sense, although David was writing it as one who went from a shepherd to a king. So far as this applies to us, God humbled Himself, in the form of Jesus, in order to restore us to a place of authority in His Kingdom.
He is that committed to seeing us take the place He has for us .
He gives me His shield of victory...as if it were my own.
His right hand holds me up...it doesn't matter that I am too weak to fight/persevere/win. His strength never fails.
He comes under me to put me in a high place.
He does this!
Now, how many times have I read Psalms 18? Why had that verse never caught my eye before?
Perhaps it wasn't the season for me to hear that word. Or, perhaps I was so blown away by the rest of Ps. 18 that I just didn't notice.
The notes at the top of the chapter indicate that David sang this psalm 'when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.'
It's a RICH song.
If you're in a tough place today, look up Ps. 18 and read it through slowly. I'm expecting God to use it to encourage more than just me. And if one of the verses speaks to your situation and gives you hope, share it with the rest of us in a comment.
I'm looking forward to seeing how God ministers to others through this little part of His Word!
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