The Lord is My Strength
The unbeliever is unfamiliar with the song of the redeemed, “Yahweh is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise Him; my father’s God, and I will extol Him (Ex 15:2).” In superstition, men turn to idols and demons for strength and security (Ps 31:2; Is 42:17; Hab 2:18). In idol worship, paying homage, people trust in chariots and horses and their own prowess. But they do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek the Lord (Is 31:1).
God is glorified when His people trust Yahweh’s strength and not their own. The redeemed in the Exodus serve as a type of those who are delivered through the waters of Christian baptism. Life for the redeemed remains very challenging. The song of salvation must continue, for the Christian life is a race, a fight, and a war (2 Tim 4:7; Eph 6:10–20). Ecclesiastes warns us of impending kerflooey, and unless our dependence is on the Lord, futility will prevail.
It is wise for God’s redeemed people to embrace their weakness because their dependence on God is not an option (2 Cor 12:10). God is not pleased with the independent spirit and strength of man (Ps 147:10). The Psalmist put it succinctly, “How blessed is the man whose strength is in You (Ps 84:5)!” Following Jesus Christ in the world remains unpopular (Jn 15:18–19). This is one reason cults and false religions prosper. Most people loathe living in a position of weakness. They labor to ascend to positions of power in the community and in the church, but their strength is not from God.
Asa’s prayer to Yahweh is a classic for recognizing our position of weakness (2 Chron 14:11), “Then Asa called to the Lord his God and said, ‘Lord, there is no one besides You to help in the battle between the powerful and those who have no strength; so, help us, O Lord our God, for we trust in You, and in Your name have come against this multitude. O Lord, You are our God; let not man prevail against You.” David recognized the battle belongs to Yahweh (1 Sam 17:47; Prv 21:31), and Joshua learned that he must be aligned with the Lord of hosts (Joshua 5:12–14).
In our spiritual warfare, we can grow weary in our battle with principalities and powers in heavenly places. Fatigue can lead us to temptation, sin, and even quitting, for our iniquities cause us to lose strength (Ps 31:10). We must seek the Lord continually (1 Chron 16:11), or we will suffer the temptation of Achan to steal, of Saul to fear, or of Judas to sell out.
God’s gift and calling are irrevocable (Rom 11:29), but where there is no vision of Christ, the people will perish (Prv 19:18; Dan 10:16). We must not look back from the plowshare, or we will lose our way (Lk 9:62). Sin invites trouble from the Lord, as reprobation stirs up the enemies of God. Further, it is Yahweh who stirs them up against us (Amos 3:11). We must ever live in the grace of repentance. Our prayer is ever, “Have mercy on me a sinner.”
The Lord will give strength to His people (Ps 29:11a; Acts 3:16), for He is their strength in time of trouble and on the day of distress (Ps 37:39b; Jer 16:19). All we need is a Word from the Lord (Dan 10:19). We must remember all of His works (Ps 78:4) and tell it to the next generation.
Instead of glorying in bloodlines, or the works of our own hands, we must ascribe glory and strength to Yahweh (Ps 96:7), for “cursed is the man who trusts in mankind, and who makes flesh his strength, and whose heart turns from Yahweh (Jer 17:5).” It becomes a lament for God’s child to recognize her heart is far from God, who has placed the yoke of her transgressions around her head and made her strength fail in the presence of her enemies (Lam 1:14). These must be nailed to the Cross of Christ when His yoke of grace replaces our own yoke of sin.
Yahweh’s strength is often associated with salvation (Ps 118:14; 140:7; Is 12:2). Jesus promised His disciples, “In the world you will have trouble (Jn 16:33).” The need for salvation is frequent. It looks like this, “For thus the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has said, ‘In repentance and rest you will be saved; In quietness and trust is your strength. But you were not willing (Is 30:15).’”
We must be willing, and especially, willing to wait quietly for the Lord, “For those who wait on Yahweh will gain new strength; they will mount up on wings of eagles; they will run and not get tired; they will walk and not become weary (Is 40:31).” Even when one’s strength is spent in vain, his reward is with God, who is our strength (Is 49:4–5). God restores the lost years and also the soul of him who seeks Him.
Jesus arises and shepherds His flock in the strength of God (Is 11:2; Mic 5:4), for God has strengthened the house of Judah (Zech 10:6). God’s people walk in the strength of His name (Zech 10:12; Acts 3:16). Paul encouraged the Ephesians to be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might (Eph 6:10), for the apostle knew that, “The Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one (2 Thess 3:3).”
Paul was grateful to Christ Jesus who strengthened him, personally, and put him into faithful service (1 Tim 1:12). In the midst of great stress, Christ strengthened Paul for the preaching ministry, standing with him to fulfill the ministry entrusted to him (2 Tim 4:17). Our God is stronger (1 Jn 4:4), so wisdom is strong when the counsel points us to rest in Christ.
Our applications are rather simple when it comes to the issue of strength. First, your strength will fail you, for apart from Christ, you can do nothing pleasing to God. Second, trusting in someone or something else will also fail you; for God has ordered His people to be weak in the world and strong in Him. Third, God redeems, saves, and restores those whose strength has failed them, and who turn to the Lord for their strength. Fourth, God will accomplish what concerns you in His wisdom and power, and in this way, He receives all the glory for powerfully working His will and good pleasure in your life (Phil 2:13).
The song in your heart and the joy of your lips is evidence of your trusting in the strength of Yahweh, who is your strength and shield, and who has become your salvation. Rejoice! For the joy of the Lord is your strength (Neh 8:10), and joy is the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22), who leads you to repent and trust in the Lord Jesus with all your heart (Prv 3:5–6).
All things are possible with God, and Paul knew this when He wrote, “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me (Phil 4:13).” So Christian, be strong in the midst of your weakness, for the Lord is with you wherever you go.
David Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
February 8, 2021
