Daily Devotional For Wednesday, May 13, 2026
Good day and good morning Southside! Following the readings in the One Year Chronological Bible, we are reading several psalms. I want to use Psalm 68:1 as our text for today:
“Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered, And let those who hate Him flee before Him” (NASB).
The NLT puts it this way: “Rise up, O God, and scatter Your enemies. Let those who hate God run for their lives.” Old Testament scholar Rowland E. Prothero writes this about this psalm:
“In September 1812, the French army under Napoleon Bonaparte entered the Russian capital city, Moscow, only to withdraw a month later and begin the disastrous retreat that destroyed his army. During the brief occupation, a rumor spread that the French had placed powder magazines beneath the cathedral of the Kremlin, designed to explode when the gates before the altar were opened. Despite the perceived danger, a great crowd filled the cathedral for the worship service to celebrate the French retreat. The crowd was hushed as the Metropolitan of Moscow approached the gates, opened them, and passed through safely. In that moment of triumph, the Metropolitan opened the Bible and read the opening words of Psalm 68 in a loud voice: “God shall arise, his enemies shall be scattered” (Source: Rowland E. Prothero, The Psalms in Human Life, p. 358).
Building on this from Prothero above, Old Testament scholar Herbert Carl Leupold wrote this:
“Seventy years later, the Russian court commissioned an overture to commemorate the victory over Napoleon. Peter Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture would become one of his best-loved and best-remembered pieces, ending with the firing of cannon in time with the soaring theme. Psalm 68 may be considered King David’s 1812 Overture—it is described by H. C. Leupold as “a hymn of victory of the church militant” (Source: Herbert Carl Leupold, Exposition of the Psalms , p. 489).
How does this relate to Psalm 68? This psalm commemorates when David recaptured the Ark of the Covenant and brought it up to Jersuaelm for the worship of the Lord. To David, this festival marked how Israel had come out of Egypt being guided by God and His presence surrounding the Ark of the Covenant. To David, this was a celebration of salvation and future victory and peace for the people of God.
The enemies of Israel feared it, for God's power came from it destroying Israel’s enemies, their armies and cities. So, David begins this psalm by quoting Moses verbatim as God used him to lead the people with the Ark of the Covenant in Numbers 10:35. This was a celebration on the scale of our July 4, 1976 – marking our 200th anniversary as a nation. It would be similar to our 250th anniversary celebration this year. David has no doubts that God would scatter the enemies of Israel. David reminds in the words of Protestant reformer John Calvin “how easily God can overthrow the machinations of our enemies” (Source; John Calvin, Calvin’s Commentaries, 23 vols., Vol. 6, p. 7).
For David, his crowning achievement as king was not the collection of all the materials for the building of the Temple his son Solomon would build, but in bringing back the Ark of the Covenant up Mt. Sinai to Jerusalem. For a point of comparison, just imagine if someone broke into the Smithsonian and stole our original Declaration of Independence and we were able to get it back, can you imagine the celebration for our nation?
Psalm 68 teaches us that God is able to save His people at any time and in any circumstances. He is able to destroy His enemies and one day, this will happen on Judgment Day. God has promised to overcome and eliminate any and all obstacles to our coming to salvation in Christ. God has promised to give us His Holy Spirit so that we are never alone nor powerless. God has given us His holy Word so that we know how to live in this world, especially when the evil one comes and tempts and attacks us. God has promised us that not even hell itself can prevail against His church – not in the past, not today and not ever.
David illustrates this in the images he gives in Psalm 68:7-10. In these same verses David reminds us that God always cares for the needy and provides for His people. God’s saving blessings are with us regardless of our circumstances or feelings. This is one of the reasons we celebrate The Lord’s Supper – it reminds us of God’s presence, provision and power. God could have chosen to leave us to die in our sins, but He didn’t (Rom. 5:8). Communion reminds us to confess our sins and repent before we attempt to celebrate communion with the Father. The Apostle Paul warns us attempting to do this in 1 Corinthians 11:28-32.
David ends with reminding us that the enemies of God will fall and they will fail. Back to our story above about Napoleon. I mentioned earlier that Psalm 68. Old Testament scholar Richard D. Phillips writes this:
"This psalm was preached in the cathedral of Moscow after Napoleon’s Grande Armee had been forced to retreat. The French host had been a most impressive sight as they marched into the Russian capital, especially since Napoleon had withheld his vaunted Imperial Guard from the recent battle of Borodino, so that they entered the city in full strength and unbloodied. Yet this kind of earthly majesty pales compared to the legions of angels that attend the throne of God” (Source: Richard D. Phillips, Psalms 42–72, p. 275).
Pastor and author Charles Spurgeon reminds of this:
“The Lord of Hosts could summon more forces into the field than all the petty lords who boasted in their armies: his horses of fire and chariots of fire would be more than a match” for any earthly weapons. Knowing that God deploys a mighty array of thousands upon thousands of angelic servants, believers have another reason to trust the Lord without fear” (Source: Charles Spurgeon, Treasury of David, p. 141).
I wish to conclude with the words of pastor and author John Newton:
“Surrounded as we are with enemies and difficulties, we plead, against every accusation and threatening, that our Head is in heaven; we have an Advocate with the Father, a High Priest upon the throne, who, because he ever liveth to make intercession, is able to save to the uttermost. This is all our plea, nor do we desire any other” (Source: John Newton, The Works of John Newton, Vol. 4, pp. 326–27).
Reflection Assignment: What physical or tangible items do you have that help or remind you to worship, praise and celebrate the victory and salvation of the Lord in your life? If you had to pick some, what would they be and why? When it comes to The Lord’s Supper, do you first confess any sins and then repent from them or do you just take communion? Why or why not?
Scripture To Meditate On: John 14:16-17, “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; (17) that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you” (NASB).
Prayer To Pray: “Dear Lord, I know I am never alone even though at times I have doubts. I know You are with me. I have Your Word. I have Your Holy Spirit. Thank You that when I feel surrounded by enemies and storms of life and accusations that threaten me, You are my Advocate, My Father, My Redeemer and My High Priest on Your throne. You are King of kings and Lord of lords. I love You Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”
I love you Southside! – Pastor Kelly