Daily Devotions
Psalms
Psalm 78:66a "And He beat back His enemies..."
Day 161 – Psalm 78
“And He beat back His enemies…” Psalm 78:66a
THE ABSENCE OF GOD
It was terrible to be in captivity. Wickedness knows no bounds where war atrocities are concerned. It was even worse when God was not there to hear and answer prayer. But God’s absence was because His own people had rejected Him and cast Him aside rudely.
CEASELESS INTERCESSION
Though the text does not specifically state that prayers were offered, we may safely assume that ceaseless prayers ascended to God. Priests like Asaph would have prayed. The Prophets of God would have prayed too. The godly remnant, though they may have been few in number would have pleaded for mercy with God (Cf. Even a casual reading of the Prophets would reveal the fact that these servants of God pleaded on behalf of Israel and Judah endlessly).
ACTIVELY INVOLVED AGAIN
Asaph must have written the following words with great relish.
“And He beat back His enemies;
He put them to a perpetual reproach.”
Psalm 78:66
1. “His enemies”
a) These were not just enemies to Israel and Judah.
b) The wicked marauders were considered God’s enemies too.
c) God would now take the fight to these enemies.
2. “He beat back His enemies”
a) Who were some of these enemies?
b) Assyria and Babylon were the two powerful enemies that caused God’s people to go into captivity.
c) God would deal with them decisively (in the days before Asaph and in the future).
3. “He put them to a perpetual reproach”
Historically, God dealt with the following enemies:-
a) Assyria would be destroyed by Babylon.
b) Babylon would in turn be destroyed by the Medes-Persians.
c) The Medes-Persians would be destroyed by the Greeks.
Only God’s people would survive all these mighty powers! God was Redeemer again.