Psalms 83 - 85

Click HERE to read Psalms 83-85.

For more 4,000 years the nations surrounding the nation of Israel and the world has called for its annihilation. They hate Israel and believe they should be wiped off the face of the earth. Of course, when you understand how demonic forces work and how they've been established, they have "prince" demons who oversee nations. According to God's Word in Daniel 10:1, the archangel Michael is said to be the "prince" over Israel. God has chosen one of His archangels to defend Israel against the onslaught of demonic forces under the leadership of Satan himself.

Israel was sovereignly chosen by God to be "His chosen people" - not because they were more spiritual than any other nation, but because He found favor in Abraham and promised to bless his descendants. Plus, He told Israel that He chose them so they could be a nation who could evangelize the world and bring all men into a relationship with their Creator. Obviously, as you read the Bible, they blew it eventually and earned the wrath of God. However, God has also loved His people and has never forgotten the promise He made to Abraham.

You see...God made a to Abraham in Genesis 15:18-21, then confirmed to his son Isaac in Genesis 26:3, and then to Isaac's son Jacob in Genesis 28:13. The Promised Land was described in terms of the territory from the River of Egypt to the Euphrates River (Exodus 23:31). 

In Psalm 83, you read how David cries out to God about this very issue of extermination. In verse 4-5 he reminds God of what other nations are saying about Israel, "They have said, 'Come and let us cut them off from being a nation, that the name of Israel may be remembered no more."

But in the end, what does David do?  He asks God to deal with them so that in the end that might come to know the God of Israel.  Listen to what David prays in verse 16 and 18 - "That they may seek Your name, O Lord" and "That they may know that You, whose name alone is the Lord are the Most High over all the earth."

Even though King David is deeply concerned about what the enemies of Israel could do to them, he cries out to God to deal with the problem and to ultimately lead them into a relationship with Him.

How do you feel about your enemies?  Are you praying that God will deal with them to hurt them? Or are you praying like David, that God would deal with them in such a way that they might come to a knowledge of Him?

I love Psalm 84. It's one of my favorite chapters. Here, you get a glimpse into the heart of King David in his love for God. Listen to what he says:

vs 2 - "My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God."

vs. 5 - "Blessed is the man whose strength is in You."

vs. 10 - "For a day in Your courts (your presence) is better than a thousand elsewhere."

vs. 11 - "No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly."

vs. 12 - "Blessed is the man who trusts in You!"

Psalms 85 is a prayer to God that He might restore His favor on Israel. During David's reign, David saw how the nation had fallen away from God and how he had personally sinned against God. Now he begging for God to restore His favor on Israel and that God's glory might once again shine on the nation. At the end of his prayer, he praises God. He knows God will answer his prayer.

Maybe you've fallen away from God. Now you miss the joy of salvation and the wonderful relationship you once enjoyed while walking with God. If so, I suggest you pray like David did. Invite God to restore to you the joy of salvation and grant His glory and favor to again be restored to you and your family.

I would encourage you to pray this prayer that God asked the High Priest to pray over the nation of Israel. It's the ONLY prayer God ever demanded we pray! He told Israel that if they prayed this prayer, He said, "I will bless them."

Here it is - the prayer where God says He promises His blessing:

Numbers 6:22-27 - "The Lord bless you, and keep you: the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you: the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace."

I, personally, pray this every night for my family asking, "Father, may you bless our family. May you keep us under the wing of your protection. May you cause your glorious face to shine upon us so that others see Jesus in us and we glorify you in all that we do. Please be gracious to us as sinners as we seek your forgiveness. Please lift up the glorious countenance of your face and favor upon each of us, and give each of us Your peace - the very one that surpasses all human understanding. Father, in doing so, please bless us!"