God Delivering His Strength - Psalms 78:61

In Psalms chapter seventy-eight Asaph reminded the people of Israel when they journey through the wilderness how they “provoked” God, “to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images. When God heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel. So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men”, and in chapter seventy-eight and verse sixty-one of Psalms Asaph shared how Jehovah God, “delivered his strength into captivity”, where we read,

And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy's hand.

The verse begins, “And delivered his strength into captivity, ...” Asaph began with the words, “and delivered his strength” or “and gave, bestowed, granted, permitted and ascribed his, the Divine judge Jehovah God's, might, boldness and power which represents God's Ark” “into captivity” which means “as captives, prisoners and those who are taken away”. Asaph said Jehovah God allowed His “Ark of the covenant” to be captured by Israel's hating foes. (See 1 Samual 5:1-2)

The verse continues, “... and his glory into the enemy's hand.” Asaph added the words, “and his glory” or “and his, the Divine judge Jehovah God's, beauty, splendor and honor” “into the enemy's hand” which means “into distress, straits, distress of the power, strength and might of the people of Israel's hating foes and adversaries”. Asaph said Jehovah God delivered the Ark which was a symbol of God's beauty, splendor and honor into the power, might and authority of the “hating foes and adversaries” of the people of Israel.

When we consider the words in this verse, we see through Asaph how Jehovah God acted upon His anger by allowing His “Ark of the Covenant” to be taken by the “hating foes” of Israel. The “Ark” was a symbol of God's presence, and when it was gone, the idea was that He was gone as well. God removed Himself from the people of Israel because they began to worship other gods and use idols and graven images for their religious practices. God desires to have a personal relationship with every person through His Son Jesus, and He sent Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind. The only way to have an intimate relationship with Jehovah God is to believe and trust in His Son Jesus as the “Savior and Lord” of the world. Any other way is unacceptable with God, and He will remove His presence from those who choose other ways and will be separated from them forever and ever.

Next time Asaph says Jehovah God, “gave his people over also unto the sword”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".