Psalm 60:1-12

Where was God?

You thought you had it all figured out. You planned. You strategized. And then…failure. Not a small failure, but a colossal failure. A failure so big you had to step back and reassess your approach and ask, “What went wrong? Where did I get off track? How in the world did things get so bad?”

For the psalmist, the answer was simple; God rejected them. The military defeat was difficult and surprising. He only gives one reason for the defeat; God wasn’t there. God had rejected them. He doesn’t speculate on why God rejected his people. The psalmist doesn’t seem to be interested in whys. Instead, the psalmist focuses on seeking God for healing and help.

Hope in Defeat

In the middle of this devastation, the psalmist offers hope. For those, like him, who fear God, there is a banner even when facing attack. While God might have rejected his people, he has not given up on them. The psalmist knows this. He knows that God still loves his people and he recounts this love and commitment throughout the Psalm.

In the end, he knows, God will be there for his people. Defeat is only temporary. He refuses to give up on God, so he pleads with God to go with them, giving them victory. The psalmist knows that human help is useless. God gives victory.

Where is God…now?

Setbacks happen. We plan, prepare, and do our best to account for obstacles we might face. Sometimes our plans work out the way we want. Sometimes our plans work out, not how we think they will, but good enough. And then, like the Psalmist, sometimes we face disaster and defeat.

We may wonder where God is in our defeat. Why wasn’t God with us? Why did things turn out so badly when we had such high hopes? Has he rejected us? So many questions without answers.

In the end, only one thing remains; human help is useless. We plan, but was God the initiator of our plan? We prepare, but have we allowed God to be the author of our preparation. We try to address potential obstacles, but have we allowed God to be our navigator through troubled waters?

We forget that “human help is useless.” God brings victory. When we don’t allow God to direct us in our planning, preparation, and implementation, we are relying on human resources. When we don’t follow God’s directives, we rely on human ingenuity. God has not rejected us, or you. God is with you, inviting you to discover his victory.

The Psalmist reminds us, “With God’s help we will do mighty things…” and we shall. As you seek and follow God’s directives, he will lead you to places of blessing and victory. You will be blessed, but more than that, you will be a blessing to others. With God’s help, you will do mighty things and be a mighty blessing!