We who live in relatively peaceful circumstances might find the continual theme of warfare and enemies in the psalms tiresome and even unpalatable. But, if that is the case, it is because we are not relating to these situations, which we can and should. It is a blessing not to have to live with the military threats that the psalmists regularly faced. But let’s not forget that we are embroiled in a spiritual battle and the stakes are high. The ancient spiritual enemy of God’s people, “Satan” (a Hebrew word that means ‘the adversary’) is at work in the world with his usual weapon of deception. Let us not allow our peace and prosperity to make us complacent. We need to be more vigilant now than ever because, as we move towards the end of the age, the world will become more polarised (Matthew 13:26). The more God’s kingdom breaks in, the more our adversary will fight back. If this sounds overly dramatic to you then this response maybe a symptom of your complacency. We are all far more complacent that we should be, and it is important that we begin to wake up to what is happening. This is not a cause for fear, this is a cause for prayer. The psalms show us what it looks like to pray in the midst of a high-stakes conflict. And they are more relevant now than ever.
Ask God to highlight areas in which you need to be more vigilant.
Read Psalm 120
