Trivia:
The word trivia comes from the latin root word "Trivialis" meaning found everywhere or commonplace.
By the way which former U.S. president was know to be an accomplished wrestler? George W. Bush; Abraham Lincoln; Harry S. Truman; Andrew Jackson. Make a guess about this bit of trivia.
Challenge:
Psalm 76:1-7a "God is honored in Judah; His name is great in Israel. 2 Jerusalem is where He lives; Mount Zion is His home. 3 There He has broken fiery arrows of the enemy, the shields and swords and weapons of war. 4 You are glorious and more majestic than the everlasting mountains. 5 Our boldest enemies have been plundered. They lie before us in the sleep of death. No warrior could lift a hand against us. 6 At the blast of your breath, O God of Jacob, their horses and chariots lay still. 7 No wonder you are greatly feared!"
This Psalm has four movements of which we will meditate on the first two:
A celebration of the center of worship in Jerusalem (1-3)
The glory and almighty power demonstrated before any of the nations enemies (4-6)
The very majesty and glory of God's presence is overwhelming, like a devestatingly powerful
mountain and the intense blast of God as in a hurricane, to the extent that their enemies lay
down in defeat.
Finally the statement speaks out its great power, "No wonder you are greatly feared!"
This word fear isn't spoken of reverenced but of literal fear, or an overwhelming sense of alarm and recognition of possible devestation.
Here the writer is remembering the total devastation that God brought on the Assyrian army under Sennacherib's leadership when the Angel of the Lord visited their camp and slew 185,000 men in the night. This event is recorded in Isaiah 37:36; 2 Kings 19 as well as is written on in the annals of history in 701 B.C. His great feats of warfare are refered to in the coming verses of this Psalm.
The Psalmist designates Jerusalem as the city of peace, His capital, and Mount Zion as the place that speaks of God's great strength, presence and place of resting. This is the passage that inhabits the term "City on a hill". In verse 3,4 just one word from the God of Jacob and riders, warriors, and horses sink into the sleep of death.
SO GO WITH GOD for even by His very presence it brings fear to those who are attempting to bring harm on His children. The reverence that we should be empowered by and be lived out in our sense of respect and grieving should we hurt or disappoint Him. Tomorrow we will reflect of the presence of God to the world around us. So walk in confidence for we represent the Lord God in our lives and efforts.
Truman