‘Blessed is the people of whom this is true; blessed is the people whose God is the LORD’ (Psalm 144:15)
VE DAY, May 8th, 1945
King George VI broadcasts to the nation:
‘Today we give thanks to Almighty God for a great deliverance. Speaking from our Empire’s oldest capital city, war-battered but never for one moment daunted or dismayed – speaking from London, I ask you to join with me in that act of thanksgiving…. In the hour of danger we humbly committed our cause into the hand of God and He has been our strength and shield. Let us thank Him for His mercies and in this hour of victory commit ourselves and our new task to the guidance of that same strong hand.’
Apparently, churches on that day were packed full as people gave thanks to God for His goodness in bringing an end to the horrors of the last few years. St Paul’s Cathedral had to put on ten services in a row to accommodate all the worshippers. Sadly it is hard to imagine such a response today.
How appropriate then is today’s psalm.
‘Praise be to the LORD my Rock…. He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield, in whom I take refuge…’ (Psalm 144 v1,2). It is God who enables His people to win the victory.
In verses 3-4, David recognises the frailty and transience of humanity; ‘LORD, what are human beings that You care for them… they are like a breath, their days are like a fleeting shadow.’ So he comes to God not in arrogant self-confidence, but in humble supplication. Rather than trusting in his own strength, he cries out for the LORD’s help. ‘Part Your heavens, LORD, and come down… Send forth lightning and scatter the enemy; shoot Your arrows and rout them. Reach down Your hand from on high; deliver me and rescue me from the mighty waters’ (v5-7)
War is a terrible thing. It brings hardship and weeping. But David is confident that God’s deliverance will result in flourishing, and great blessings of abundant provision, bringing to an end the breaching of walls, fear of captivity and distress in our streets (v12-14).
So David promises, ‘I will sing a new song to You, my God… to the One who gives victory to kings, who delivers His servant David’ (v9,10)
How we will rejoice in our own day if and when Covid19 is finally defeated, when we can breathe again and begin to rebuild our lives. But will we remember to give thanks to God? Can we say like King George that we have humbly committed our cause into His hands and that He has been our strength and shield? Let us seek His mercy, and commit ourselves and our ways into His hands. That is the way to a flourishing future.
And let’s remember that the conflict of yesteryear, and the pestilence of today point to a far greater problem, mankind’s struggle with sin in a fallen world, and our consequent liability to terrible judgement. But we can rejoice that many years after David, one of his descendants, Jesus Christ, won the decisive victory in the battle with sin, death, and the devil, on behalf of all His people. At the cross he defeated death once and for all for those who trust in Him. So if we believe in Him, and look to Him for saving mercy, we can truly rejoice in the one who has won the decisive victory for us.
For now, the battle goes on, as the enemy refuses to recognise His defeat and wars against Christ’s people. So for the moment we are called to soldier on, to fight the good fight of faith (1 Tim 6:12), strong in His armour and strength (Ephesians 6:10-18), and seeking to win the nations for Christ. But all the while we can know that the ultimate victory is assured.
There were tremendous celebrations on VE day 75 years ago. Singing and dancing in the streets, soldiers and sailors kissing girls. Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret, secretly joining the revellers in the Mall. Imagine the joy they must have felt! But that is nothing on the great celebrations which are coming one day soon! What wonderful songs will be sung by all true believers when we stand in Christ’s presence and celebrate His great victory over all sin and evil through His redeeming work (Rev 5:12). When that day comes, the battles and struggles of this life will be over for ever ‘Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the centre of the throne will be their shepherd; He will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes’ (Rev 7:16-17)
‘Blessed is the people of whom this is true; blessed is the people whose God is the LORD.’
So as we celebrate our nation’s merciful deliverance in 1945, let’s remember the greater deliverance and victory which are ours in Christ. ‘I will sing a new song to You, my God… to the One who gives victory…..’ Amen.
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