Monday, August 4, 2025
Psalm 33:16-18 – The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue. Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His steadfast love.
Our world has always suffered from wars between kingdoms and nations, and we will continue to experience these frightening events until the Lord Jesus returns. Across the centuries, people at war have always sought more effective ways to destroy their enemies. From swords and spears, warring powers moved on to gunpowder and rifles, tanks and nuclear warheads. Today we see warring powers experiment with advances in technology, always seeking greater and more deadly destructive power. In ancient times too, people sought the advantage over their enemies. A powerful war horse was a not-so-secret weapon, especially effective against warriors fighting on foot.
The psalmist knows that none of these weapons can provide a certain defense against enemies. A powerful army may not be able to save a king. Great strength will not always save a warrior. Even a war horse provides false hope. If none of these things supply conquering strength, who can provide salvation? The only sure hope that we have in life and death is the steadfast love of the Lord. Like the psalmist, who was often on the run from his foes, we have enemies we could never defeat on our own—sin, death, and the devil. No army or war horse could defeat those enemies and win salvation for us. Only the steadfast love of the Lord could save, and His secret weapon was a cross.
Crucifixion was a terrible, lingering way to die. Such a shameful, gruesome death did not appear to have the power to save anyone. A victim nailed to a cross did not present an image of strength. Yet we know by faith that the saving power of God was hidden in the helpless weakness of Jesus as He hung dying on the cross. To the unbelieving world, the claim that Jesus’ death on a cross accomplished our salvation is a scandalous and foolish idea. We, who have been enlightened by the Holy Spirit, know differently. The cross of Jesus is the power of God for salvation. Through His death, Jesus destroyed the devil, who held the power of death. As the psalmist rejoices, the Lord is watching over those who fear Him, who trust in Him for salvation. Our hope is firmly anchored in the steadfast love of God and His secret weapon that is the cross of Jesus. Our sins are forgiven and now “we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:37b). The war has been won and, through faith in our crucified and risen Lord, the victory is ours. Now the good news of that victory is ours to share with the world. We do not want the secret of the cross to be secret any longer!
WE PRAY: Jesus, help me to share with others the good news that You have won the fight for us all. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler.
Reflection Questions: