For behold, the kings assembled;
they came on together.
5 As soon as they saw it, they were astounded;
they were in panic; they took to flight.
6 Trembling took hold of them there,
anguish as of a woman in labor.
7 By the east wind you shattered
the ships of Tarshish.
8 As we have heard, so have we seen
in the city of the LORD of hosts,
in the city of our God,
which God will establish forever.
Veni, Vidi, Vici. I came. I saw. I conquered. Those are the words of Julius Caesar when he conquered Gaul. In the commentary by J. M. Boice, he sees something similar but very different in this psalm. In the early days of Israel, as today, they were surrounded by enemies that would push them into the sea as soon as they saw them. What is the “it” that they saw? They saw who their God is. They came. They saw. They panicked. They took off. That is not quite as heroic but it is a natural reaction at seeing the power of God in the lives of his people.
Do others see who your God is when they approach you? Would they see the power of God working in you and decide against attacking you? Satan sees who your God is and whose name you call on. When we call on the name of Jesus Christ, demons panic and flee in anguish. This is a psalm of praise for God’s protection. If you are not praising him for his protection, has he become invisible to you and the enemy? We have heard and we have seen his power. Therefore, we can now say I saw. I sinned. I believed…
He conquered.
Pastor Brad Boyer
Cape Community Church