LORD Almighty – Blessed is the One Who Trusts

The LORD Almighty promises to bless those who trust in Him. Psalm 84 has brought me encouragement, hope and help in suffering on many occasions. As a result, this psalm ranks among my favorites. The last verse creates a summary.

“LORD Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in you.”
Psalm 84:12

LORD Almighty, is Yahweh Sabaoth, the LORD of Hosts — the God of armies or powers. This name declares God’s sovereignty over every army, both spiritual and natural. It was the name used when hope for deliverance through any other means vanished.

Each one of us, at one time or another, will have no one or nothing sufficient to hold to, except for God. This short psalm continues to acknowledging the LORD Almighty from beginning to end. The writer declares Him worthy of adoration and praise.

Wooden Doorway

When we, like the psalmist, put God first, sustain an awareness of Him through thick and thin, ups and downs, good times and bad, it is then that we discover Him to be truly sovereign over all — seeing us through to the finish.

LORD Almighty

Whether the psalm speaks of the exiles returning or the annual pilgrimage of worshipers to the temple is uncertain. No matter the occasion, these God-seekers possess one provoking attribute — a hunger for God alone.

“How lovely is your dwelling place,
LORD Almighty!
My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.”
Psalm 84:1,2

Every part of their being hungers for one thing, or rather One Person, the LORD. Long before Jesus’ words echoed across the Judean countryside, these pilgrims walked the talk,

“. . . Love the Lord your God
with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your mind.”
Matthew 22:37

Doorway Grand Entrance

They passionately longed to dwell with God forever, praising Him. Is that my longing? Is that the underlying hunger of my own heart? Does such a passionate desire drive me deeper into a personal relationship with God, not just when everything else fails but constantly declaring Him to be

“. . . my King and my God.”
Psalm 84:3

God my Strength

Along the trek between where they were to where they needed to go loomed a dreaded valley, the Valley of Baka. Baka means “weeping.”

Sound familiar? Smooth pavement may be our expectations, but rocky trails, steep climbs and deep valleys also crisscross our paths from where we are to where we need and want to go — God’s Presence.

Unwelcome but necessary; for them and us.

“As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.”
Psalms 84:6

In the valley, when weeping is all we know, we dig deep. We dig deep into the barren places, the drought-stricken hidden places of our souls, and find God present. The Living Water meets us, sustains us, refreshes us, and moves us closer to Himself.

Palace Entrance

These springs and pools of relief, that we discover in the LORD Almighty, dot our personal pathway. They become significant places of refreshing for all future travelers that follow behind us.

Oh how often God uses someone’s experience of venturing through a dark valley to bring life and light to others following the same path. The victory of one becomes the victory of many. The strength God offers to one becomes strength and hope for multiple others.

Strength to Strength

In the Valley of Weeping, little strength turns to great fortitude, weak strength becomes tenacious and strong. The strength of one creates a life link for others every bit as significant as a fresh pool of water in a wasteland.

“They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion.”
Psalm 84:7

The Amplified Bible says, “They go from strength to strength, increasing in victorious power.” Isn’t that what we all desire? I pray that increased victorious power would be the aspiration of us all. Unfortunately, we want it without the weeping, without the valley, without the struggle.

Just like the pilgrims of old, we too must be willing to walk the difficult path. In the midst of the struggle, the LORD God Almighty draws close. The Passion Translation says that in the valley God gives, “them a brook of blessing filled with the rain of outpouring.”

Entrance Fountain

My heart cries out, “God if a valley is what it takes, lead me through the valley. If a valley will reveal your sovereignty, then prepare me for the valley. May I not miss it! May I not choose an easier way, a quick fix!”

I love this next verse in the Passion,

“Your wrap-around presence is our defense.”
Psalm 84:9

Now if only, we can maintain that imagery in the midst of our tears. The LORD Almighty wrapping His Presence around us, protecting, shielding and comforting. Yes, Lord, wrap us in Your Presence.

God’s Presence

Any problems we face and all sacrifices made dims in God’s Presence. Just one moment with Him makes the journey worth it. Everything else fades behind us; the struggle seems all but forgotten.

“Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper
in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.”
Psalm 84:10

If you could choose anywhere to be, where would you go? What type of escape from work or responsibility floats through your thoughts with the notion?

Ancient Doorway

For those whose souls, hearts and flesh yearn for the living God, only one thought permeates theirs. “One day” with God, even if it is only from a distant “court”, surpasses all other desires. Even assuming the lowest position in God’s Presence, as a doorkeeper, outweighs the highest comforts the world could ever offer.

Why?

Grace and Favor

When one comes to know Him and experience Him in a personal way, He is both all one longs for and all one needs. The pilgrimage becomes worth it; the blessing of His Presence fully satisfying.

“For the Lord God is a Sun and Shield;
the Lord bestows [present] grace and favor
and [future] glory
(honor, splendor and heavenly bliss)!
No good thing will He withhold
from those who walk uprightly.
Psalm 84:11

Our relationship with the LORD Almighty isn’t ‘pie in the sky when we die.’ He releases the outpouring of His blessings to us continually, here and now.

The blessings of knowing God and being loved by Him endure beyond time. They can be summed up only one way, “No good thing will He withhold!”

Palace Stairway

What a promise! Now, I look back at my life remembering valleys of tears I feared I’d never escape and the toil of digging deep. Decades later, I continue to hunger for one thing — that moment in His Presence — sensing His voice.

LORD Almighty, blessed is the one
who trusts in you.”
Psalm 84:12

The LORD Almighty remains worthy of our trust. Yes, “blessed is the one who trusts, leaning and believing on You, committing and confidently looking to You and that without fear or misgiving.” (AMP)

The Sovereign LORD is My Strength – Habakkuk 3:19

Habakkuk anchored his life in Yahweh, the Sovereign LORD. God forms the solid foundation upon which he stands firm in strength and walks in power.

I’m not sure what it is like in other parts of the world, but in North America people of all ages spend countless hours and dollars at the gym in the effort to increase their strength. At one time, I was physically strong. Age has faded youthful vigor somewhat.

Yahweh never fades. Habakkuk teaches us that any authority, power or strength we possess comes from God alone. He illustrates this reminder for us in a single sentence.

“The Sovereign LORD is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to tread on the heights.”
Habakkuk 3:19

Yahweh

Yahweh is a proper name for God, like Susan or Michael. This Hebrew word emphatically declares “I AM”. His name presents to us a consistent reminder God is. He always was and He always will be!

God first identified Himself as Yahweh when He commissioned Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Suddenly and unexpectedly, God interrupted Moses’ quiet shepherding career. He introduced Himself as “the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” (Ex 3:6)

God’s Voice trumpeted from a burning bush giving Moses seemingly impossible directive. Moses questioned God’s identity,

“God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.”
This is what you are to say to the Israelites:
I AM has sent me to you.'”
Exodus 3:14

“I AM” the infinite God, without beginning and end. Yahweh, unchangeable God, self-existent and independent of all others God. “I AM”, absolute God — absolute truth, purity, beauty, power, wisdom and so much more.

Habakkuk acknowledged, “I AM” is all I need. The Sovereign LORD is more than enough.” Through multiple interviews I have conducted with people, who are powerful and effective in prayer, this constant theme is voiced, “God is enough!” He is sufficient!

My Strength

Listen to the Amplified Bible translation,

“The LORD God is my strength,
my personal bravery,
and my invincible army.”
Habakkuk 3:19

The Hebrew word Habakkuk uses is a “first person singular” noun  —my strength.” It is one thing to know that God is the “I AM.” It is completely another thing to know the “I AM” personally — to understand that all He is, He is for me.

This kind of assurance and faith flows within secure, confident hearts. The “I AM” is mine! I am His! Divinely orchestrated relationship, fellowship and communion!

The Sovereign LORD is “my strength” and more. That word represents not just personal strength and force, but also personal wealth, virtue and valor. The “I AM”, Yahweh, provides.

My Feet

I don’t typically draw attention to my twisted, dusty, calloused feet. Yet, God uses a beautiful analogy to describe feet yielded to His leading

“…he makes my feet
like the feet of a deer…”
Habakkuk 3:19

I have always enjoyed viewing wildlife. So from very young, I would walk alone through the prairie bluffs and woods surrounding my home. Once, I came across a large herd of white-tail deer in rutting season. Even though I knew it was quite dangerous to be so close, I hid downwind hiding behind a clump of willows. I hoped to watch them without being noticed.

A large buck, sensing danger, approached my location snorting and flinging dust in the air with his sharp hooves. He shook his broad antlers aggressively challenging my presence. Mesmerized by his strength and beauty, I held my breath, sure he could hear the pounding of my heart.

Suddenly, with the slightest flick of his tail, he gave the warning signal. The entire herd turned, leaping over fences with ease. The lightness with which they carried themselves in great smooth strides captivated my heart. Their speed and agility stunning!

Though I have had many encounters with white-tail deer since that time, this memory has been seared into my mind forever.

Habakkuk’s heart and mind were imprinted with many memories of God’s working in his life. “He makes my feet like the deer” paraphrased says, “God has made me, put within me, and positioned me with agility, strength, ease to maneuver the times and seasons I am walking in.”

He unashamedly gave all credit and glory to God.

Enables Me

There are many opportunities before me that I feel competent, equipped and able to accomplish. Others feel overwhelming!

“…he enables me to tread on the heights.”
Habakkuk 3:19

Let’s back up a bit to get a clearer picture of the ground Habakkuk was treading on. Among the long list, we find violence, injustice, destruction, strife, and conflict.

“Therefore the law is paralyzed,
and justice never prevails.
The wicked hem in the righteous,
so that justice is perverted.”
Habakkuk 1:4

The situation surrounding Habakkuk caused him to cry out for God’s intervention, raising the trumpet sound of warning to the nation. The conditions within Israel appeared hopelessly impossible.

But God! The presence of Yahweh, the “I AM”, enabled Habakkuk to rise, “up, over and against” any opposition, any “height”, or high thing, that might stand in his way.

Tread on the Heights

Read in the Amplified Version again,

“He…will make me walk
(not to stand in terror, but to walk)
and make (spiritual) progress,
upon my high places
(of trouble, suffering or responsibility).”
Habakkuk 3:19

Honestly, some days just getting out of bed and choosing joy, feels like a great accomplishment. Leaping like deer and mountain climbing are unfathomable. But when the Sovereign LORD is present, nothing — absolutely nothing — can stop or impede our progress.

Habakkuk says,
“When conflict and strife raise their ugly head,
when destruction seems inevitable,
or violence and injustice overwhelm,
the Sovereign LORD
‘makes me walk’!”

The mountains of trouble, suffering and overwhelming responsibility become the training ground for “height” walkers. This is perfect ground for spiritual progress.

As I look back over my life, I see that it was in the darkest moments, the most difficult circumstances, that God was the closest and doing His greatest work in my life.

Sovereign LORD

Yahweh, the “I AM”, remains true to His character and faithful to His Word. What He has done for others, He is present to do for each of us.

Joshua declared at the end of his life, “The Sovereign LORD, Yahweh, kept every one of the promises He made.” (Josh 21:45) I could certainly echo both these and David’s words,

“The LORD directs the steps of the godly.
He delights in every detail of their lives.
Though they stumble,
they will never fall,
for the LORD holds them by the hand.
Once I was young, and now I am old.
Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned
or their children begging for bread.”
Psalm 37:23-25

In a single sentence Habakkuk articulates the strength and agility God provides for us to be able to move from under-dog to overcomer. No matter what we are facing, God is enough. The “I AM” is present in every situation equipping us with power to prevail.

“The Sovereign LORD is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to tread on the heights.”
Habakkuk 3:19

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