That men may know that Thou, whose name alone is

Jehovah,

Art the Most High over all the earth.»

Psalm 83.

PK.201.001

As the people joined with their king in humbling themselves before God, and asking Him for help, the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel, «a Levite of the sons of Asaph,» and he said:

PK.201.002

«Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou King Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel. Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you.»

PK.201.003

«Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the Lord, worshiping the Lord. And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with a loud voice on high.»

PK.201.004

Early in the morning they rose and went into the wilderness of Tekoa. As they advanced to the battle, Jehoshaphat said, «Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established: believe His prophets, so shall ye prosper.» «And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness.» 2 Chronicles 20:14-21. These singers went before the army, lifting their voices in praise to God for the promise of victory. 202

PK.202.001

It was a singular way of going to battle against the enemy’s army—praising the Lord with singing, and exalting the God of Israel. This was their battle song. They possessed the beauty of holiness. If more praising of God were engaged in now, hope and courage and faith would steadily increase. And would not this strengthen the hands of the valiant soldiers who today are standing in defense of truth?

PK.202.002

«The Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten. For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, everyone helped to destroy another.

PK.202.003

«And when Judah came toward the watchtower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped.» Verses 22-24.

PK.202.004

God was the strength of Judah in this crisis, and He is the strength of His people today. We are not to trust in princes, or to set men in the place of God. We are to remember that human beings are fallible and erring, and that He who has all power is our strong tower of defense. In every emergency we are to feel that the battle is His. His resources are limitless, and apparent impossibilities will make the victory all the greater.

«Save us, O God of our salvation,

And gather us together,

And deliver us from the heathen,

That we may give thanks to Thy holy name,

And glory in Thy praise.»

1 Chronicles 16-35.

PK.203.001

Laden with spoil, the armies of Judah returned «with joy; for the Lord had made them to rejoice over their enemies. And they came to Jerusalem with psalteries and harps and trumpets unto the house of the Lord.» 2 Chronicles 20:27, 28. Great was their cause for rejoicing. In obedience to the command, «Stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord: . . . fear not, nor be dismayed,» they had put their trust wholly in God, and He had proved to be their fortress and their deliverer. Verse 17. Now they could sing with understanding the inspired hymns of David:

«God is our refuge and strength,

A very present help in trouble. . . .

He breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder;

He burneth the chariot in the fire.

Be still, and know that I am God: