Overcoming Defeat With Victory

The title of this Psalm evidently refers to David’s military campaign as recorded in 2Samuel 8 and 1Chronicles 18. Aram is another name for Syria, so Aramzobah would be a reference to Zobah in Syria (see 2Samuel 8:5). The Psalm indicates a crisis in the campaign that is not described in the other passages. God had scattered them (v.1) and full victory was not achieved until the return of Joab who must have been busy with other pursuits.

Things did not look good for David’s part of this divided army. While Joab was gone, God was showing His people “hard things” (v.3). But David marched behind the banner of the Lord (v.4) and trusted in His deliverance (v.4). God, speaking in His holiness (v.6), claimed the surrounding lands as His own to be parceled out as He saw fit (v.8). David sought the Lord’s help realizing that the help of man was vain (v.11) He finished triumphant and declared, “Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies” (v.12).

Sometimes, we find ourselves scattered and astonished. We have been fighting with all our might, but God has shown us “hard things.” We must remember that we march behind the banner of the Lord and we must display that banner “because of the truth” (v.4). We must continue to trust in His deliverance and know that He is still in charge. Refuse to trust in the help of man but look only to the God of heaven and earth.  He is the only one who will surely give victory. He will help in the time of our greatest trouble. Through God we shall do valiantly.