Left Speechless!
Psalms 8 (NIV)
1 O LORD , our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.
2 From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.
Quite often we get so caught up in our own battles with the enemy of our destiny that we forget he is God’s enemy as well. Realizing this, I began to wonder, “What does God want to do to His enemies?” It’s a question that we all should meditate on for a while.
Well, this week’s text gives us some insight by telling us that from the lips of children and infants the Lord has ordained (fixed, founded, and established) praise. I had to share with you the NIV version to show that the children and infants mentioned in this text are not spiritual children, but physical ones.
Now, into the heart of these little ones, God put praise. I’m not talking about a dead, dry, denominational praise. I’m talking about a praise that no devil can stop. Just last week at my church, I was witness to such a praise. We had a little four-year old get up before our congregation during testimonies and tell how she loved Jesus and how she tithed! Four years old! Good God Almighty! God put something in that little girl that no devil could deter and no demon can destroy! But that still does not answer the question why? Why did God put that praise inside of her? “To silence the foe and the avenger” (Psalm 8:2).
You see, it’s not enough for God to tell the devil to “shut up!” He has all authority and can do that at anytime. But isn’t it much better when God simply shows the devil a reason to shut up? If any of you watch “Law and Order” or (for my old school people) “Perry Mason,” then you know what I’m talking about. What is the best part of the show? When the liar has been exposed and when the truth has been revealed. At that point, there is no other lie the criminal can say. There is no other untruth that can cover up the fact. All the criminal can do is simply “shut-up” and, perhaps, plea bargain. Are you feeling me now?
You see, if God has put praise in the hearts of babes, then surely there is a praise in your heart. And once that praise comes out of your mouth, God can tell the devil,
“I told you she loved me. All the temptations you threw at her, I told you she would still love me. The heartache you took him through, I told you he would still love me. When it didn’t look like it was going to work, she praised me anyhow. When he didn’t feel like the sun would ever shine again, he praised me anyway. Devil, when are you going to understand that I am God and there is none like Me? My people know that I will not leave them or forsake them, that I will not allow them to be separated from the good things I have for them. They know that storms come, and they also know that storms go. They know that seasons come and that due season shall come as well. They know that the harvest shall come, increase shall come, and peace shall come. They know that I am God and there is none like me. And because I am God, even the babes know that I am that I am. I am bread when they need bread, I am water when they need water, and out of their mouths come praises to Me. You can never beat me nor defeat me, and that is why no matter what, they praise me, no matter what, they honor me, no matter what, they adore me—–because I am the God that always prevails and never fails.”
And the devil’s response? Silence.
What we want to leave you with is this… As we lift up praise to God in every situation, the accuser of the brethren, is left speechless. There is nothing that he can say against us, and God will keep him mindful of that. There is nothing that he can accuse us of except loving and praising God, which is what we were created to do. God has given the “babes” the power to render the devil speechless and powerless through their praise. And if He has given this power to those who can’t read this message, then surely He has given that same power to you.