Ps 118:14 has a nice outline built right into the text. The Lord is my strength, my song, and my salvation. This is a very encouraging text for us today. Notice what the Lord is to us.
The Lord is my strength – We need to keep the Lord close at all times so that we can rely upon his strength. The first verse of the song, Just A Closer Walk With Thee, is “I am weak but thou art strong, Jesus keep me from all wrong, I’ll be satisfied as long, As I walk, let me walk close to thee.”
Paul needed the Lord’s strength to be content in whatsoever state he was in, Phil 4:11. The Lord strengthened him when he was abased, when he was hungry, and when he suffered need. He said in Phil 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Likewise, the Lord will strengthen us.
David needed the Lord’s strength in his old age, Ps 71:9. In Ps 71:16 he said, “I will go in the strength of the Lord God.” Paul taught us to rely upon the Lord’s strength in our spiritual attacks and temptations. He said in Eph 6:10, “Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.”
During this coronavirus, I have noticed how much those who have been sick have had to rely upon the Lord’s strength and presence in their lives. A couple in our church with whom I visited this afternoon related how the Lord directed them to rest last night and they had the best night sleep that they’ve had in three weeks. The Lord strengthened them with an excellent night’s sleep. And he gave them his counsel to direct their way.
The Lord is my song – Prov 17:22, “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.” One of the best ways to have a merry heart is to sing a hymn. There are so many great songs in the hymnbook. I have seen, over and over again, how singing the hymns has made our hearts merry. And a merry heart is beneficial . It works like a medicine. Singing is good for your heart and your health. I was praying here this morning. God reminded me of a hymn, which, when I began to sing, immediately lifted my spirit and settled my mind and my heart.
The Lord is my salvation – Of course, if you are not saved, the Lord is the only one who can save you, Jn 14:6. But he is your salvation, after you have eternal life, in circumstances where you need to be saved. In 1 Tim 1:15, a woman is saved in child bearing when she and her husband continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety. In Phil 1:19, Paul believed that the prayers of the Philippians and the supply of the Spirit would turn to his salvation in his bonds. In 2 Cor 11:6, the ministry of consolation is for the salvation of others who are going through what you’ve been through. In every case, the Lord is your salvation. Look to the Lord to get you through and out of every situation in life.
Conclusion: the Lord alone truly is our strength, he is our song, and he is our salvation. Look to the Lord for these three things.