Ruth Meyer says, “In praise we admire God for who He is and what He does.” (Thirty-one Days of Praise, p. 23). Jesus told his disciples, “Have faith in God.” (Mark 11:22). Neil Anderson wrote: “Your faith is only as great as your knowledge of the object of your faith…The path of truth begins with the truth of God’s Word”. (The Bondage Breaker, p. 192).
In order to learn about God, have faith in Him and be able to praise Him, we need to discover what His Word says about Him, then find an effective way to recall the truths and apply them when we are in the midst of life. I have found Christian music a very powerful tool to achieve that goal.
Your Love Defends Me by Matt Maher is one contemporary song that contains many references to qualities of God that can become spiritual weapons to deal with life in a fallen world.
You are my joy, You are my song
You are the well, the One I’m drawing from
You are my refuge, my whole life long
Where else would I go?
Surely my God is the strength of my soul
Your love defends me…
Day after day, night after night
I will remember, You’re with me in this fight
Although the battle, it rages on
… the war is already won
We sing Hallelujah
You’re my portion
My salvation…
Those attributes are echoed in Scripture:
Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy… Psalm 43:4
The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God… Exodus 15: 2
But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. John 4:14
The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms… Deuteronomy 33:27
…the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1b
He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.
Psalm 62: 2
…he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Hebrews 13:5
Ye shall not fear them: for the Lord your God shall fight for you. Deuteronomy 3:22
O sing unto the Lord a new song; for he hath done marvelous things; his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory. Psalm 98:1
…I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God… Revelation 19:1
…O Lord…Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living. Psalm 142:5
The Lord is my light and my salvation; who shall I fear?… Psalm 27:1a
As you listen to Christian music, try to identify descriptions of God. Then search His Word to learn more about those attributes.
For further study about the qualities I heard in Your Love Defends Me, examine these Scriptures:
Exodus 14:4, Exodus 15: 2; Joshua 23:10; II Samuel 22: 2,3, 33; II Chronicles 20:15; Nehemiah 4:20, 8:10; Psalm 16: 5,11, Psalm18:1, Psalm19:14, Psalm 46:1, Psalm 59:16,17, Psalm 62: 1,8, Psalm 73:26, Psalm 81:1, Psalm 91:2, Psalm 94:22, Psalm 119:57; Isaiah 12:2,25:4, 26:4; Jeremiah 2:13, Jeremiah 16:19, Jeremiah 33:9; Lamentations 3:24; Habakkuk 3:19; Zephaniah 3:17; John 15:11, John 16: 22, 24, John 17:13; Romans 5:11, Romans 14:17, Romans 15:13; I Corinthians 15:55-57
- Linda G
The Grace Link 