This week’s series of blog posts have been created from Mark’s notes rather than a transcript of the sermon. This hopefully will give you additional insight into the passage. You can download Mark’s sermon notes below.
Tuesday, December 17’s devotional. “His right hand and holy arm have won Him victory” (Psalm 98:1, CSB). Psalm 98:1 offers a powerful image of God’s strength and majesty in salvation. The phrase “right hand and holy arm” paints a picture of divine power in action. As Mark Penrith explains, “God’s right hand and holy arm are anthropomorphic metaphors. The right hand is the hand of power for a warrior.” In other words, God isn’t passively watching from afar; He actively fights for His people and secures their deliverance.
This isn’t the first time Scripture uses such imagery. Think back to Exodus 15:6, where Moses sings, “Lord, your right hand is glorious in power; Lord, your right hand shattered the enemy.” Whether at the Red Sea or in the battles of daily life, God reveals His strength by defeating His enemies and delivering His people. Mark describes this vividly: “The picture here is God as a warrior who defeats His enemies and secures salvation for His people.”
In Psalm 98, this victory is no private affair. God’s mighty deliverance is displayed for the world to see. The verse says, “He has made His victory known; He has revealed His righteousness in the sight of the nations” (Psalm 98:2, CSB). The victory God won for Israel foreshadowed the ultimate victory in Jesus Christ. At the cross, Christ’s holy arm crushed sin and death. As Mark points out, “Jesus is the LORD, Jesus is the Saviour, mighty to save.” His strength, shown in weakness on the cross, secures our salvation forever.
At Benoni Baptist Church, we believe in “the direct lordship of Christ over every believer.” This means we can trust Him to fight for us in every battle, just as He fought for Israel. The Church covenant reminds us that “under the headship of Christ, we desire to be joined together with other like-minded believers.” Together, we stand under the strength of His holy arm.
When have you experienced God’s power in your life? Perhaps He delivered you from a difficult situation or gave you strength when you felt weak. As Mark teaches, “God, at times, pierces through time, and space, and matter, to do whatever He wants, to achieve His own good pleasure.” His power is never limited, and His arm is never too short to save.
Take a moment today to write down a testimony of how God has shown His strength in your life. Share it with someone to encourage them.
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for being my mighty Saviour. Help me trust in Your power and share my testimony of Your deliverance. Amen.
This devotional content is not penned by the preacher. It is derived from the sermon notes. We aim to provide bite-sized reflections throughout the week for devotion and reflection.