After the Victory

Read Psalm 60:1-12

"Through God we will do valiantly, for it is He who shall tread down our enemies" (v. 12). Psalm 60 is unusual because David didn't write it in the midst of trouble. So many of his psalms were written from a cave or a battlefield. But this psalm was written after a great victory. The army had achieved a tremendous victory in Edom for the people of God.

What do we learn from this psalm? First, we must be cautious after a victory. "O God, You have cast us off; You have broken us down; You have been displeased; oh, restore us again!" (v. 1). David was crying out to God and saying, "O God, we have just won a great victory. But there are battles yet to fight." Some of God's great people had their biggest defeats after their victories. Elijah won a great victory on Mount Carmel, and then he became discouraged and suffered a great defeat. We must be careful to win the victory after we have won the battle.

Second, we are always carrying God's banner. Even after the victory has ended, we are still His ambassadors. "You have given a banner to those who fear You, that it may be displayed because of the truth" (v. 4). We carry a banner of truth because we are standing for the Word of God. After we've won the victory, let's not put down the banner. Let's continue to carry it to the glory of God.

Third, we must give God the glory. David gave Him all of the glory for what He had done. It's so easy to claim the victory for yourself. It's so easy after the victory to say, "This is what I have done." Pride moves in, and that can lead to defeat.

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One of your most vulnerable times comes after God has given you a victory, for you may let down your guard. And the Devil stands poised to attack again. How do you seal the victory? Always carry the banner of God and be sure to give Him the glory. The next time God gives you a victory, stay grounded in the truth of His Word and avoid entertaining any prideful thoughts. God deserves all the glory.

Copyright 1992, used with permission, all rights reserved.

Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group (bakerpublishinggroup.com). Used by permission. All rights to this material are reserved. Material is not to be reproduced, scanned, copied, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission from Baker Publishing Group.