Thou Art God…Anyone else hear these words spoken aloud with a deep and powerful voice? These words have a command presence, one of authority and might. And the little seven-year-old girl memorizing Psalm 90:2 in her second-grade class could never have imagined how often she would rely on these words over the years, feeling awe as the King James Version rolls off the tongue. “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, Thou Art God.” This prayer from Moses exuded God’s power then and it still does today, that He is always in control, He is aware of what is happening, and He will work all things together for good for those who love Him (Rom. 8:28).

As an adult, rather than navigating the thee’s and thou’s of the KJV, I prefer to read and memorize Scripture from the New Living Translation, but regardless of whether you are reading the original Hebrew or a modern version, the message doesn’t change—Thou Art God “acknowledge[s] God’s unlimited power, control, and authority over all creation…God can be trusted with every unknown and newly discovered thing in our lives too,” shares Xochitl Dixon. No matter how scary the news, no matter how shaky the circumstances, no matter how nervous we are about our next steps, we can be reassured with these words—Thou Art God.

In addition to the Our Daily Bread devotional this week from Psalm 90:2, I listened to a message from Megan Marshman who reminds us that God is sovereign, meaning that He is the One in control, He is divinely orchestrating all things for His purposes, and that He can help us walk through this next year with more peace and confidence. We do not have to figure everything out, but instead, we can engage in a deeper faith and trust that there is a God who really does have everything all figured out, and He is guiding us to the plans and purposes He has already prepared for us in advance.

Marshman shares the story of a friend going after his dream job. When she inquires about his feelings regarding the final interview, he responds with, “Oh, I’m fine because God is sovereign, even I can’t screw it up.” Thou Art God! Even if the friend screws up the interview, God is sovereign. If he crushes it, God is sovereign. If he doesn’t get the job, God is sovereign. When we trust that He is sovereign—Thou Art God—we surrender and place our trust in Him, even when it doesn’t make sense to us. He has us in His story, and as Marshman offers, “Somehow, He’s using all of your choices, and all the choices of the people around you, from your past, your present, and your future. His sovereignty compels us to relax, we can’t screw this up!”

Thou Art God—His sovereignty, according to David Kaywood, “It humbles you in good seasons, provides hope in hard seasons, and gives joy in all seasons…[it] is a constant nourishment for the soul…The sovereignty of God is a sweet pillow that you can lay your head on at night. It is a beautiful truth not only that God is in control over all, but is also working everything out—the good and the bad—for your good, and his glory. This sweet doctrine is medicine for the soul that you can take in any season of life.”

Perhaps you are experiencing a Tough Season where things are unclear and you aren’t really sure how to move forward, it is my hope that you will take to heart that Thou Art God. We have a Creator who knit us together, who knows every hair on our heads, and He is in control, even when it may not feel like it. Trust in that assurance. Rest in Holy Confidence that He is working things out for good—maybe not in the near future, or even on this side of heaven, but He is sovereign, and He is in control.

References:

Dixon, X. (2024, February 18). In God’s loving hands. Our Daily Bread. Retrieved from https://odb.org/2024/02/18/better-together-2 

Kaywood, D. (n.d.). Charles Spurgeon on the sweet sovereignty of God. Gospel Relevance. Retrieved from https://www.gospelrelevance.com/2015/06/22/charles-spurgeon-on-the-sovereignty-of-god/

Marshman, M. (2024, January 14). Discovering God’s dream for your life. Divine dreams series. Willow Creek Community Church. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IDQ5EjntOc