When Queen Victoria celebrated 60 years on the British throne in 1897, the nation threw a grand party. Everyone turned out to celebrate. Parliament commissioned Rudyard Kipling, the greatest poet of the day, to write the national song. They expected a song extolling the splendor of the British Empire. Instead, Kipling’s verse was called Recessional, and each verse ended with this haunting refrain: “Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet/Lest we forget—Lest we forget!”
We are so prone to forget all the great and wonderful things the Lord does for us. I fear that our nation has forgotten who God is and what He has done for us. Rather than trust in God we are trusting in science, government, politicians, and our own intellect. There are three thoughts from this passage that stand out to me.
The first one is when we remember the name of the Lord, we can see the contrast to what others believe in. David makes it plain what some people trust in—chariots and horses—the military machinery of his day. In contrast, David said he would remember the name of the “Lord our God.” When David remembered the name of the Lord God no doubt he remembered what the Lord did to the horses and chariots of Egypt—destroyed them in the Red Sea. When Pharaoh’s army came against the children of Israel it looked like the end of the line for Israel. Instead it was the end of the line for Pharaoh.
At the time that Pharaoh marched against Israel, Egypt was the mightiest military in the entire world—but his horses and chariots were no match for God.
Folks, we need to remember when our country was struggling for freedom, England was the mightiest military force in the world—but God preserved us and carried us through. We need to remember that.
The second one is that when we remember the name of the Lord our God, we remember who He is. God is sovereign. God is the creator. God is our provider and sustainer. We need to remember that during these trying times in which we live. Science cannot save us, but God sure can. When we forget who God is we forget the only one who can give us the help we need. God is compassionate, God is merciful, God wants to bless us but He cannot if we forget who He is and what He has done for us.
The third thought is that when we remember the name of the Lord our God we remember what He does—He delivers. Notice verse 8 of this chapter: “They have bowed down and fallen; but we have risen and stand upright.”
The ones who trust in horses and chariots fall, but the ones who trust in God are delivered. You can mark it down, God always honors faith, always.
Faith in military might can be misplaced and fail the ones trusting in it—but trust in God never fails. Faith in God will always carry us through—never forget that.