O Yahweh Tsebaoth,
Lord of Hosts
Commander of angel armies,
Captain of Heaven’s might
I call on You because I am overwhelmed.
The battle is too big for me.
The enemy is too loud.
The weight of it all is too much.
But not for You.
“Who is this King of glory?
The Lord, strong and mighty,
the Lord, mighty in battle…
The Lord of hosts,
He is the King of glory!” (Psalm 24:8, 10)
You, Lord, are not shaken.
You are not caught off guard.
You are not pacing the throne room in panic.
You are seated, ruling, reigning
and all creation answers to Your voice.
I don’t always feel that, God.
There are days when it looks like the darkness is winning.
When hope feels like a foolish whisper.
When I feel more like a soldier abandoned on the battlefield
than a child of the King.
But still You are Yahweh Tsebaoth.
You are the Lord who fights for the widow.
The Lord who defends the fatherless.
The Lord who stands in the fire with the faithful.
The Lord of angel armies who sees me.
“The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.” (Psalm 46:7)
You are with me.
Not just above me, not just watching
but beside me, within me, surrounding me.
O God of angel armies,
I am tired of trying to win battles on my own strength.
I lay down my sword.
I surrender my strategies.
I need You to fight for me.
“Do not be afraid… for the battle is not yours but God’s.” (2 Chronicles 20:15)
So come, Lord of Hosts.
Come into my anxiety.
Come into my grief.
Come into the places where I have tried and failed and tried again.
Come with power.
Come with peace.
Come with presence.
You are the Lord of Hosts
but You are also the Shepherd who gathers the lamb.
The Father who calls the prodigal.
The Savior who bore my battle wounds on the cross.
“The Lord of hosts has sworn:
‘As I have planned, so shall it be,
and as I have purposed, so shall it stand.’” (Isaiah 14:24)
So I trust Your purpose, even in the dark.
I trust Your victory, even when I can’t see it yet.
I trust Your name Yahweh Tsebaoth because You have never lost a battle.
And You will not start with mine.
Be my defender.
Be my shield.
Be my glory and the lifter of my head (Psalm 3:3).
And until the day I see You clothed in fire and riding in triumph
let me sing in the struggle
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of His glory!” (Isaiah 6:3)
In the mighty name of Jesus
my Captain, my King, my Coming Victor
Amen.