“I love You, O LORD, my strength.” Psalm 18:1.
“The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; This is my God, and I will praise Him; my father’s God, and I will extol Him.” Exodus 15:2.
You pushed me violently so that I was falling, but the LORD helped me. The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation. The sound of joyful shouting and salvation is in the tents of the righteous; the right hand of the LORD does valiantly. Psalm 118:13-15.
“Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; For the Lord God is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation. Therefore you will joyously draw water from the springs of salvation.” Isaiah 12:2-3.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God (אלהים) says:
I AM your strength. You are strong in Me and the power of My might. I AM your strength and your song. You can do all things in Me, for I strengthen you to be a mighty hero.
Today we continue our instructions on knowing Me by knowing My Name with Life Lesson No. 21: “The LORD my strength and my song.”
The first one to actually name Me as his strength was Moses and he did it in a song of victory. I had just redeemed My people from the slavery of Egypt, brought them out healthy and wealthy, and parted the Red Sea for them to pass through without harm and drown the enemies pursuing them to take them back to slavery. Then Moses and the sons of Israel sang this song to Me, and said, “I will sing to the LORD, for He is highly exalted; the horse and its rider He has hurled into the sea. The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; This is my God, and I will praise Him; my father’s God, and I will extol Him.” Exodus 15:2. When you make Me your strength and song, I become your salvation (Yeshuah) in every situation. And Salvation took flesh and dwelt among you and you have known His glory—Yeshuah. Yes, Jesus, Yeshuah is His Name in Hebrew and it tells you who He is and why I sent Him, Salvation in every area of your life.
The word Moses used for strength is the Hebrew word oz (עֹז), which means strength and might, and for the word “song,” he used the Hebrew word zimrat (זִמְרָת֙), which is a song with musical instruments, often a song of Shabbat. There are other words in Hebrew that are translated as strength but have different variations of what kind of strength they are describing (strength of an army, strength of a hero, strength in the sense of power) and the same is true for song, so you need to pay attention to which word I am using for strength and for song as they differ in Hebrew.
The next person to give Me the Name “My strength” was David and he sang, “I love you, O LORD, my strength.” Psalm 18:1. And that was the first time any person told Me they loved Me. He loved that he drew his strength out of Me. That I strengthened him and trained him for battle. With My help he could leap over a wall and take down an entire army.
I light your lamp; I illumine your darkness. By Me, you can run upon a troop; and with Me you can leap over a wall! My way is perfect, My Word is tried and true, I AM a shield to all who take refuge in Me. There is no god besides Me, no other rock you can build your life on. I AM the One who girds you with STRENGTH and makes your way pure and blameless. I make your feet like hinds’ feet and set you on the High Places. I train your hands for battle, including the hand of your tongue, Proverbs 18:21, so that your arms can bend a bow of bronze. I give you the shield of faith, the shield of My Salvation, My right hand upholds you and I stoop to make you great, to lift you up to Me. I enlarge your steps under you so that your feet do not slip! Psalm 18:28-36. And I enlarge your heart so you can hear and receive. I strengthen you for victory! Why not step up and run with Me?
The word David used when he sang, “I love you, O LORD, my strength!” for strength is the Hebrew word “chezeq (חֵזֶק), which means strength. It is a noun and in Hebrew the matching verb to a noun just changes the vowels to an “ah” sound but has the same letters. The verb for chezeq (חֵזֶק) is chazaq (חָזַק) which means to be or grow firm or strong, strengthen. Rooted and grounded in Christ you are drawing up His strength into you, like a branch on a vine.
I give strength (koach, (כֹּחַ) which means power and ability) to the weary, and to the one who lacks vigor and wealth I increase might. Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who wait for Me with steadfast hope will gain new strength (koach); they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary (faint). Isaiah 40:29-31. Why? You can do ALL THINGS in Him who strengthens you!
So what do you do when you feel weak, tired, worn, and unable to go forward? Well, what do you do when you are physically weak? You eat. Remember when Elijah was so discouraged and fearful he just asked Me to let him die right there? I sent an angel to feed him bread and made him walk to meet Me at Mt. Horeb (Sinai) where I fed him with My encouraging words and direction for his life.
In Hebrew the word for food is lechem, which means bread, and the verb for the noun lechem is lacham, which means “to fight.” So you have to feed well to fight well. And what must you eat to revive your drooping spirit that is about to go out like a sputtering lamp (for your spirit is My lamp which I light with the anointing to search into your inner parts for healing, strength, and peace—resurrection power in you by My Spirit who quickens your mortal bodies)? To fight the good fight of faith you must “eat” My Words, and the weaker you are the more you must eat. And eat the Words that feed the area in which you are weak, whether it be for healing, finances, emotional stability, protection, deliverance, and I could go on. Know My Name in all its applications. You have to start fighting the good fight of faith. Let the weak say “I am strong.” Joel 3:10. The word I use there is “gibbor” (גִּבּ֥וֹר), which means strong in the sense of mighty, that is, a hero, a mighty champion. That is the Name I call Jesus in the great prophecy I gave Isaiah of a child born to you and a Son given you upon whose shoulder dominion rests. For His Name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, God Hero (El Gibbor), Father forever, Prince of Peace. And as He is so are you in this world when you are in Him and part of His body on earth. All of you who believe are My mighty children, made for deeds of excellence, works of power and might, good deeds that I prepared for you in advance that you might WALK in them. You have to press forward towards your high calling in Christ and not be sluggish but through faith and patience inherit the promises.
And when My people Israel were all feeling weak and defeated by Midian, I came down to strengthen them. I came to a man named Gideon as he hid in fear from the enemy. And how did I greet him? I gave him a new vision of himself by My Word, I called his name as “Gibbor Ha Chayil (גִּבּ֥וֹר הֶחָֽיִל), which means a mighty hero with the strength of an army in him alone. A mighty man of valor, a mighty warrior. The Hebrew word “Chayil (חַיִל)” means strength, efficiency, wealth, army. He did not call himself that way, but after spending time with Me and being fed by My Word and vision, he became just that.
To become strong you need to speak strong words, not weak words. But above all you need to learn that strength goes with song. Moses knew that. David knew that. Isaiah knew that. And they are all strong prophets of Mine who did mighty deeds of valor. And in those three confirming Scriptures I give you three witnesses of My Word. I repeated exactly the same three times: “The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation.” Exodus 15:2; Isaiah 12:2; Psalm 118:14. But I want you to read the next line in each of them to see how this is done.
After Moses sang those words he went on to sing: “This is my God, and I will praise Him; my father’s God, and I will extol Him.” Exodus 15:2. You sing praise for the strength, for the victory. David added, “The sound of joyful shouting and salvation is in the tents of the righteous; the right hand of the LORD does valiantly.” Psalm 118:13-15. Joyful shouting and praise of salvation in your tent (you are My sanctuary and a temple of the Holy Spirit).
And Isaiah? I saved the best to crown the others, “Therefore you will joyously draw water from the springs of salvation. And on that day you will say, “Give thanks to the LORD, call on His name. Make known His deeds among the peoples; make them remember that His name is exalted. Praise the LORD in song, for He has done glorious things; let this be known throughout the earth. Rejoice and shout for joy, you inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.” Isaiah 12:4-6. And this sums it all up of what will bring you strength, My strength, to soar with eagles’ wings, to run and not grow weary, to walk and not grow faint. Isaiah 40:29-31.
You draw out your strength from the wells of Jesus (Yeshuah) with joy and on the day of your weakness you say: “Give thanks to the LORD,” and you call on MY NAME. Which Name? The one you need to give you the desired strength in the area you are weak. You know many of My Names now, for this is life lesson number 21!You give Me thanks for being the LORD your healer, the LORD your righteousness, the LORD your provider, the LORD your shalom, the LORD your helper, the LORD your deliverer, the LORD your strength! Then you make known My deeds and remember that My Name is the Most High and no one and nothing can go above My promises to you.
And then “praise the LORD in SONG,” receiving (withdrawing) with your thanksgiving praise the glorious good things I have put in your heavenly account in Jesus by blessing you with every spiritual blessing in Heaven. The Voice of thanksgiving brings wonders!
And how do you end your feeding with My Word? REJOICE AND SHOUT FOR JOY you inhabitant of Zion (the mountain of grace which now has assemblies and convocations wherever the faithful gather in praise (Isaiah 4:5-6) for GREAT IN YOUR MIDST IS THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL. I am enthroned on your praises; I dwell there with you. Why? You have opened to My strength and are joining with Me in what I am doing over YOU. Have you never read My prophet Zephaniah? “Do not be afraid, Zion; do not let your hands fall weak and limp. The LORD your God is in your midst, a victorious warrior (yes, you guessed it, a Gibbor (גִּבּ֣וֹר)). HE WILL REJOICE OVER YOU WITH JOY (simchah: joy, gladness, mirth), He will comfort you in His love, He will rejoice over you WITH SHOUTS OF JOY and joyful singing.” Zephaniah 3:16-17. You are just joining in with Me in what I am doing over you!
And have you never read the remedy I give you when a spirit of weakness (spirit of infirmity) comes upon you? I give you the mantle of PRAISE instead of a spirit of fainting (dim, dull, depressed). Isaiah 61:3. And I give you the anointing of the oil of joy instead of mourning. Isaiah 61:3. My JOY is your strength. And I have shared it with you, so your joy may be full. How? By the Words I have spoken to you. John 15:11. Eat them up and you will have joy and it will be your strength. Sing them and make melody in your heart and you will be filled with My Spirit, which is better than getting drunk with wine.
I have strengthened you with My strong right hand by taking hold of your hand. I stretch out My hands to you all the day and the power is in My hands. My glory covers the heavens, and My praise fills the earth. My radiance is like the sunlight; rays flashing from My hand, where My power is hidden. Habakkuk 3:3-4.
I love you. I AM your strength and song. Sing with Me and be strong. And every day I have a new song for you to sing. Sing a new song with Me.