"Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants, You have ordained strength, because of Your enemies, That You may silence the enemy and the avenger." Ps 8:2 NKJV
When I read this, I wonder, "What do babies have to do with God's enemies? The verse has language of war. How do innocent children who can barely walk and talk silence the evil forces of darkness with their words?"
Here is how....
There are five things we can learn from this verse of David's song.
1. "Out of the mouth" - A spiritual principle in God's kingdom is that the word of God or the praise of God are spoken or sung they have spiritual power. Simply thinking or posting do not have spiritual power. Jesus spoke creation into existence (Ps 148:5). God puts a new song in your mouth and people fear. (Ps 40:3). Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God spoken. (Rom 10:17)
2. "Of babes" - The foundation of God's power rests in the mouth of three-year-old infants who are still nursing. These new arrivals, the weakest of humans, who can barely articulate discernible words are the armed forces God uses against the forces of hell.
3. "God has ordained strength" - praise. These little humans are God's ordinances (firepower) and that power is activated when they sing. It is "Through the praise of children and infants You have established a stronghold against your enemies," (NIV translation). In a child’s simple and innocent wonder lies the purest worship.
4. "Because of your enemies" - The purpose of these children vocalizing is spiritual warfare. War is focused against those who want to bind and restrict God's purposes. The enemy has no capacity to resist these babes. God's firepower is commissioned as these simple infants are in alignment with God's Almighty throne. It isn't a matter of accomplishment, experience, or strength.
5. "You silence the enemy and the avenger" - The reason God displays His strength through unlikely vessels is because it works to silence God's enemies. God shuts the wicked mouths of hateful adversaries who accuse, lie, and demean. The mouths of praise shuts the mouths of lies. Note, the enemy is silenced by God Himself.
Sometimes we think of the army of God as a million well trained soldiers marching as a mighty army. God has ordained out of the mouths of untrained toddlers, He will fight. Can you imagine a vast crowd of toddlers on the highway, twenty across for hundreds of miles, wearing nothing but a bulky diaper, wobbling along singing, "we praise you Jesus!" Actually, It is a beautiful picture of your local church family standing and singing to the Lord.
You see, God chooses the weak things of the world to shame and silence those who appear strong. (1 Cor 1:27). Strength comes from the innocent and weak. It is not by might or power but by God's ability. In our weakness He is made strong.
Pastor Jack Hayford tells the story of when he was injured on the basketball court as a first-year seminary student.
"I had to walk dragging my leg from class to class. I was in pain all the time. I couldn't work in the afternoons. On the second day I went to the basement of the dormitory and there was this old, battered piano, almost worthless. It was severely out of tune. I only could play with three figures at the time. I found this song I had heard at school called Victory in Jesus. I sat down and sang it. I never forgot when I sat there tears coming to my eyes as I sang the second verse. 'I heard about His healing, of His cleansing power revealing, how He made the lame to walk again and caused the blind to see. Then I cried, 'Dear Jesus come and heal my broken spirit. Somehow Jesus came and brought me the victory.'"
"I sat down there in that basement day after day and sang. I didn't know what was coming. But after two weeks one night about 9:30 a student came running over from Angeles Temple and said, "Jack, something is happening at the temple." I got out of bed and dragged my leg to the meeting, walked up on the platform and slipped into the healing line. They were down to the last person when they got to me. They prayed and I was instantly healed. I felt I needed to keep the leg moving so I walked off the platform and out the door. It is funny, now that I think about it, I walked in got healed and walked out. I was never really in the meeting. But somehow Jesus brought to me my healing."
Pastor Jack in his weakness and pain barely able to play the out of tune piano sang praise to God and his healing came.
In our weakest moment we too should sing. As bulky-diaper-toddlers we reach up our little hands and hearts to Jesus and sing praise. After all, we are all weak toddlers who have no ability on our own to do anything substantial in God's kingdom. Today you might need victory in Jesus. I encourage you to sing praise to Jesus out of your weakness and inability to change your circumstance. Let God ordain strength to your situation.
hi