When facing struggles, we often focus on the expected or anticipated outcome. We forget about the process of facing these struggles which is actually much more valuable than the outcome that awaits. It is in the process that we live out God's love and provision. As Psalm 21 illustrates through its depiction of warfare.

Psalm 21 is a song of thanksgiving for victory that is believed to be a gift from God. The psalmist does not center his praise on the military prowess or strategy of the king, but on the strength and salvation that comes from God. The joy that emerges is not momentary euphoria, but a deep realization that God answers prayers, fulfills longings, and sustains the lives of His people. The gratitude experienced by the psalmist is rooted in existential awareness, not just momentary emotions.

If we look closely, Psalm 21 is not just about victory, but also about justice. It tells us that the enemies who devise evil are finally conquered not by human vengeance, but by the just hand of God. This reveals a dimension of faith experience, that life does not always have to be explained by the logic of retribution, but by the logic of restoration. In the perspective of trauma psychology, true recovery occurs when one can see that wounds do not always determine the end of the story. Instead, through the presence of God, bitter experiences can be reframed as part of a journey towards a deeper victory, namely the restoration of identity as a beloved people.

Friends of the Bible, perhaps today we feel that we have not become the best version of ourselves. Perhaps we are still stumbling, struggling, and waiting for answers to all our prayers. But today we are reminded that victory does not always come as we wish. It can come in the form of peace in the midst of crisis, resilience in the midst of loss, or unquenchable hope in the midst of challenges. So, let us continue to walk with God. For true victory is not a matter of how far we run, but how deeply we know who has accompanied our steps until now.