Psalms 118:25 (ESV)
Save us, we pray, O LORD!
O LORD, we pray, give us success!
We put a lot of emphasis in our society today on the concept of success. We are quick to deem something unsuccessful and have a variety of methods to determine what is success. It is more often than not a moving target.
The word for success is translated from the Hebrew as follows:
(Vine) - ṣaleaḥ; a primitive root; to push forward, in various senses (literal or figurative, transitive or intransitive): — break out, come (mightily), go over, be good, be meet, be profitable, (cause to, effect, make to, send) prosper(-ity, -ous, -ously).
It is often translated a variety of ways in the Hebrew Old Testament:
(Vine). AV (65) - prosper 44, come 6, prosperous 5, come mightily 2, effected 1, good 1, meet 1, break out 1, went over 1, misc 3;
Therefore, God often told us how to be successful in various places in His Word. One of my personal favorites and a childhood memory verse is:
Joshua 1:8-9 (ESV)
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
God will grant us success. As the writer of this psalm demonstrates, we are to pray for God’s success over us. Success only comes from God. We can only have success, however, if we are also walking in obedience to His Word. In fact, that might be the best way to demonstrate success: Obedience to God by walking in step with His Word. We often define success in such material forms. We might define it in regard to relationships with those we love around us. We might define it as internal tranquility. But, God defines it as walking in obedience with Him and fully trusting Him. Only God can grant success. Only God can be the One who defines success. We are the recipients of success. We are not the ones who define it. We can only achieve it and received by His grace and mercy on us.
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