Psalms 78:9 “The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.”
The Tribe “of Ephraim” was one of the largest and most powerful of the Twelve Tribes Of Israel and had previously been mightily blessed in battles and in prosperity because the Lord God Almighty was with them. But now, because they no longer “set their hope in God” and they forgot “the works of God” and refused to “keep his commandments” and “set not their heart aright” and “whose spirit was not stedfast with God” (Psalms 78:6-8); God was no longer with them to guide them, protect, strengthen them, and prosper them. Thus, although they were well armed and trained for “battle”, when “the day of battle” came they fearfully “turned back”, conceding the victory to their enemies. The lesson to us, is that when God blesses a nation, they prosper, and they defeat even their most mighty enemies. But, when they turn from “God”; then it is revealed that “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.” (Psalms 9:17)! Let us earnestly pray that our Nation (leadership and citizens) will take heed and learn from this warning and “In all” our “ways acknowledge” our Lord “, and he shall direct” our “paths” (Proverbs 3:6) into prosperity and peace and safety; for, “our God shall fight for us” (Nehemiah 4:20). Let us begin by abandoning such foolish things as ‘a moment of silents’ and replacing it with glorious days of Worshipful Prayer!