the God of Jacob

Who is the God of Jacob?

In Psalm 146 the God of Jacob is the God “who upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry.” Jacob was a fugitive because his brother was trying to kill him. His own uncle cheated him. And in a lot of ways Jacob deserved it. He had stolen his brother’s birthright and was a schemer by nature.

Yet God had mercy on Jacob. Not only did he survive his flight from his brother (at one time he had to sleep in the open with only a stone for a pillow), he eventually found shelter with his uncle and became wealthy. Jacob wrestled with God, and so God made him lame. But God also blessed Jacob, giving him the name Israel and telling him he had wrestled with God and won.

That is the sort of God that I have. He knows my weaknesses and sins and yet he is with me anyway through all the struggles, many of which are self-inflicted. I have no right to ask anything of him, yet he blesses me.

“Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob.” Psalm 146:5