Shield of Salvation
Psalm 18:20-36
20. The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he recompensed me. 21. For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God. 22. For all his ordinances were before me, and his statutes I did not put away from me. 23. I was blameless before him, and I kept myself from guilt. 24. Therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight. 25. With the loyal thou dost show thyself loyal; with the blameless man thou dost show thyself blameless; 26. with the pure thou dost show thyself pure; and with the crooked thou dost show thyself perverse. 27. For thou dost deliver a humble people; but the haughty eyes thou dost bring down. 28. Yea, thou dost light my lamp; the Lord my God lightens my darkness. 29. Yea, by thee I can crush a troop; and by my God I can leap over a wall. 30. This God -- his way is perfect; the promise of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him. 31. For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God? -- 32. the God who girded me with strength, and made my way safe. 33. He made my feet like hinds' feet, and set me secure on the heights. 34. He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. 35. Thou hast given me the shield of thy salvation, and thy right hand supported me, and thy help made me great. 36. Thou didst give a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip.
I like the way the psalmist has two conversations at the same time – one with the listener/reader, and the other with God! He tells us of all the ways God repays good for good, peace for peace, strength for strength. And then it seems as if he stops to lift praise and thanks to this amazing God, mid-thought! That’s how my mind works so I really don’t have much trouble following along, as some might! I’ve been teased, that when I really get on a roll, people can’t keep up with me! I don’t think the psalmist is saying he is righteous, clean, pure, humble. I take it to mean that when he acts righteously, with purity and humility, his life is good. He doesn’t have too many worries. He’s not in turmoil. He feels safe and secure. Because God is surrounding him and those he loves with his protection and love.
David is grateful for the many blessings God has bestowed on him and he recognizes that the blessings are available, because of his obedience and trust in God. When we humbly accept and act upon God’s word, our lives too, are without turmoil and strife. That doesn’t mean everything is perfect! It doesn’t even mean that your spouse will always agree with you and your children will always obey you, and your boss will give you a raise twice the size of last years’! It doesn’t mean that there won’t be any more death, or crime, or terrorism, or war in the world. But it means that through our faith in the God of all strength, power, comfort, love and grace, we don’t need to throw up our hands in surrender to it all.
David, like us, has this comfort and assurance that God will not fail him, because of the past. God was with him through all the trials and tribulations he experienced up to this point in his life. God forgave him for the sins he committed in the past. Just as God has been with us – even before time began – and never leaves us alone. We know that we’ll “make it” through whatever life presents us, because God has brought us through the past hard times. And we know He always will!
Oh my Lord and my God! I love you beyond words, beyond thoughts, beyond imagining. You are so faithful to me! Each time I turn to Him, He shows me mercy and love. He takes away my sins, and my transgressions. He wipes them all away and wraps me in his love. He fortifies me, refines me, and teaches me what I need to know so that I can be prepared for the next “roadblock” thrown up in front of me. Loving, gracious Father, you strengthen me and enfold me with your protection in the face of my enemies.
I hope today you’ll feel God’s love surrounding you, His mercy soothing you, and His grace causing you to tell everyone you meet that the Lord loves those who love Him. And that you’ll take a moment to tell God how grateful you are for His presence in your life.
Mary
