The Lord Is My Strength And Shield

The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving. Psalm 28:7

In many Psalms, David aired complaints and frustrations about his enemies. Despite all the time he spent facing them, he never doubted God.

I made an observation about today’s Psalm. David wrote it in three sections. In the first two verses, he wanted to get God’s attention.

Have you ever prayed a prayer of desperation? The psalmist used that type of prayer to get the Lord’s attention. His underlying current said without you, God, I have no hope.

I pray to you, O Lord, my rock. Do not turn a deaf ear to me. For if you are silent, I might as well give up and die. Psalm 28:1

When we depend on the Lord to give us strength, we must believe He can and will supply it. David had no problem relying on the Lord and His strength.

Listen to my prayer for mercy as I cry out to you for help, as I lift my hands toward your holy sanctuary. Psalm 28:2

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When we recognize the superiority of God, then we can easily expose our vulnerability to Him. David realized his strength wouldn’t match up to his enemies without the Lord.

After getting God’s attention, he moved into the second section of this Psalm. The last thing he wanted was to fall into the hands of his oppressors. So he began with his request.

Do not drag me away with the wicked— with those who do evil— those who speak friendly words to their neighbors while planning evil in their hearts. Psalm 28:3

God is in Control

David understood that God, and only God, controlled his life and future. Therefore, his enemies couldn’t overtake him unless the Lord allowed it.

So, David offered God a couple of suggestions for how He could deal with these evil ones.

Give them the punishment they so richly deserve! Measure it out in proportion to their wickedness.
Pay them back for all their evil deeds! Give them a taste of what they have done to others. Psalm 28:4

He reminded the Lord that these people cared nothing about Him while ignoring the strength of His hands. Thus, David asked God to do away with them.

They care nothing for what the Lord has done or for what his hands have made. So he will tear them down, and they will never be rebuilt! Psalm 28:5

After making his requests known to the Lord, David entered into the third section of this Psalm. He praised the Lord and recognized His mercy.

Praise the Lord! For he has heard my cry for mercy. Psalm 28:6

He proclaimed the Lord as his strength and shield and said it was his source of joy. Then, he turned from a prayer for himself to one that included all of God’s people.

The Lord gives his people strength. He is a safe fortress for his anointed king. Psalm 28:8

He concluded his prayer by confessing how much his nation needed the Lord. David wanted Him to go beyond leading them to carrying them in His arms.

Save your people! Bless Israel, your special possession. Lead them like a shepherd, and carry them in your arms forever. Psalm 28:9

Praise the Lord, God is our Strength

In the Psalms, we often read about David encountering his enemies. Yet, no matter who or what he faced, he still praised the Lord and trusted Him completely.

How do we fare when confronted with the evil and hate surrounding us? It concerns me about today’s Christians, who have very little spiritual backbone.

Without living with the strength provided by the Lord, they can only be described as wishy-washy in their Christianity. This often occurs because they feel God owes them.

Other factors also come into play with those types of Christians. Worrying, even about the littlest things, shows our lack of trust in God.

When your trust in the Lord feels shaky, and you need His strength, do what David did. Get God’s attention, and at the same time, you’ll be focusing your attention on Him as well.

He exhibited a wonderful example for us of praising God no matter our circumstances. His enemies often hunted him down, but he always trusted the Lord.

What David displayed in today’s Psalm paralleled the prayer Jesus taught His disciples. We call it the Lord’s Prayer, and we pray it often. It begins by getting God’s attention.

Live Without Fearing The Law Everyone Has Sinned

David’s Prayer Paralleled Jesus’ Prayer

Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done. On earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:9-10

After getting God’s attention, Jesus taught us to present our requests to the Lord. He included our daily needs, how we should act, and protection from Satan.

Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. Matthew 6:11-13

Then Jesus finished this prayer by praising the Lord. He instructed us to declare His kingdom and the strength and power of the Lord along with His glory.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Matthew 6:13

We often pray this prayer word for word, publically. But we can also use it as a guide when we pray in our private prayer time.

Lord, forgive us for the times we haven’t trusted and depended on you. Lord, we want to plug into your every day.

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