The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold Psalm 18:2
David says that God is his stronghold (rock), his horn of salvation ( deliverer), and his shield (fortress). He should know. This once shepherd boy slayed a giant, ruled a kingdom under constant attack and had to hide out in the wilderness twice to avoid ambitious enemies who wanted the crown for themselves. Our comfort is knowing that God is the same for each of us.
He is our stronghold – our rock. When climbing the mountain sides of life, is the way seems steep and difficult, you need to grab onto something firm, sturdy, unmoving for support. Hold onto the Lord.
He is our horn of salvation – our deliverer. This phrase is used again in Luke when the old priest of the Temple, Zacharias, laid eyes on Jesus as an infant. The horn on an animal is his defensive and offensive weapon. A mother cow uses her horns to push away threats from endangering her calves. It is how she defend them. She also gently uses her horns to nudge her vulnerable calves nearer to her. When we face the dangers of temptation and evil in our world, the Spirit, through God’s Word, defends us, nudges us closer and wards off the attacks.
He is our shield – our fortress. Our ultimate protection against the storms of life. We may be shaken, but not broken. Jesus died and took on sin for us, covering us with His own blood sacrifice so as to shield us from God’s wrath. In the book of Hebrews it explains this. Now we can approach the Throne of Grace and kneel before the Mercy Seat in confidence. He is our sure foundation.
As a child I played Rock, Paper, Scissors. As an adult, I thank God daily that He is my Rock, Horn and Shield. Because, I know there is nothing I need to face alone out there in the world , or in the depths of my soul. Emanuel- God is with me. What about you?
