Forgotten War: Week 5 - Tuesday

But you, O Lord, are a shield around me; you are my glory, the one who holds my head high. Psalm 3:3

In the middle of your Bible, you find a songbook. It is the book of psalms that were written and compiled so people could sing to honor God. There are 150 individual psalms that contain songs that remember the history of the Israelites, songs that are honest prayers of David, and songs that celebrate God's victories. An important concept we often miss is how frequent the word "shield" is used in the Psalms. There are 20 references to this word in this songbook, and most of them point to the fact that God is our Shield. When enemies advanced against the Israelites, they often turned to God and relied entirely on His protection.

At one of the lowest points of King David's life, he wrote, "But you, O Lord, are a shield around me; you are my glory, the one who holds my head high."(Psalm 3:3) It is a powerful statement of David's belief in God's protection, even when his world was falling apart. At this point in David’s life, his own son Absalom had won the hearts of the people and then asserted himself as king. David was running away and must have been overwhelmed with emotion. But even in that moment, David was able to turn back to God and say, “You are my Shield, my Protector, my Defender.” David held onto faith, believing that even on his darkest day, God could hold his head up high.

I wonder if the same could be said for each of us. When life knocks us at the knees and breaks us down, do we still have the faith to praise God? Do we still believe that He is able to bring good, even when our situation seems hopeless? When our enemies are laughing at our destruction, can we trust that God is going to have the victory? If we hold onto faith, the answer is always a resounding, “YES!” That is why David was able to worship, even when his life was coming apart at the seams. He believed that God was his Shield, and it was his faith that carried him through.

When I write these devotionals, I don’t always know what people in our church are going through. But I do know that if you are at one of those low points like King David, that you must hold onto faith. Don’t give up! Remember, the battle belongs to the Lord. Even when it feels like all is lost, God is the one who is able to lift you up from the valley, when you put your faith in Him.

Moving Toward Action

As you process through David’s story, it is important to note that God did restore his kingdom. God lifted David because his faith was unbroken. Take some time to think through some storms that you might be in right now, or a low point you previously went through. Write out a journal on the importance of praising God and putting your faith in Him, even when life doesn’t make sense.

Going Deeper

Read Psalm 3:1-8 (NLT)