The Lord Is Our Shield - The One Year Book of Psalms

Psalm 28

A psalm of David.

1O LORD, you are my rock of safety.

Please help me; don’t refuse to answer me.

For if you are silent,

I might as well give up and die.

2Listen to my prayer for mercy

as I cry out to you for help,

as I lift my hands toward your holy sanctuary.

3Don’t 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.

4Give 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.

5They care nothing for what the LORD has done

or for what his hands have made.

So he will tear them down like old buildings,

and they will never be rebuilt!

6Praise the LORD!

For he has heard my cry for mercy.

7The LORD is my strength, my shield from every danger.

I trust in him with all my heart.

He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.

I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.

8The LORD protects his people

and gives victory to his anointed king.

8The LORD gives his people strength.

He is a safe fortress for his anointed king.

9Save your people!

Bless Israel, your special possession.

Lead them like a shepherd,

and carry them in your arms forever.

The book of Genesis describes a battle with four kings swooping down from the north to battle five kings in the Dead Sea area (Genesis 14–15). Abraham did not take sides in this battle, but when the four kings won, they looted the city of Sodom and kidnapped Abraham’s nephew Lot. Abraham gathered his men and attacked the four kings at night.

Abraham recovered Lot, but he made an enemy of a powerful army. He had no assurance that the four kings would not return and attack him. But God assured Abraham (or Abram), “Do not be afraid, Abram, for I will protect you [literally, ‘I will be your shield’ (Genesis 15:1)].”

Abraham believed God, and God declared him righteous because of his faith (Genesis 15:6). David also knew the Lord as “my strength, my shield from every danger” and said, “I trust him with all my heart” (verse 7). Paul responded similarly when he was up against the strategies of the Devil. He took faith as his shield (Ephesians 6:16).

How will you respond today? Will you too take up the shield of faith?

Strong in the Lord of Hosts,

And in his mighty power,

Who in the strength of Jesus trusts

Is more than conqueror.

CHARLES WESLEY

Bible Networking

Verse 9 is a tender verse, speaking of the Lord as a shepherd (see Psalm 23) and of Israel as God’s special possession (see Deuteronomy 9:29 and Isaiah 19:25). We are called God’s very own possession as well in 1 Peter 2:9.

Notable Quotable

“Faith substantiates things that are not yet seen. It changes the tenses; it puts the future into the present tense.”

JOHN TRAPP