Battle Ready

“The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.” – Psalm 18:2 KJV

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What does it mean to be battle ready?  How do we prepare when it’s uncertain where, or when the next “war” is to come about?  Is victory a possibility, or are we destined for a life of ultimate defeat?

 

I stumbled across Psalm 18:2 earlier this week, and tossed it around inside my head during the days that followed; wondering why I kept finding myself reciting it at all hours of the day and night. Why was I so stuck on this particular verse?

 

Then came Friday.

 

Senseless, soul-wrenching, blackness. An evil orchestrated to rip away any light; any hope.

 

I make it a habit not to watch the news, but for a little while I tuned in. Questions from around the world chanted over and over: “Why did this happen?”, “How could we not see this coming?”, “When was such darkness made?”, and “Who’s next?”

 

Then the questions aimed at God began. “How could your God let this happen?”, “Where was your God while this was going on?”, and “What kind of god allows this?”

 

So many questions; many beyond our understanding, but the need for action, and justice continues to burn on.

 

Once again I found myself uttering David’s words, and I began to see them as a key to peace and assurance where fear, doubt, and insecurity threatened.

 

David spent much of his time on the run hiding in caves evading a seemingly endless string of enemies who were desperately seeking to kill him, including Saul, the once king of Israel. It’s the kind of situation most of us are likely never to experience. Yet there are many times we are attacked, and though we might not run off to a cave, we find ourselves overwhelmed by the onslaught of attacks.

 

God gives victory to David, and David shows his gratitude by singing the words of Psalm 18 in praise to him. In verse two, he begins to list off some names of how he sees God in times of battle and conflict:

• My rock:  immovable, remaining, and strong

• My fortress:  a place of safety, rest, and exceptional security

• My deliverer:  rescuer, liberator, and redeemer

• My God:  Sovereign, Perfect, Holy

• My strength:  the embodiment of endurance

• My buckler:  surrounding; a kind of shield covering all over

• The Horn of my salvation:  a symbol of power, victory, or success

• My high tower:  a place the enemy cannot reach, and also a watch tower where the enemy can be seen from a distance.

 

Through his battles, David saw God as a mighty warrior, defender, and protector that would not be defeated. I’d like to say these magnificent words come to my mind when the enemy presses in, but usually the, “Who, what, where, when, and why” questions flood in first.

 

This verse helps me see God in a clearer way.

 

I also find it interesting that right in the middle of this list, David pauses to say, “In whom I shall trust.”

 

It reminds me to trust God in the middle of my battles, but also that our responsibility before, during, and after battle is to trust that he can and will protect, defend, and enable us into action.

 

Will you allow God to be all of these things for you when your battles come? Can you take refuge in him, and let the, “Who, what, where, when, and why? questions fall away and simply trust in him?

 

“For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.” – Deuteronomy 20:4 NIV

 

“Sovereign LORD, my strong deliverer, you shield my head in the day of battle.” – Psalm 140:7 NIV

 

“But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” – 1 Corinthians 15:57 NIV