“Shield Me, Lord” Psalm 144:1-15

“Shield Me, Lord” Psalm 144:1-15

An Expositional Sermon
David’s hope wasn’t in his training, but in God’s power to deliver. God was raising up a king. This is what David confesses in verse 2, “he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me.” God fights for His people. From the Exodus as the people feared Egypt while running through the desert Moses said, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” (Exodus 14:13-14) To the coming into Canaan. Joshua 10 uses this language again and again. V. 12, “Yahweh gave the Amorites,” v. 30, “Yahweh gave it [Libnah] also and its king into the hand of Israel,” v. 32, “Yahweh gave Lachish into the hand of Israel.” David is active in the fight. He steps out to fight, Israel goes into battle trusting God, but again and again, we see that God’s people don’t win because they are more powerful than others, but because God fights for them. And the aim of our enemy is always to undermine our trust in God, to entice us, through lies and deceit to draw us away from trusting in God and trusting in ourselves or the things of this world. From the lies of Satan, to the mocking of Goliath, to the temptation of Rabshekah, to the slanders and mocking heaped upon Christ we hear voices responding to the whispers of Satan. Remember why God chooses His people, from Deuteronomy 7:7, not because they are numerous, or powerful in any sense, but because he loves them, and keeps his promises to them.