Our Shield and Warrior
One of the primary images of God in the Old Testament is that of God as a Warrior. All throughout Scripture, God is frequently going to battle for His people, or standing alongside them in the midst of difficulty, protecting His people from harm.
Scripture tells us that God does not idly stand aside and watch His children fight alone. He is a Warrior who not only fights alongside them, but is actively protecting His people.
This is why the writer of Psalm 3 calls God a Shield that surrounds him. God is not distant—He is present and active in our lives. Even though we may experience pain and suffering, we can go to God for help and for safety. He knows how to protect and fight for us.
The writer of this Psalm also says that God is the One who lifts his head in the midst of difficulty. It can be easy to become discouraged or tired in the midst of hard times. But in the midst of those moments, God supports us.
When we come to God as our Shield, He not only protects us, but He also gives us hope and peace. He restores the parts of us that are tired and burned out. God gives us a reason to continue to fight and have hope.
If you’re in a season where you’ve lost hope, or you’re discouraged and tired, spend some time praying to God right now. Ask Him to be your Shield in this difficult time. Pray for Him to restore your joy and your hope so that way you can lift your head up and continue to follow Him.
Let the world know!
The Old Testament recounts many moments where God provided for His people. But one powerful retelling of God’s greatness is found in Psalm 105.
Psalm 105 focuses on events found in the book of Exodus—when worshipers were encouraged to remember God’s faithfulness and show gratitude for what He's done. And while all 45 verses are worth studying, let’s take a closer look at the verse that sets the tone for this Psalm, and the four ways it invites us into worship…
“Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim His greatness. Let the whole world know what He has done.”
Psalm 105:1 ESV
REFLECT ON GOD'S GOODNESS
Gratitude comes from recognizing what God has done for us. So in order to show gratitude, we have to recognize how God was at work in our past circumstances. When we do that, we can acknowledge God’s faithfulness and genuinely worship Him.
THANK GOD
In Psalm 105:1, the term “giving thanks” stems from the Hebrew word "yadah" which means, “to revere or ...