“The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my
God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation,
my stronghold” (Psalm 18:2).
In this one verse David uses eight different Hebrew words
to describe God’s protection over him. The picture is one of being guarded on
every side by God’s power. Why then are we so easily overcome by fear and
anxiety?
When foes surround us, He is our deliverer.
When enemies attack us, we are safe in God’s fortress.
When the world seems to be falling apart, we stand
securely on His rock.
When Satan throws his darts at us, we are shielded by
God’s Word.
When guilt and shame threaten us, we are guarded by
His salvation.
When we feel powerless, He is our stronghold.
Our security comes
not from our own strength or abilities, but from the One who holds us in the
palm of His hand. To be dominated by fear is to disbelieve His promises and His
power. He is “the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of
lords” (1 Tim. 6:15), so He is able to do whatever He pleases. He is always
watching— “Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who
hope in His steadfast love” (Psalm 33:18), so nothing catches Him by surprise. He
delights to do good— “The Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does He
withhold from those who walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11).
There are so many
promises in Scripture that we can cling to if we will remember when the storms
come. (I’m preaching to myself first and foremost.) We need frequent reminders to
“taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in
Him!” (Psalm 34:8).
Lord, I believe—help
my unbelief! “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but [I will] trust in
the name of the Lord our God” (Psalm 20:6).
“In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for You alone, O
Lord, make me dwell in safety” (Psalm 4:4).
© 2021 Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture are ESV and all images are copyright free from pixabay.com. The opinions stated do not necessarily reflect the views of my church or employer.
