Mensa Otabil - The Lord is Our Shield
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Though we know the Lord, serve Him, worship Him, and read His Word, sometimes we need to be reminded of who He is to us so that we can keep our hearts and minds focused on who He really is, especially when faced with life’s challenges. Psalm 3:2-3 says, «Many are they who say of me, 'There is no help for him in God.' Selah. But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory, and the One who lifts up my head.» You, O Lord, are a shield for me; the Lord is our shield.
The shield was used for defense in battles; it was part of the armor of defense. Apart from the shield, there were other items of defense in David’s day that warriors used to protect themselves. They had a helmet that protected their heads and a breastplate that shielded their chests. They were defended by these items, but all of these defenses were stationary. The helmet only defended the head, and the breastplate only protected the chest area, but the shield was an all-around defender. It defended you at the top, in the middle, at the bottom, and even your back; it protected you on all sides. Thus, God presents Himself as a shield, not just as a breastplate, but as a shield.
He is your all-round defender. He defends us from every side. When the Lord is our shield, no attack can come against us that will bypass God’s defense. He can defend you in front, in back, and even when you don’t know who your enemy is. When people are shooting arrows at you in the night, when they are conspiring and you have no idea, He is still your shield. He goes all around you to defend you. The Lord is our shield, and the Psalmist says, «Many are they who say of me, 'There is no help for him in the Lord' or 'no help for her in God.'»
There are times in our lives when people see the kinds of attacks or challenges facing us and say, «Oh, there’s no hope for him; he’s finished,» or «She’s finished; this is the end; nothing good will come out of this.» In those instances, when it appears you’re exposed and about to be destroyed, the Psalmist declares, «The Lord is my shield.» Because the Lord is my shield, He is my glory and the One who lifts up my head. When God is your shield, He also becomes your glory. He shields you with His glory, with His beauty, and then lifts up your head. You will not see shame; you will not see disgrace; you will not be brought down; you will not become a byword or a proverb. The Lord is your shield; He is your glory and the One who lifts up your head.
I don’t know what people have said about you; I don’t know how to determine the outcome of your life, but the Lord is your shield; He is your all-round defender, and He will not abandon you. It’s going to be good for you.
And Pastor Mensa Otabil—Shalom, peace, and life to you.