“You, O LORD, are a shield about me” are the words of David in Psalm 3 as He flees from His son Absalom and they are dear words to all those who follow the LORD. We are in the right place when we recognize that we need the LORD to be our shield and that in fact He is our shield if we are in Christ by saving grace.
In numerous places this concept is revealed throughout the Old Testament. I looked at each of those cross references with this thought in mind: Because God is my shield then? This was an encouraging exercise for me and I trust it will be encouraging to you to read through some of those texts with that approach as well:
The LORD is the shield of all those in Christ Jesus, therefore….
- They are blessed
- Deuteronomy 33:29 “Blessed are you, O Israel; Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD, Who is the shield of your help And the sword of your majesty! So your enemies will cringe before you, And you will tread upon their high places.”
- They are helped
- Deuteronomy 33:29 “Blessed are you, O Israel; Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD, Who is the shield of your help And the sword of your majesty! So your enemies will cringe before you, And you will tread upon their high places.”
- Psalm 33:20 Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield.
- They know His salvation
- 2 Samuel 22:3 My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge; My savior, You save me from violence.
- 2 Samuel 22:36 “You have also given me the shield of Your salvation, And Your help makes me great.
- Psalm 7:10 My shield is with God, Who saves the upright in heart.
- Psalm 18:35 You have also given me the shield of Your salvation, And Your right hand upholds me; And Your gentleness makes me great.
- They have protection against enemies
- Psalm 59:11 Do not slay them, or my people will forget; Scatter them by Your power, and bring them down, O Lord, our shield.
- Psalm 3:3 But You, O LORD, are a shield about me, My glory, and the One who lifts my head.
- He gives them grace and glory
- Psalm 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD gives grace and glory; No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.
- They walk in righteousness
- Proverbs 2:7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
- They need not fear
- Genesis 15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great.”
- They give thanks
- Psalm 28:7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him.
- They ought to trust Him
- Psalm 115:9 O Israel, trust in the LORD; He is their help and their shield.
- Psalm 144:2 My lovingkindness and my fortress, My stronghold and my deliverer, My shield and He in whom I take refuge, Who subdues my people under me.
- Psalm 18:2 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 18:30 As for God, His way is blameless; The word of the LORD is tried; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.
- They take refuge in Him by trusting in His Word
- 2 Samuel 22:31: “As for God, His way is blameless; The word of the LORD is tested; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him
- Psalm 119:114 You are my hiding place and my shield; I wait for Your word.
- Proverbs 30:5 Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.
Much more could be said about the LORD being our shield, but these verses are brimming with the truth, privileges, comfort, and responsibilities of the fact that the LORD is our shield.
