The Psalmist referred to the benefits of God as our shield several times. In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul also mentioned a shield and its beneficial use for Christians. Therefore we need to know how important the shield is.
God is my shield, saving those whose hearts are true and right. Psalm 7:10
The shield was a very important piece of armor for soldiers in the Bible. It was the defense system in which they could hide behind from flying objects like arrows. Or they could use it to stop a sword or spear from injuring their bodies.
The book of Psalms mentions the word “shield” 20 times within its chapters. 14 of those references speak directly of God as our shield.
A normal shield can only give protection on one side of the body. But look how the protection of God is described in Psalm 3.
But you, O Lord, are a shield around me; you are my glory, the one who holds my head high. Psalm 3:3
Just as He was for the Psalmist, God is also a shield that goes completely around you. Notice what else happened in that verse.
Usually, when the enemy attacked a soldier, he would hide behind his shield and duck his head. In Psalm 3, it says the Lord holds our heads up high.
Know Some Other References About God as the Shield
Let’s take a quick look at some of the other Psalms with references to God as our shield.
- The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. Psalm 28:7
- He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. Psalm 18:2
- We put our hope in the Lord. He is our help and our shield. Psalm 33:20
- For the Lord God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. Psalm 84:11
Are you ready for this? Know this when we look to God as our shield, we get a package deal, a bundle if you will. Because, He also is our strength, our place of safety, our light, and our help!
How the Word Shield Is Used in the Epistles
In the New Testament, the word shield is used only once. But that one use comes with power behind it.
Apostle Paul told us what we should dress as Christians. No, not our physical clothes, but our spiritual outfit.
Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Ephesians 6:13
So our spiritual outfit includes the following. The belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, and for shoes, the peace of the Good News. Then he included 2 pieces of defensive armor. The helmet of salvation and . . .
In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Ephesians 6:16
Then the most important part of our Christian outfit is the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
When you stop to think about what this adds up to for you, you’re going to have a great day today. God is your shield. Your faith is the shield you hold up for protection. And your weapon of choice is His Word as you are led by the Holy Spirit.
Lord, today we are going to pray the last verse in Psalm 7. I will thank you Lord because you are just; I will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High. Amen.
Take some time to read the complete chapter of Psalm 7.
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Christian Perspectives
Featured Image by hurk from Pixabay
