relationships (Psalm 144:1-15) Being Equipped and Prepared

(Psalm 144:1-15) 

1   Blessed be the Lord, my rock,
     Who trains my hands for war,
     And my fingers for battle;
2   My faithfulness and my fortress,
     My stronghold and my savior,
     My shield and He in whom I take refuge,
     Who subdues my people under me.
3   Lord, what is man, that You look after him?
     Or a son of man, that You think of him?
4   Man is like the breath;
     His days are like a passing shadow.

5   Bend down Your heavens, Lord, and come down;
     Touch the mountains, that they may smoke.
6   Flash forth lightning and scatter them;
     Send out Your arrows and confuse them.
7   Reach out with Your hand from on high;
     Rescue me and save me from great waters,
     From the hand of foreigners 
8   Whose mouths speak deceit,
     And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

9   God, I will sing a new song to You;
     On a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You,
10 Who gives salvation to kings,
     Who rescues His servant David from the evil sword.
11 Rescue me and save me from the hand of foreigners,
     Whose mouth speaks deceit 
     And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

12 When our sons in their youth are like growing plants,
     And our daughters like corner pillars fashioned for a palace,
13 Our granaries are full, providing every kind of produce,
     And our flocks deliver thousands and ten thousands in our fields;
14 May our cattle be bred 
     Without mishap and without loss,
     May there be no outcry in our streets!
15 Blessed are the people who are so situated;
     Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord!

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

Even as a trained soldier, David knew that this life is not about depending on our own feeble wisdom and/or physical strength, even when and especially when facing our greatest enemies.  We are fooling ourselves if we think we can go through life without ever having an enemy or coming across a person who will oppose us.  And we are fooling ourselves if we think we can depend on ourselves.  We can only fully depend on God, because only He is sovereign.  And understand that we are unable to reach up to the Lord.  Instead, the Lord reaches down, and comes down to us!

We can look at how David applied these truths in his life, and see how God worked things out for him.  When David faced a literal giant, he relied on the Lord's help, and then gave Him all the glory when Goliath, with a massive spear, was defeated by a small stone.  Then, David was asked to serve the king by playing music to him, as Saul wrestled with spiritual oppression.  Godly songs vs spears of death had the victory.  As David played, Saul would either experience a spiritual sense of peace for that moment, or there were times when he was filled with enough rage to kill.  The Lord protected David in all of these crazy circumstances, and so, David knew to go to the Lord for protection and help in all circumstances.  

This passage echoes Ephesians 6:10-24, regarding the spiritual armor needed.  Because in life, we all face spiritual battles.  First, we have to choose the side that we will be on, and then in the Lord's salvation, we need to allow God to fully equip and prepare us.  This battle is His.  Only He can save us.  Only He can prepare us.  Only He is able to fight for us.  And only in and through Him do we have the victory, because He has the victory!  It is in this way that, as we go through life and its struggles, we are able to experience His strength, peace, joy and blessings.