We are back in the Psalms again this week. Actually, we may be in the Psalms for a while, as I work my way through the book and find myself pondering little nuggets that I have never noticed before, like this one.
Now this I know:
The Lord gives victory to his anointed.
He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary
with the victorious power of his right hand.
Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
They are brought to their knees and fall,
but we rise up and stand firm.
The Lord gives victory to his anointed.
He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary
with the victorious power of his right hand.
Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
They are brought to their knees and fall,
but we rise up and stand firm.
Psalm 20:6-8
Though at first glance these verses may not seem to have much to say to us, the chariots and horses caught my attention, along with the notion of putting trust in them.
For David, who wrote Psalm 20, chariots and horses would have been a common sight. In fact, they were a necessary part of the army, kind of like tanks and airplanes today. Israel needed the army to keep them safe from invasion, to keep the people protected and free.
But David is pointing out that they shouldn't be putting their trust in the chariots and horses. In other words, they shouldn't be trusting in their numbers and their equipment. It's not the number of chariots that matters. It's not the speed of the horses that matters. It's God who gives the victory, and the people and the leaders needed to be putting their trust in Him.
Now, I don't know about you, but I have never actually seen a chariot, except in movies or pictures, and though I've seen and touched horses, I've never ridden one. You? If chariots and horses are so far out of our realm of experience, what could these verses say to us?
Well, the obvious answer is that we need to remember to trust in God, but I think there's a word of caution in here for us as well. You see, we may not be trusting in chariots and horses, but there's a good chance we are putting our trust somewhere it doesn't belong, probably without realizing it.
Job. Spouse. Children. Friends. Popularity. Finances. Medicine.
In and of themselves, there is nothing wrong with any of those things. They are all good and of benefit to us, just as the chariots and horses were of benefit to Israel. It's a matter of perspective.
We have to remember that all of these things have been given to us by God. It is God who provides us with opportunities and skills to work. It is God who puts families together. It is God who made our bodies with the ability to heal and God who gave us medical science and all the wonders that come from it.
While we enjoy our families and the freedom that comes from gainful employment, while we use medicines to heal infections and treat colds, we have to always remember that we put our ultimate trust in God.
How does that play out in real life? Well, I think it means that we remember to thank God for the medicines we take, for the doctors who diagnose our illnesses and for the healing ability built into our bodies.
We thank God for our jobs (even if we don't like the work much!) and for the paycheck that comes from it. We remember to honour God with our money, rather than always spending it on our every want, whether that means we support missions work or charities that are meaningful to us.
We pray for our family members and thank God for them, even on the hard days.
If we constantly connect with God about these things, then we will be always reminded that they come from Him. Then we won't be tempted to put our trust in things, but rather in the One who gives us those things.
How true, "Don't trust in things, trust in the One who gives us all things." If only I could get that through my thick head! I know He watches over me, while I struggle with this chronic illness.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reminder.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I enjoyed reading this. Made me think. You have a lot of good points to ponder. Love the Word of God. Yep, battling illness too. But not quitting until I get healed.
ReplyDelete