Stronger Than Chariots

Psalm 20

Without exception, every one of us will come up against problems and struggles in our life.  These problems might be financial, health, problems with our house, with our job, or problems with other people.  There may be natural disasters we face, or even war or other conflicts our country goes through.  When these come upon us, where or to whom do we turn to for help?  The more serious the problem we face is, the more we need to be sure that who or what we are depending upon is strong and reliable.  When the crisis is upon us, we don’t want our source of help to come crashing down.  Our psalm selection this week, written by King David, is a prayer that he and the people would have prayed when getting ready to go out to battle against their enemies.  Who or what were they relying on for help?

As we read in the Bible, David spent many years of his life in one or another type of battle.  After his victorious defeat of Goliath, King Saul had him lead many battles against the Philistines.  Then because of Saul’s jealousy of David, he spent several years on the run and defending himself against Saul’s soldiers sent to kill him.  After David became king, there were frequent wars against neighboring enemy nations, and even an attempted coup by his son Absalom.  Life was not smooth sailing for David.  He certainly faced many problems, and needed something or someone he could rely on for help.  Where did David turn to for help?

If our country faced an attack from an enemy nation, we might hope that we have a good military, with weapons that can defeat that enemy, good fighter jets, tanks, bombs, etc.  In David’s day the top of the line military equipment was a chariot.  In his time, not every nation had them.  Soldiers needed to be well trained in how to go into battle with a chariot.  Often there was more than one soldier in the chariot.  There was one to hold the reins and guide the horses, the other to wield a sword or the bow and arrows.  Sometimes, depending on how large the chariot was, there might be a third soldier wielding a shield to protect the other two.  Soldiers needed to be well trained in swordsmanship or the bow and arrow.  Kings would boast of their army, and David had many good soldiers.  However, as we read in verse 7, David’s trust was not in his chariots or soldiers, but in the Lord God.  Soldiers and chariots don’t always win the battle.  They could be overpowered by the enemy.  David knew, though, that no one can overpower God.  Yahweh is always dependable, and can never be overpowered.

Chariots and horses can also represent materials and human assets, such as our bank account, our job, house, car, or friends.  While they may be helpful in our daily life, they won’t give us security in times of trouble.  Trusting in things, possessions, or wealth will find that they eventually fail us, cracking like thin ice, and giving way beneath us.  Those who trust in God will rise up and stand firm (vs. 8).

David learned early in life that the only sure thing to trust in is God.  He trusted only in Him when he came against Goliath (I Samuel 17:45).  King Saul had offered David his armor to use.  That would have been the best in the land, the armor of a king.  Yet David didn’t trust in that.  He came against the enemy in the power, strength, and Name of Yahweh.  He knew that was a sure thing.  David knew that worldly armaments are no match for God’s protection.

Salvation and deliverance from enemies does not depend upon military prowess, but upon the Lord’s power.  Great empires have risen to great heights in history, and then crumbled to dust.  True might is not in powerful weapons, but in worship and in God’s power.  God, alone, can preserve a nation or an individual.  He will be there when the bank account is zero, when our job ends, our house or car breaks down, and friends disappear.  Let’s put our confidence in Him.  He gives eternal victory.