Psalm 144:2

Psalm 144:2

Fortress, stronghold, deliverer, shield and refuge!

Well, if any verse could sum up the influence of the living God in the lives of those who trust in Him, this is it. Look at the different metaphors that are used here; following verse 1 where David calls Him, “my rock”, he now speaks of the Lord being a “loving God, my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield, in whom I take refuge.” This is a verse that makes us feel safe, doesn’t it? Surely if the Lord can come up trumps carrying all of these titles, then we are secure indeed. 

Our God is not a distant deity who casually watches our progress in life, He is a tangible and emotional Being and those who truly know Him can boast that they are loved by Him. All the gods of history and that are worshipped by men and women today tend to be distant and unapproachable, our God is near to us, so much so that we feel loved by Him. Because He is so immense and powerful, then we can claim His protection and care, David was a powerful and influential monarch who could summon a vast army to protect himself and his kingdom, but his true security was found in the Lord. In this verse he uses military and building terms to summarise His dependence on divine safeguarding. Imagine, we all have a fortress to run to in times of trouble, His fortress is incredibly strong and invincible to our enemies. God not only delivers us from the attacks of the evil forces, but He also allows us to shelter with Him behind His shield so that the arrows, spears and bullets of our foes cannot penetrate the defences. This must have been a great comfort to our vulnerable king who recognises that even when people submit to him and come under his rule, it is God’s doing. God treats us all no differently! Hallelujah!

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