God Is Our Shield and Strength
Today’s Bible Verse:
Psalm 28:7 ESV
“The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.”
In moments of weakness, doubt, or fear, we may feel unprotected and exposed to life's uncertainties. But Psalm 28:7 offers a powerful assurance of God's unwavering presence. David describes God as his strength and shield, two images that reveal different dimensions of God’s protection and power.
When David calls God his strength, he acknowledges that his human frailty is insufficient to meet life's challenges. David's reliance on the Lord is an open admission that he cannot do it alone. We, too, often realize this when faced with circumstances beyond our control. Whether it’s dealing with a difficult relationship, an unexpected loss, or internal battles with anxiety, God is the One who provides the endurance and resilience we lack.
Moreover, calling God a shield shows God's power and protective love. In ancient times, a shield covered a soldier's vulnerable parts, preventing arrows or blows from inflicting harm. So, too, God stands between us and our spiritual enemies, guarding our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. He shields us from the attacks of doubt, fear, and temptation.
David declares, "In him my heart trusts, and I am helped." This is a clear statement of faith but also a testimony of experience. Trusting in God is not a passive waiting—it’s an active reliance that leads to God’s help. Trusting in Him means surrendering control, accepting that we cannot save ourselves, and depending fully on His grace and wisdom.
And the result of this trust? My heart exults, and with my song, I give thanks to him. Genuine trust in God brings joy, and true joy overflows into thanksgiving. When we reflect on God’s strength in our weakness and His protection in our vulnerability, we find ourselves moved to gratitude and praise.
Prayers
A Prayer for Today:
Lord, You are my strength and my shield. Help me to trust You fully in all circumstances, knowing that You protect me with unfailing love. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Luther’s Morning Prayer:
I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.
Apostles’ Creed:
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.