Provider of Protection, Sustenance and Greatness

Psalm 18:35 – “Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.”

David sang this when God saved him from his enemies and from Saul.

David speaks of three main things:

• God’s shield of Salvation: God saved David as with a shield; God threw His shield before David in times of danger. God’s safeguard and protection defended David.
• God’s right hand that held David up: David was held by the strength and skill of God’s right hand. It kept David from falling into snares and mischief that his enemies designed and which he feared. God also sustained David when in danger of failing.
• God’s gentleness that made David great: We easily underestimate the power of God’s gentleness and often look for evidence of a spectacular work from God. Yet David – this great warrior – received (learned from God’s shower of gentleness) and responded to (showed to others) the gentleness of God. God’s gentleness allowed David success and also taught him about true greatness.

God’s meekness and clemency is how God pardoned David’s sins, which otherwise would have ruined him. It was not by any claim which David had on God, it was not by David’s worth; it was not by David’s strength or valor, but it was wholly because God had dealt kindly with him and showed him favour. David sang about the way God helped him to make war. God gave him strength, helped him to run swiftly and on a secure path (makes my way perfect . . . feet like the feet of deer), made him strong enough to bend a bow of bronze, and gave David the shield of God’s Salvation. As a warrior, David knew God as One who helped him make war triumphantly.

Just as God gave David what he needed (physical strength and skill), God will also give us what we need. The gentleness of God makes every Believer great, more than they often consider:

• Some are great because of their royal birth – we have a greater claim to royal birth as the son or daughter of the King of Kings!
• Some through election – we are the elect of God!
• Some, because of their wealth – we have greater riches being the children and heirs of the God who owns all!
• Some with their victories –  we have achieved the greatest victory being in unity with Jesus Christ, the greatest champion of all!
• Some in their influence – we, the children of God, can move the hand of God with our faithful and righteous prayers.
• Some with their discoveries – we have discovered the greatest thing: the nature of the infinite and eternal God!
• Some because of their history – we have a greater heritage because we are members of the Body of Christ, which spans through the ages and generations!
• Some because of their destiny – we have a glorious and amazing destiny because we are the heirs of His glory; we are adopted by God!

Therefore, shouldn’t we love the Lord, our Strength, and our Salvation? Shouldn’t we call on Him in every trouble, and praise God for every deliverance? Shouldn’t we aim to walk with God in true holiness, keeping from sin. If we belong to God, He conquers and reigns for us, and we shall conquer and reign through Jesus, and partake of the mercy of our anointed King, which is promised to all God’s seed for evermore. So all our success in life can be traced to the favour, the kindness, of God.