Perfect Protection – No Fear

Give ear to my words, O Yahweh, Consider my groaning.
Heed the sound of my cry for help, my King and my God, for to You I pray.
 You’re not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness; no evil dwells with YouThe boastful shall not stand before Your eyes; You hate all who do iniquity.
You destroy those who speak falsehood
 O Yahweh, lead me in Your righteousness because of my foes; make Your way straight before me.
 There’s nothing reliable in what they say; their inward part is destruction.Hold them guilty, O God; by their own devices let them fall!
In the multitude of their transgressions thrust them out, for they are rebellious against You.
 But let all who take refuge in You be glad, let them ever sing for joy. And may You shelter them, that those who love Your name may exult in You, for it’s You who blesses the righteous man, O Yahweh, You surround him with favor as with a shield.
     - Excerpts from Psalm 5

Many psalms are like the one above.  David understood something it would do all of us well to learn: that for a righteous person, God is the perfect shield.  I’m posting this today because it fits with the ideas we’ve been studying from Romans 12.14-21 about the way we should treat those who persecute us: our enemies.  There are two things that struck me when I read this:

David’s enemies are God’s enemies … and …

It’s a righteous person who has nothing to fear.

When we are true friends, allies, and slaves of God, then everything we do is in His service.  If that’s true, then the only enemies we’ll ever have are people who are also (whether they know it or not) enemies of God.  So that asking God to “thrust them out,” as David did, isn’t because they were just mean – it was because they had rebelled against God Himself! 

The wicked man flees though no one pursues…
…but the righteous are as bold as a lion.             Proverbs 28.1

The second thing that strikes me about this psalm is that God is a shield to the righteous.  That’s why David’s son could write the Proverb above: because when you are a righteous person, you can be bold and confident and never fear or worry, because God is a shield about you. 

Satan tempts us to retaliate against enemies by making us afraid.  He knows that he can convince us we need to strike back, or be protective or angry or fearful or bitter … in order to defend ourselves.  But when we walk in righteousness, faith and love, there is no need for fear.  We don’t need to protect ourselves, because we know God has our backs.  We won’t be tempted to lash out in anger or fear, because we have the strength of knowing God’s shield is round-about us. 

If you’re worried, nervous or fearful … consider focusing on becoming as righteous as possible.  It sounds weird, but that simple focus on righteousness will guide your heart and mind.  If you need help from a brother or sister – ask. 

“Seek first God’s kingdom and His RIGHTEOUSNESS”

-Jesus