No king is saved by the size of his army;
Psalm 33:16-19 NIV
no warrior escapes by his great strength.
A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;
despite all its great strength it cannot save.
But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him,
on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
to deliver them from death
and keep them alive in famine.
There are so many things that we can put our trust in. In the psalmist day, a king would trust in the size and might of his army. Warriors would trust in their arms and their skill in using them. A horse was a decided advantage in fighting against an enemy. But none of these things would guarantee victory. There was always a king with a bigger army, better-trained soldiers, and better equipment.
And it is the same for us today. There are many things that I might trust in: the nation’s military to keep enemies at bay; a police force to protect me from the lawless; a strong economy to keep money in my pockets and food on the table; and family and friends to provide companionship and comfort.
But in the end, the only one I can truly count on is the Lord. He watches over those who fear him and will deliver us from death. That does not mean we will not face trials in this life; because we will. But I can trust him to protect what is important. And to use whatever comes my way to draw me nearer to himself and to move me toward maturity.
Wait In Hope for the Lord
The eyes of the Lord are on those who trust in him. So put your hope in him rather than things that will not last and that will disappoint. To all who trust in him, he is our hope and our shield.
We wait in hope for the Lord;
Psalm 33:20-22 NIV
he is our help and our shield.
In him our hearts rejoice,
for we trust in his holy name.
May your unfailing love be with us, Lord,
even as we put our hope in you.
