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REFLECTION: A Balanced Sandwich
A message from Psalm 28:7…..
Sometimes in our reading of the Word of God a verse of Scripture stands out from the rest. One such verse in Psalm 28 struck me and can perhaps be likened to a balanced sandwich. It is worth examining it in a little detail:-
The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise Him. (Psalm 28:7, KJV)
David was the author of Psalm 28 which begins with a cry for help. If God could not help David, to whom could he turn? He was conscious of “the workers of iniquity” who surrounded him and could not be trusted (v.3). David wanted God to know that he had no intention of associating with them. But although desperate for help, David was assured that the Lord had heard his voice (v.6). The next verse (which we will consider) is a personal testimony as well as a reminder which David gives himself. It can be divided into three parts.
A PERSONAL EXPLANATION
The words, “The LORD is my strength and my shield” present a twofold personal explanation: He is my strength and my shield. David does not speak of God giving him strength but of Him actually being the very source of his strength. When he faced a lion and a bear David was able to overcome them because he was trusting in the LORD, but left to his own devices he failed. The sad account of his adultery with Bathsheba in 2 Samuel 11 demonstrates this point. Within himself he was weak; David needed the LORD as his strength.
Not only was the LORD David’s strength; He was also his shield. When he went out to fight Goliath the giant, David did so without any conventional weapons of warfare in his hand. The giant utterly despised him for this, but David’s trust was in the LORD whom Goliath and the Philistine armies had defied (1 Sam.17:45). David knew the importance of being protected by the LORD constantly, hence the analogy of a shield.
A PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE
The words in the middle of the verse flow from David’s personal explanation. He could write, “My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped.” Notice the reference to the heart, which is the centre of one’s being. In the past David had trusted (past tense) in Him. Have you done that? The Lord Jesus invites us to yield our lives to Him, as the words, “My son, give me thine heart” indicate (Prov.23:26a). We need to gladly receive Him as our personal Saviour.
The tense used next may not seem right, for the psalmist stated, “I am helped,” rather than “I was helped”. This brings out an important point. Trust in Him in the past must be decisive, but from that experience ongoing help can be derived. The heart that trusted in Him in the past was not helped on that one occasion only. Instead, help continued to flow from Him. “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart” (Prov.3:5). This practical experience, enjoyed by David, can be ours too.
A POWERFUL EXPRESSION
The verse concludes with the words, “Therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise Him.” Gladness filled the soul of David. With his heart he had trusted in the LORD; now that same heart was rejoicing greatly. It was therefore no ordinary rejoicing! Should not our hearts rejoice too, for “we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us” (Rom.8:37).
Wonderful though it is to have gladness within the heart, the joy needs to be released. This was David’s glory: “With my song will I praise Him.” He simply could not remain quiet! This powerful expression of praise could be heard by others. David had a song to sing! His God had done great things for him and was worthy of praise.