Shield…

 

Shield….

These last few weeks, I have been slowly cleaning out summer veggie plants, pulling the underlying weeds, washing off porches and patios, picking the end of the fruit….getting ready for fall and winter…under some of the veggies were these bugs covering the ground…they had backs that were hard and were in the perfect shape of little shields…crawling around like an army, “defending” their “territory”…they were gone in a few days…off for another conquest, I guess…

With that in mind, I looked up shields…finding that potentially they first ones were made of twigs or reeds, woven together, covered with a layer of skin..then they grew in size, decoration, harder materials, etc…some were small-bucklers, easy to maneuver….others were larger, man sized ones to stand behind, heavy…some requiring one person to carry and another to stand behind…some withstanding an onslaught of arrows, spears, rocks or whatever…

We still have shields…you see them on the news at various riots…armored trucks, tanks, boats, even cars…and lot of other places…

As I was reading Psalm 3 yesterday, this verse stood out…”a shield about me”…my protector about me…what a promise…

It is first said to Abram in Genesis…a man who left his country, family to follow God, the wait for God’s promise, was found faithful…God promised to be his shield…just think, God is our shield…the very Creator of the universe, the God of our salvation  is also our shield…He takes the arrows, the battles, the pain for us…thank YOU…

And then on down through the ages…the Word  speaks of “shield of your help”, “Shield of your Salvation”, “refuge”, “favor”…”shield of Faith”…

But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.

Psalm 3:3

Definition of shield…

: a broad piece of defensive armor carried on the arm

: something or someone that protects or defends …

: a device or part that serves as a protective cover or barrier…

: a protective structure …Merriam Webster…

After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.

Genesis 15:1,6 

Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord, the shield of your help, and the sword of your triumph! Your enemies shall come fawning to you, and you shall tread upon their backs.”

Deuteronomy 33:29 

my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence.

2 Samuel 22:3

You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your gentleness made me great.

2 Samuel 22:36

But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you. For you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover him with favor as with a shield.

Psalm 5:11-12 

This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord  proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.

Psalm 18:30 

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.

Psalm 28:7

You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word.

Psalm 119:114

he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints.

Proverbs 2:7-8 

In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;

Ephesians 6:16

https://womeninthebible.net/war-in-the-bible/shields/