“….His truth shall be your shield and buckler.”  – Psalm 91:4

The recent COVID-19 pandemic brought to the fore the importance of wearing protective gear.

Indeed, we all carry unforgettable memories about masks, face shields, gloves, etc.

One lady told a distressing story of how she’s still traumatized by the fact that she and her children were not allowed to get anywhere near her husband in hospital or to bury him when he died of COVID-19, because she could not afford the requisite protective gear.  

One of the things that make Psalm 91 so fascinating is how the poet used his life experiences to describe his relationship with God.

For example, David as a career warrior – a fighter from his youth, knew that warriors must be armed with both offensive (arrows, spears, daggers) and defensive/protective (shields, helmets, boots, armour, bullet-proof vests) weapons.

Our meditation today mentions two defensive weapons – a shield and bucker.

Throughout antiquity and the medieval period, shields were integral to the armament and tactics of armies worldwide.

A shield was fundamental to the survival and success of a warrior in battle.

Shields provided critical protection against a variety of long-range weapons such as spears and arrows.

By deflecting or absorbing blows, the shield would reduce the likelihood of serious injury or even death in combat.

Crucially, a shield would protect the fighter by blocking attacks from multiple directions and cover vital areas of the body, such as the head, torso, and legs.

On the other hand, the bucker was a much smaller shield, designed to be held in the hand or worn on the forearm.

“You are my hiding place and my shield: I hope in Your Word.”

PSALM 119:114

It would come in handy during close combat to deflect or block attacks from weapons such as swords, axes, or daggers.

The buckler’s small size allowed for quick, agile movements in combat, enabling the user to parry incoming strikes and maintain a defensive posture while simultaneously allowing for offensive maneuvers with the sword or other weapons held in the other hand.

Simply put, a fighter losing his shield or buckler during combat would easily become a death sentence. Such a soldier had to retreat immediately.

David uses the phrase “His truth shall be your shield and buckler” to metaphorically state that God’s ‘truth’ – His faithfulness, loyalty, fidelity, dependability, trustworthiness, reliability in regard to the promises in His Word – will protect and defend those who trust in Him in this perilous, precarious and dangerous world.

If your all your trust and hope is in the Lord, then you are armed with weapons to protect you spiritually, emotionally and physically even if you are buffeted by adversaries all around.

Whether it is long-range or close combat situations, there is no stronger protective gear than trusting in God’s promises and relying on His faithfulness. 

Putting our trust in the God’s unfailing promises is as good as being armed with an iron shield and buckler.

Without Christ, who is the way, the truth and the life; you’re insane, with Him you’re safe.

Putting our trust in Christ’s unfailing promises is as good as being armed with an iron shield and buckler. We’re shielded all round.

That’s why in Ephesians 6:10-18, the Bible says faith is the ‘shield’ in the “full armour of God” that every Christian must wear to stand against the schemes of the enemy (verse 16).

Like David sang in another psalm; “But You, O LORD, are a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head” (Psalm 3:3).

Psalm 119: 114 adds; “You are my hiding place and my shield: I hope in Your Word.”