Trust In The Lord

Psalm 20

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God (Psalm 20:7)

The Psalms without doubt are some of the favourite books in the Bible for many believers. Even non-believers love the Psalms. The words of the Psalms come handy to comfort in various situations. It provides appropriate words to express praise and thanksgiving to God when joyful. And when in sorrow, it gives words to lament or pour out our hearts to God.  The Psalms was the hymn book and prayer book for the Jews. Remember on the cross Jesus cried out “My God My god, why have you forsaken me” That cry was Jesus praying Psalm 22. The Psalms in summary can also be categorised as (i) Hymns, (ii) Laments, (iii) Psalms of Praise and Thanksgiving (iv) Psalms of Confidence (v) Royal Psalms (vi) Wisdom Psalms. The Royal Psalms are also considered as Kingship Psalms and they speak of God’s Kingship of among his people or the Kingship of David. This Psalm we have read falls into the category of Royal Psalms. It is a prayer written by King David to be prayed for victory in his battles as the King of Israel. You will notice that, from verses 1-4, there is a prayer:

May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob protect you! May he send you help from the sanctuary and give you support from Zion! May he remember all your offerings and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices! Selah May he grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans!

Then from vv. 5- 8, the people affirm their confidence in God.

May we shout for joy over your salvation, and in the name of our God set up our banners! May the Lord fulfill all your petitions! Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven with the saving might of his right hand. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright.

Before you proceed with the article, ponder over these series of questions. Where is your hope and confidence in life? Is it in your bank account, your career or family background? As believers, our hope must be anchored in God through faith in Christ Jesus. Psalm 20:7 presents us with two opposites: Trust in Chariots—human strength and Trust in the Lord. This distinction is marked by the word “but” in verse 7: “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we will trust in the name of the LORD our God.”

Trusting In Human Strength

Some trust in Chariots and some in horses –In biblical times, chariots and horses were signs and symbols of the military strength of nations. Like today,nations parade their strength by their military atillery. To trust in Chariots then was a picture of military strength. And for a nation to trust in chariots and horses is for that nation to put their trust in their military strength. The victory song for Israel when they had crossed the red sea safely was that God overthrew the horses and chariots of Egypt: Exodus 15:1-4

1Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord, saying, I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea. 2The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him. 3The Lord is a man of war; the Lord is his name. 4 “Pharaoh’s chariots and his host he cast into the sea, and his chosen officers were sunk in the Red Sea.

Notice the horse and his rider in v.1. Then notice Pharaoh’s chariots in verse 4. These were the strength and might of Egypt. But God humbled them. In our human experience, this will be akin to trusting in our own human abilities. It will mean putting our hopes in our own selves. It will mean having nothing to do with God. And this is how the world of unbelievers operate: “The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good.” (Psalm 14:1). The fool here is not in reference to a lack of wisdom. But rather, someone with wisdom who denies the reality of the existence of God. People with all their education are able to look at world and say there is no God. This is simply because they choose to deny God. The Bible clearly tells us that God has revealed himself in the natural world (Psalm 19;Romans 1:18-21). In theology this is called General Revelation. God’s existence is ubiquitous in his creation. So the reason people reject God is self-reliance; they will have nothing to do with God.

Trusting In God

Now, contrary to self-reliance, the Psalmist points to a higher trust: trusting in God: “but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.” To remember the name of the Lord is to trust in God. It is to put our hope and faith in God. Pay attention to how the contrast is presented phrase is written: “we will remember the name of the Lord our God”This is an imagery of a personal relationship. God is their God. They are in a Covenant relationship with God. He is not a distant God. He is their God.

Is this God we are talking about your God? Do you have a relationship with him? Are you trusting him? For everyone who has come to faith in Jesus Christ, we are called upon to put our trust in him. Jesus in John 15:5 tells the disciples and by extension us that “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing” Are you a disciple of Jesus? Are you abiding in him by trusting and depending on him? Is he your source of strength? When you are in trouble? How do you deal with it? Is God the first one you call upon in prayer when in trouble?

The verse 8 draws a picture of failure for those who trust in chariots: “They collapse and fall,” It also presents us a picture of the end of those who trust in chariots and horses. It is a picture of eternal judgement. One day, all who are self-reliant and rejecting God will stand in judgement before God and if you have not trusted in his way of salvation that is Jesus, you will collapse and fall down. You will suffer God’s condemnation. You will be cast out of the presence of God into eternal damnation (Matthew 7:23).

Why must you trust God? From the Psalm, we can summarise below

1. He Answers Prayers (vv1;4;5;6;9)
2. He helps and defends his children (v.2)
3. He doesn’t forget our faith (v.3)
4. He saves his own (vv. 5;6;8)