Psalm 144

1 Praise the Lord, who is my rock. He trains my hands for war and gives my fingers skill for battle.
2 He is my loving ally and my fortress, my tower of safety, my rescuer. He is my shield, and I take refuge in him. He makes the nations submit to me.
3 O Lord, what are human beings that you should notice them, mere mortals that you should think about them?
4 For they are like a breath of air; their days are like a passing shadow.
5 Open the heavens, Lord, and come down. Touch the mountains so they billow smoke.
6 Hurl your lightning bolts and scatter your enemies! Shoot your arrows and confuse them!
7 Reach down from heaven and rescue me; rescue me from deep waters, from the power of my enemies.
8 Their mouths are full of lies; they swear to tell the truth, but they lie instead.
9 I will sing a new song to you, O God! I will sing your praises with a ten-stringed harp.
10 For you grant victory to kings! You rescued your servant David from the fatal sword.
11 Save me! Rescue me from the power of my enemies. Their mouths are full of lies; they swear to tell the truth, but they lie instead.
12 May our sons flourish in their youth like well-nurtured plants. May our daughters be like graceful pillars, carved to beautify a palace.
13 May our barns be filled with crops of every kind. May the flocks in our fields multiply by the thousands, even tens of thousands,
14 and may our oxen be loaded down with produce. May there be no enemy breaking through our walls, no going into captivity, no cries of alarm in our town squares.
15 Yes, joyful are those who live like this! Joyful indeed are those whose God is the Lord.

David was a warrior.

He spent his life building the kingdom of Israel and vanquishing his enemies.

As he looked back on his life he recognized three important things about his journey with God:
1. The Lord had given David the skills required for his appointed tasks.
2. God was an everready place of refuge for David in times of trouble.
3. God orchestrated victory over David's enemies.

These truths alone ought to provide us courage when we face challenges. What more could we need?

Did all this make David proud? or arrogant? No. In fact, he muses..."what are human, that you would take notice of them? They are like a breath of air...or a passing shadow."

All those promises, and humility too...

And with great confidence David offers a benediction suitable for us today...

"May our sons flourish in their youth...May our daughters be like graceful pillars...May our barns be filled with crops of every kind...May the flocks in our fields multiply...and may our oxen be loaded down with produce...May there be no enemy breaking through our walls...Yes, joyful are those who live like this!"

Joyful indeed are those whose God is the Lord. Can we feel that gratitude today?
Live boldly out there today...