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“He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge, his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.”  Psalm 91:4 (ESV)

I love that passage of scripture. It speaks of God’s protection for His children. We need that in these uncertain times.  “His faithfulness is a shield and buckler.”  Who needs shields and bucklers but soldiers?  We need armor when He sends us out daily to confront the enemy.

There is a difference between shields and bucklers. A shield in Old Testament times was made of metal or leather, large enough to hide behind and take refuge from the flaming arrows and lances of the enemy.  In the Old Testament books about the kings, you can read about the gold shields of King David and King Solomon.  Imagine an army lined up for battle, standing behind polished gold shields, edge to edge.  The sun’s reflection could have blinded the enemy!  Even better, God’s faithfulness is our shield.

A buckler is much smaller and lighter, usually metal and no more than sixteen to eighteen inches in diameter.  A gold buckler would have weighed about seven and half pounds.  It was held by a strap on the back, leaving the other hand free for hand-to-hand combat.  That’s where the war gets down and dirty.

Did you know that ‘buckler’ is the basis for the word ‘swashbuckler?’ Decades ago, swashbuckler movies were all the rage.  Some recent characters that come to mind are Zorro, Iron Man and Captain Jack Sparrow, colorful characters who fought bravely and even recklessly.  Some of us are called to be swashbucklers for the Lord. Many, like the Apostle Paul and Martin Luther, have been fighting the good fight through the centuries.

Within memory, I can name Billy Graham, Jerry Falwell, Sr., and my friend Fred Morrissette, who for decades has traveled quietly to remote places on the globe, risking dangers and disease to set up Bible schools for indigent pastors and lay people. He now has thousands of small, active Bible schools worldwide led by native pastors and lay people.  He now has thousands of small, active Bible schools worldwide led by native pastors who have graduated from his training program.  I think of Fred as the Rambo of missionaries. Thank God there are many like him, working quietly and single-mindedly with the heart of a swashbuckler.

I may never be called to be a swashbuckler, but I have already been called to stand firm in the Lord’s army, protected by His faithfulness.  I’ll bet you have, too.  We can be grateful for the armor He provides.

“Dear Lord, thank You for Your faithfulness which is our protection.  Help us bravely go out as soldiers when You give the call, working under Your shield and buckler.”

For His Glory

Cherie Williams (cherieharbridgewilliams.com)
TRBC Women’s Life