December 4

As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him. - 2 Samuel 22:31.

GOD is here metaphorically set forth as the defence of his people. Let us first observe the metaphor employed. It is a “buckler.” A buckler is a shield: it is called a buckler, because it is bound by a buckle on the arm for security and use. The metaphor David here employs he explains himself, when he says, “But my defence is of God, who saveth the upright in heart.” Christians are exposed to ten thousand enemies; they have enemies temporal, spiritual, and infernal; and if they were left to themselves there would be enough to make their hearts sink within them: but, as David says, their “defence is of God.” Some bucklers have been made of leather, some of wood, some of iron, some of steel, and some belonging to David even of silver and gold; but the shield of the Christian is divine. How impenetrable is their defence!-how valuable!-how it covers all the interests of a believer in Jesus!

Protected by this, what can Satan or the world do? Injure his substance? But God has made a hedge round about it. His reputation? But “thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.” His body? “He keepeth all his bones.” His soul? “He shall preserve thy soul:” and this is the grand thing; this is the main interest: that which relates to his substance and his earthly interest may be injured; yea, he may lose these; not because God is unable to preserve them, but because he hath not promised to secure them absolutely. All temporal blessings are promised in the Scriptures only conditionally; that is, if they be good for us. As far as these outward blessings are for our good, they are equally sure with our spiritual ones; but the loss of them may be even beneficial to our religious welfare. However this may be, whatever is essential to our spiritual and everlasting welfare, we may rest assured, is absolutely promised. Hence the promises, “Sin shall not have dominion over you;” “The Lord shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.” Then let us observe,

Secondly, The characters that lay claim to his protection:-“He is a buckler to all them that trust in him.” It is common for all writers to express the whole by a part; but then it must be an essential part. It is the same with the sacred writers: they hold forth the whole by a part; hence they express the whole of religion by “trusting in the Lord;” and we need not wonder at this, because religion takes its rise from this source. Man fell by losing his trust in God, and is only to be recovered by the restoration of it.

Lastly, we may observe the universality of the claimants:-“He is a buckler to all them that trust in him.” Liberality has its bounds: it cannot do every thing, it often cannot do much. Friendship has its partiality: we cannot take every one into our own bosom; but as for God, his tender mercies are over all his works. And if we pass over his compassion and come to his complacency, we read that “he takes pleasure in them that fear him, in them that hope in his mercy.” It equally regards all these, without respect to persons; all of every nation that call upon his name; all of every condition,-Onesimus the slave and Philemon the master, Zenas the lawyer and Luke the physician; all of every degree of grace, and of every degree of faith, where it is real.

Thomas with his weak faith, and the centurion with his strong faith, are all one in him, and are blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. “Happy is the people that is in such a case! Yea, happy is the people whose God is the Lord.”