The shielding of God's faithfulness.
"His truth shall be thy shield and buckler." God's truth here is the certainty that he will keep to his word; the psalmist's conviction of his "truthfulness," "faithfulness." The "shield and buckler" represent the defensive weapons of the older day of hand-to-hand fighting. Both a large shield covering the whole body, and a light, quickly-moved shield, fastened to the left arm, are included; suggesting that the defendings of God are various, and in precise adaptation to his people's need. He is their Defence, both in little perils and in great ones. Get at the thought suggested by this expression of the text, by realizing what our absolute confidence in the integrity of an earthly friend and fellow worker does for us. Take the case of a trusted servant in a house of business. That man's unquestionable uprightness is his master's shield. It shields him from anxiety and care. It shields him from over pressure of toil. It shields him from all robbery and wrong. So, too, with the faithful and honoured wife. Her "truth" shields her husband from home worries, and all home disabilities. "The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her;" and so he can be shielded and at peace. Apply this to God. It is not possible to think he can ever be below himself, or forgetful of his word, "on which he has permitted us" to hope. We may get beyond all mere promises, and assure our hearts in what God is. Illustrate by Luther's time of despondency. On returning home, he found the house shut up, as if some one was dead in it, and his wife dressed in mourning. He inquired what had happened, and she quietly and solemnly replied that "God was dead." It was an object lesson for the desponding Reformer, which he promptly learned. Long as God lives—and he lives forever—he surely is the Hiding place and Shield of his people. To remove God, to bring down our high thought of him, our absolute confidence in his eternal truthfulness and integrity, would be to take away our shield, and leave us helplessly exposed to the assaults of all our foes.—R.T.