Trusting Chariots and Horses

Scripture
 
Psa. 20:7     Some take pride in chariots, and some in horses,
        but our pride is in the name of the LORD our God.
8     They will collapse and fall,
        but we shall rise and stand upright.

Observation

Surrounded by enemies who had much more “firepower” than he did, David still proclaimed his faith and trust in the LORD. According to God’s law, David was not allowed to have chariots, nor horses. These were signs of strength in a worldly political system backed by an overwhelming military presence. The great and powerful rulers of this world had chariots and horses and they took pride in all that they had.

Because David didn’t have horses, nor  chariots it would appear as if he had nothing. His enemies probably thought the idea of going into battle without the usual armaments was foolish. He didn’t fit the mold of a leader and his enemies would have simply laughed at what he was trying to accomplish. But David had complete and total trust in the LORD God. He believed in the power of God and that this would be much more powerful than any number of horses or chariots. Standing in the strength of the LORD, David would prevail and stand upright.

Application

I can only imagine how much David would have been tempted to trust in chariots and horses. These were visible signs of strength and force which, one would assume, would have made a great difference when doing battle with his enemies. We have our own contemporary versions of horses and chariots and these begin to appear when we put our trust in earthly powers and systems to bring about the kingdom of God. David trusted Jehovah and his pride was in God. He refused to be drawn into trusting in worldly systems to come to his defense. Instead, he believed in God for deliverance — and not just deliverance, but victory. The very powers of the world collapse under the weight of God’s rule.

David trusted in God, but his son Solomon succumbed to the temptation to fight his battles on the same level as the world. We read in 1 Kings 4:26 “Solomon also had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.” That’s a lot of firepower! His pride was not in the name of the LORD his God, but in his own things and his own perceived strength. Solomon justified himself before God and others. In the meantime, his possessions became a distraction to his relationship with God. He trusted his chariots and horses and ultimately the kingdom split and fell into ruin. Thinking he was great and powerful made him forget the One who had given him that strength and power in the first place.

When we begin to believe that our solution will be found in chariots and horses we will stumble and fall. Our gaze is to turn heavenward and our pride is to be our God, Jehovah. The promises of old remain true today. As kingdom citizens we are to be about the business of our heavenly Father. The systems will collapse and fall. They always have! But kingdom citizens will ultimately rise and stand upright because the kingdom of God is eternal.

May God help us if our gaze has turned toward having chariots and horses. Seek the face of God and walk in the grace of the kingdom of God. There will be no horses, nor will there be chariots, but there will be pride in the same of our LORD.

Prayer

Lord, please help me to ignore the horses and chariots and keep my gaze toward you. Amen.