We will rejoice in your salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners May the Lord fulfill all your petitions. Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven with the saving strength of His right hand. (Psalm 20:5-6)
In times of war, armies typically fight under a banner, most commonly their nation’s flag. The banner identifies them to friend and foe, and as has been demonstrated time and again, serves to rally a force to hold on and push through to victory. Once the conquering army has defeated their enemy, the latter’s banner is lowered and replaced with the banner of the victorious. From David’s point of view, the victorious are the ofttimes beleaguered people of God who raise their standard in His Name. He is the One who brings victory and salvation, and all glory goes to Him.
From this thought, David goes on to say something very interesting: “Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed.” It is almost as if David wasn’t sure if God would save him as he entered into a time of testing and war. Perhaps he wondered if past mistakes would come back to bite him at the worst opportune time. Maybe he feared that his enemies would be able to rejoice in his defeat as he had previously written: “Many are they who say of me, ‘There is no help for him in God’” (Psalm 3:2). Whatever the occasion that brought victory to David, from that point forward, all would know that God loved His servant and had saved him from those who sought his destruction. And just to make the point, David was determined to set up banners over his vanquished enemy in the name of the LORD.
When we find ourselves in times of trouble and facing overwhelming opposition from our enemy, it is easy to give into doubt and wonder — “I know that the Lord can save but will He save me?” Perhaps overcoming those fears and going into the battle uncertain of the outcome, at least in the natural scheme of things, is part of the battle in the first place. In other words, perhaps fear and doubt are a greater threat to us than any army on the planet. I say that because, if our trust is in the LORD, then we know He goes before us; He is our rearguard and, consequently, there is no need to fear our enemies.
So then, I pray that all of us, in those times when we are tempted to lose hope and throw up our hands in defeat, will remember that the LORD’s right hand upholds us in our weakness. We can declare, as Israel did so many times, “Yahweh Nissi: The Lord Is My Banner” (Exodus 17:15).
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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