“And David spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul.  He said,

‘The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of my salvation,
my stronghold and my refuge,
my savior; you save me from violence.
I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,
and I am saved from my enemies.

For the waves of death encompassed me,
the torrents of destruction assailed me;
the cords of Sheol entangled me;
the snares of death confronted me.

‘In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I called.
From his temple he heard my voice,
and my cry came to his ears.

(From Psalm 22, ESV)

Before travelling to Ireland a few years back, Tina and I were told there were three things we would find everywhere in Ireland:  sheep, Guinness, and old ruins.  That wasn’t far from the truth.  Of the three, my interest was captivated by the numerous ancient ruins that dotted the landscape.

Many of these ruins dated back to a period between the 5th and 10th Centuries A.D. when Celtic monks built circular towers at the center of their monastic communities. These would later be fortified by much larger castle structures.  Because living in Ireland in those days probably wasn’t much unlike living in the Wild West, due to the numerous Viking raids, it was prudent for Irish communities and villages to have some defensive measures, or at least a place of refuge when the raiding parties were spotted on the hillside.

The only problem with these man made structures of refuge was they would inevitably be breached, and the inhabitants plundered, murdered, or carried off into captivity.  When you read this excerpt from Psalm 22, notice how many back to back images of protection and strength David uses.  God is a “rock”, a “fortress”, a “deliverer”, a “refuge”, a “shield”, a “horn of salvation”, a “stronghold”,…a “savior”.  There is no question in David’s mind that God is absolutely impenetrable.   But, not only are His walls un-breachable, He goes beyond His walls to rescue and save those trapped on the outside, to bring them into the security of His stronghold.

As you wrestle with the metaphorical raiding parties in your life that threaten your security and well-being, I encourage you to meditate on this passage from Psalm 22.  Read it over and over, emphasizing each time a different word of strength and defense, out loud.  Remind yourself of God’s strength, His compassion, and His deliverance.  Claim Him in faith as your rock, refuge, and savior.

“The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock,
       and exalted be my God, the rock of my salvation…”

The Rock of Cashel ruins in Southern Ireland