Now and then, just for fun, I choose to write with my left hand. It’s a mess! I’m far from ambidextrous. My right arm is the strongest and the best coordinated. When David said that God answered him with the saving strength of His right hand, it was a statement of faith in God’s goodness and power. That’s part of what it means to boast in the Lord.

David declared what all God’s people should know. The Lord (Yahweh) does not mess around with poorly coordinated and limp wristed responses. We can rely on God to save us more effectively than a regiment of chariots and horses ever will. Based on his strong faith in God, David penned the following blessing:

May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble!
May the name of the God of Jacob set you securely on high!
May He send you help from the sanctuary
And support you from Zion!
May He remember all your meal offerings
And find your burnt offering acceptable! Selah.

May He grant you your heart’s desire
And fulfill all your counsel!
We will sing for joy over your victory,
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.
Some boast in chariots and some in horses,
But we will boast in the name of the Lord, our God.
They have bowed down and fallen,
But we have risen and stood upright.
Save, O Lord;
May the King answer us in the day we call. (Psalm 20:1-9)

I’m sure that we all want the blessings listed in the psalm:

• A quick answer from our King, Yahweh, whenever we are in trouble.
• Every attribute of God that is represented by His “name” undergirding our lives and keeping us in a high place instead of being vulnerable and downtrodden.
• Help and support straight from the dwelling place of God.
• We don’t make ritual offerings any more, but we are called to present our bodies as living and holy sacrifices. It’s good to know that He accepts us.
• Seeing our desires and purposes bear fruit and our requests answered by Yahweh.

Every one of those blessings is available as part of a life in relationship with God through Jesus. But we still have to make a choice: will we trust in the best human resources that we can muster, or will we rely on God? I easily focus too much on my own strengths to produce fruit and success. My little army of financial resources, extra time, and useful contacts parades before my mind. When I admit that those resources are just a start, I more readily turn to God to ask Him to go far beyond what I can do. To boast in the Lord is to openly and deliberately rely on Him. Those who choose to boast in the Lord, looking to Him in every need, will experience the flow of blessings that David mentioned.

The goal of Bible Maturity is to promote spiritual growth and faith in God. Please share these short Bible devotions with your friends and family and pray for revival.