Psalm 84:11, “For the LORD your God is our sun and shield. He gives us grace and glory. The LORD will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.”
There are somewhere between 71 and 81 verses in the Bible that speak of God as our shield, emphasizing His ability to protect us and provide help when needed, which gives us hope as we find refuge and safety in Him. We see God’s character of warmth and guidance from the imagery of the sun. The sun helps us see clearly where to go in the daytime, just as His Word directs our paths. In Psalm 84:11, “This is the only place in the Bible where God is explicitly called ‘a sun.’ It is because he shines on us and is the brightness of our days.” (Boice) Blue Letter Bible, David Guzik Commentary.
God is our overall protection, serving as our shield, pointing to God’s protection and defense against harm. God told Abraham not to be afraid in Genesis 15:1, “Fear not Abram, I am your shield, your reward will be very great.” ESV. Think about the normal shields you use every day to protect yourself: seatbelts while driving, SPF lotions that protect you from sunburn, antivirus software that protects you from malware (hopefully), umbrellas that shield you from getting wet when it rains, etc., etc. Tony Evans wrote in His book, “Praying The Names of God”, “The LORD My Shield – Jehovah Magen, you are like an umbrella, shielding me from rain. You don’t make the rain stop all the time. Sometimes you allow it to continue. But when I am under you as my umbrella, you stop the rain from falling on me. Forgive me for stepping out from under your covering and seeking my own.”
How has God shown you His grace and glory? God gives His undeserved kindness and goodness to those, even when we don’t deserve it, which is His grace. Mercy is when God gives us His undeserved kindness and goodness when we are suffering. What a dynamic combination! God illuminates, protects, and provides as we trust in Him.
Do you understand and reflect God’s glory? How would you define this? The Apostle Paul stated in Romans 5:1-2, “We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” God’s grace and His glory go hand in hand.
When we obey God, He will not withhold anything that will help us serve Him. This involves guarding our hearts above all else, for everything we think, say, and do flows from our hearts (Prov. 4:23). If my heart is right, I can be absolutely and confidently assured He will not hold back anything that is good for me. If it doesn’t come my way, it means it wouldn’t have been good for me. As it states in 2 Peter 1:3, “By his divine power, God gives us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.”
The theme of Psalm 84:11 is that God’s living presence is our greatest joy. His radiant presence (symbolized by the sun) helps us grow in grace, strength, and God’s glory. God is saying He is our protector, our shield, stronger and better than any SPF lotion out there, our defender, and our provider. He is our strength. Have courage and let the glory of God shine upon you as you reflect His character and grow in your continual sanctification, reflecting the glory of God. “Hold up your shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.” Ephesians 6:16b. We are assured that we will, with firm courage, achieve victory as God is right beside us as our “sun and shield.”
Listen to Songs of Wisdom – His grace will carry you. Official Lyric Video.