Psalm 18:2 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.
2 Samual 22:2-3 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.
Today we are focusing on Jesus being the “horn of our salvation”. It has taken me awhile to connect with the word “horn”. I kept going back to the day my son brought the baritone home for 5th grade band. That is my 21st century exposure to the horn. I am far removed from the meaning as used in the Bible. The horn in the Bible is one of power and strength which is exactly what I want it to be when talking about my salvation. The above verses are essentially the same found in Psalms and in 2 Samuel. David wrote these words of praise and thanksgiving after he defeated Saul.
A horn is part of an animal that protects them from harm and fights for them. It is a part of their body that is eternal….it never dies. It remains strong and competent even after the body has been separated from it. Have you ever seen a video of rams fighting? It’s not for the faint of heart and they typically fight to the death or until one of them retreats. They don’t kick or punch, they just ram their mighty horns together to the death. The winner is the strongest and most powerful of the herd and is able to carry on their lineage. Humans used these horns as trumpets to “sound the alarm” or as vessels to fill with oil. They also used them to fashion weapons and to adorn the 4 corners of the altar in the Old Testament. They were symbols of strength and power that no human could fabricate. Again, this is what I want when I’m talking about my salvation…the strongest and most powerful, the winner.
Jesus is the “horn of my salvation” – He is the strongest and most powerful. He fought for me to the death. There is no greater sacrifice than this.
I have tried to practice daily words of affirmation in the past. I would stand in front of the mirror in the morning and tell myself all the good things about me to set the tone for the day. It never worked…….because I was always floundering and changing my mind and having to continually remind myself that I was good enough. I have redirected my affirmations to remind myself of who God is in my life and the power that he has to do mighty things through me. These verses are great examples of these affirmations.
Dear Heavenly Father,
You are my rock, my fortress and my deliverer from all that I will face today. In you I will take refuge. You are my shield of protection and the mighty horn of my salvation. You are my stronghold – not the things of this world that seem to weigh me down. Thank you Father for these promises. Please bring these promises to my mind throughout the day when I feel overwhelmed or defeated. Thank you for saving me.
Amen