Train My Hands For War

A few days ago I was reading the Psalms and came across Psalm 144.    I have probably read it a dozen times over the years but this time it spoke to me in a huge, huge way.    Recently, I have been struggling with feeling like nothing I was doing was enough.   Like every effort I made was to small, and no matter what I tried, I could not do the right thing, say the right thing, write a good enough song, work hard enough....all the lies of the enemy attacking me with guilt and inferiority.   I knew these were lies and that the enemy was working to make me feel defeated and useless.   I also knew that I was beginning to believe it....so I prayed.    And then I came across Psalm 144.

It's a Psalm of David.

Praise be to the Lord my Rock,
    who trains my hands for war,
    my fingers for battle.
2 He is my loving God and my fortress,
    my stronghold and my deliverer,
my shield, in whom I take refuge,
    who subdues peoples[a] under me.

3 Lord, what are human beings that you care for them,
    mere mortals that you think of them?
4 They are like a breath;
    their days are like a fleeting shadow.

5 Part your heavens, Lord, and come down;
    touch the mountains, so that they smoke.
6 Send forth lightning and scatter the enemy;
    shoot your arrows and rout them.
7 Reach down your hand from on high;
    deliver me and rescue me
from the mighty waters,
    from the hands of foreigners
8 whose mouths are full of lies,
    whose right hands are deceitful.

9 I will sing a new song to you, my God;
    on the ten-stringed lyre I will make music to you,
10 to the One who gives victory to kings,
    who delivers his servant David.

From the deadly sword 11 deliver me;
    rescue me from the hands of foreigners
whose mouths are full of lies,
    whose right hands are deceitful.

¹² Then our sons in their youth
    will be like well-nurtured plants,
and our daughters will be like pillars
    carved to adorn a palace.
¹³ Our barns will be filled
    with every kind of provision.
Our sheep will increase by thousands,
    by tens of thousands in our fields;
¹⁴     our oxen will draw heavy loads.^[b]
There will be no breaching of walls,
    no going into captivity,
    no cry of distress in our streets.
¹⁵ Blessed is the people of whom this is true;
    blessed is the people whose God is the Lord.

The first thing I noticed is that when David prays for the Lord to ready him for war, he doesn't ask the Lord to prepare his armor, or ask for men to fight beside him.   He doesn't ask for a stronger sword or bigger shield.   He Praises the one who "trains his hands for war and his fingers for battle".   Then in verse 9 we learn why.....He is singing a new song to the Lord.   A song on his instrument.   He is choosing worship and praise, and in doing say, he is giving over the battle to the Lord.   His does what he is able and lets the Lord fight for Him.   Using the tools he has been given to wage war in worship.    The psalm then goes on to say "Part Your heavens, Lord, and come down"   He is inviting God to come and move, to scatter the enemy with lighting and reach down from on high and rescue him.    Verse 2 says "He is my shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues people under me".  He is choosing to rest in the presence of his Father, and trust that it is enough.    It is all he is called to do....worship, and trust.      Waiting on the Lord to fight the battle he knows is too big and to high for him to fight.    There is freedom in knowing our King will wage the war.   He is big enough, strong enough, and willing.    May He Train our hands for war and our fingers for battle so that we can praise Him, and trust Him to come in and defeat the enemy.