(Psalm 144) The Ideal Marine
4th of July • Sermon • Submitted
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· 7 viewsPsalm 144 was a favorite text among pastors and chaplains in the American Revolution. David was considered the ideal soldier possessing both Spiritual and Warrior toughness. In Psalm 144 David requests God to grant him victory over his enemies.
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INTRODUCTION:
One of my hobby subjects of late … is trying to understand the role of Pastors and Chaplains during the American Revolution.
- How did they relate Scripture and Theology - to their decision to support the American Revolution.
- How significant was the voice of Pastors and Chaplains towards building a consensus for rebellion.
I recently read -
> God of Liberty: A Religious History of the American Revolution by Thomas Kidd
And then,
> Sacred Scripture, Sacred War: The Bible and the American Revolution by James Byrd.
Both books I highly recommend .
And extremely helpful in going past the cliches that I was kid in public school, and to begin to really consider how Bible believing Christians understood the American Revolution and the Constitution.
Since I have the privilege of preaching to you on 4th of July Weekend,
I thought I would share one of the most quoted Bible verses in the American Revolution.
Psalm 144.
According to Byrd,
David was often considered an idealistic example of what a good soldier should be.
David was certainly a might warrior.
A man of strength and courage.
A man used to the outdoors, as a shepherd.
Who Scripture records fighting lion and bears off.
Almost the Davy Crockett of His day,
who was known for his bear fighting.
2 Sam 23:8 presents David not simply as a man of valor, but in fact a leader of mighty men.
These might men … were literally men who shaped the battles and history of Israel.
And David was the leader of these mighty men.
And yet, David was not merely warrior.
Unlike Samson, one of the early leaders in the book of Judges,
He was not merely a strong man.
But he was also a profoundly Spiritual man.
1 Sam 13:14 teaches us that - David was a man after God’s own heart.
The Mighty David, who defeated Goliath, was one of the greatest Spiritual leaders in history.
He authored over 74 Psalms, including Psalm 23. One of the most quoted Psalms of the Bible.
For the rest of the history of Israel .... the kings were looking back at David as an Ideal king.
The Clergy and Chaplains of the American Revolution quickly looked to the example David in the Bible - to prepare Soldiers to face the enemy.
He become the ideal example of a Soldier -
A mighty man of strength.
A mighty man of faith.
Thus,
Ps 144 one of the most popular passages to preach on … to soldiers who were preparing for battle.
James Byrd says,
“Many psalms were popular in wartime because they commanded soldiers to do their primary duty: kill the enemy. In colonial America, no militant verse from the Psalms surpassed the popularity of Psalm 144:1: “Blessed be the Lord, my strength which teacheth my hand to war, and my fingers to fight.”” (pg. 25)
***********************PRAY*********************************
If you would open up your Bibles to Psalm 144, as we consider this Psalm today.
Of David.
Blessed be the Lord, my rock,
who trains my hands for war,
and my fingers for battle;
he is my steadfast love and my fortress,
my stronghold and my deliverer,
my shield and he in whom I take refuge,
who subdues peoples under me.
O Lord, what is man that you regard him,
or the son of man that you think of him?
Man is like a breath;
his days are like a passing shadow.
Bow your heavens, O Lord, and come down!
Touch the mountains so that they smoke!
Flash forth the lightning and scatter them;
send out your arrows and rout them!
Stretch out your hand from on high;
rescue me and deliver me from the many waters,
from the hand of foreigners,
whose mouths speak lies
and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
I will sing a new song to you, O God;
upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to you,
who gives victory to kings,
who rescues David his servant from the cruel sword.
Rescue me and deliver me
from the hand of foreigners,
whose mouths speak lies
and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
May our sons in their youth
be like plants full grown,
our daughters like corner pillars
cut for the structure of a palace;
may our granaries be full,
providing all kinds of produce;
may our sheep bring forth thousands
and ten thousands in our fields;
may our cattle be heavy with young,
suffering no mishap or failure in bearing;
may there be no cry of distress in our streets!
Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall!
Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord!
From this text, I challenge us with
5 Spiritual belief’s that every Marine should have.
5 Spiritual belief’s that every Marine should have.
This morning,
we are going to look at 5 Spiritual belief’s David .... that made him an ideal soldier during time of war.
Let’s Look at -
Belief #1: God Prepares the Godly for Battle. (Psalm 144:1)
Belief #1: God Prepares the Godly for Battle. (Psalm 144:1)
Blessed be the Lord, my rock,
who trains my hands for war,
and my fingers for battle;
David begins his request for God’s intervention, with praising God.
Blessed be the Lord,
Or Praise the Lord.
For what does David praise God for?
For training his hands for war
And his fingers for Battle.
Now consider that for the moment.
If I was to ask you, how do you become a competent soldier, Marine?
What would most people tell you?
- You need to get in shape.
And so to train for Battle - you run, you do some pull ups, push ups, HITT workout … you get fit.
- You need to know how to shoot.
And so you spend time at the range, honing your skills at shooting targets.
- And you need know tactics.
What 5 ways can you take a bunker, take out a tank, and clear a field of the enemy.
And you spend countless hours … learning to be an expert at the conduct of war.
But in all that of training … who truly makes us skilled warriors?
Many soldiers, Marines in pride and arrogance said … I did it.
In fact, we are proud to be among the few who hold the title of United States Marine …
because it is a matter of personal accomplishment.
Yet, David, a competent, and experienced Soldiers says -
Blessed be the Lord, my rock,
who trains my hands for war,
and my fingers for battle;
While we can never be skilled warriors without training and practice and striving for excellence,
let us also not forget that I cannot truly be a competent rifleman unless God blesses my training.
Just as indispensible as training is …
God’s blessing of your training is indispensible part of becoming a skilled Marine.
That as I run, as I shoot, as I learn how to ambush the enemy - God must be blessing my training.
You cannot become skilled Marine, unless the Creator and Sustainer, helps you.
Just like David,
A good Marine will recognize God’s blessing in his preparation for Battle.
Belief #2: True Warrior Strength Comes from God. (Psalm 144:1-3)
Belief #2: True Warrior Strength Comes from God. (Psalm 144:1-3)
One of the persistent mistakes that military members make, is to think that their strength comes from themselves.
Many of our Marines boast of being the best,
and being fit.
and being strong.
After all -
> A military member - is one of only 29% of our population qualified medically and physically to serve in the military.
> Of that, less than 1% have served in the Armed Forces.
And even less have called themselves … United States Marines.
And the training, and testing, all serve to make the US military most exceptional people in the world.
And the great danger of knowing that .... is to be puffed up pride and to think true warrior strength comes from inside.
Yet, military veterans who have served in combat … almost always come with a certain humility.
They don’t know if they would survive, and in hindsight … they have no idea why they survived battle.
The National World War 2 Museum in New Orleans described Life on Guadalcanal this way:
“For the infantryman, the campaign on Guadalcanal was synonymous with misery. The Americans who had the misfortune to serve on the island, particularly from August through October 1942, were denied the very basics of living as we know it. Those ashore faced a constant day-to-day battle of life and death. Death could wear many faces on Guadalcanal. A man could be weakened by tropical disease and malnutrition just as easily as being killed by enemy fire.”
Life on Guadalcanal | The National WWII Museum | New Orleans (nationalww2museum.org)
War is so horrific and grueling that no one can face battle … without realizing they need more than their own strength to survive.
War is a place where no one is safe,
and even the strongest and bravest soldiers can fall.
David again, shows us he is an ideal soldier … by telling us where he finds his strength for the Battle.
Being an experienced soldier, and knowing the grave dangers he will face in battle
David calls His God -
My Rock (v. 1)
My fortress, stronghold, deliverer, and shield (v. 2)
Great names … that teach us that God protects us.
Stretch out your hand from on high;
rescue me and deliver me from the many waters,
from the hand of foreigners,
And David will repeat himself in v. 11.
Rescue me and deliver me
from the hand of foreigners,
whose mouths speak lies
and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
When faced with Battle,
David pleads with God to rescue and deliver himself from his enemies.
Where does David get all of his strength to survive the battle?
He looks to God for protection.
David’s greatest strength is not found in himself, but looking outside himself to God.
Just like David,
A good Marine will recognize he needs God’s strength and protection for Battle.
Belief #3: Godliness Matters in War. (Psalm 144:8, 11)
Belief #3: Godliness Matters in War. (Psalm 144:8, 11)
When Jim Mattis prepared to lead his Division into Iraq,
he made this statement to his troops -
"Demonstrate to the world that there is 'No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy' than a US Marine."
What he was challenging his troops to … was to take the moral high ground in the war.
The Marine Corp Hymn, states -
“From the Halls of Montezuma
To the shores of Tripoli
We fight our country's battles
In the air, on land, and sea.
First to fight for right and freedom
And to keep our honor clean; We are proud to claim the title
Of United States Marines.”
Think about the significance of that … to keep our honor clean.
In 1859, when the Hymn was written, it was written to remind Marines that morality in war matters.
David again, is the ideal soldier, because he takes the moral high ground.
Going back to Psalm 144:11
Rescue me and deliver me
from the hand of foreigners,
whose mouths speak lies
and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
He petitions God to rescue him,
because his enemies use lies to justify their war against David.
For a multitude of reasons -
The fact that God says his ways are good and right.
The fact that God judges sin.
And the fact, that we will one day face God as our Judge ...
Teaches us that Godliness matters … even in War.
War is not to be anarchy, but a necessary act to stop a much greater injustice.
And thus, even War should be done according to what is good and right.
Just like David,
A Good Marine will recognize that Godliness matters in War.
Belief #4: God Determines the Victors of Battle. (Psalm 144:10)
Belief #4: God Determines the Victors of Battle. (Psalm 144:10)
If you have ever attended a formal Marine Corp Mess Night … the toast to all the Marines who came before is a humbling experience.
A toast is given to every generation, and every battle fought by the Marine Corp.
The list is to long and distinguished for me to read this morning.
But who determined the victory of those Battles?
Certainly … Marines gave their lives … and thus deserve an eternal remembrance.
And certainly Marines fought with blood, sweat, and tears for every inch of ground conquered.
And not to lesson those great sacrifices … but we must also recognize each of those victories are superintended by God.
Just like Proverbs 21:1 teaches that God controls the heart of a king,
David teaches us that God grants victory to whom he chooses.
I will sing a new song to you, O God;
upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to you,
who gives victory to kings,
who rescues David his servant from the cruel sword.
David was a man who had won many battles.
Perhaps, his most famous one was as a mere boy,
who defeated the Giant Goliath with a few small stones.
And as he considered the victories … who did he confess superintended his success?
God.
God was the one who gave victory to David,
and rescued him from his enemies.
Just like David,
A Good Marine will recognize that God determines the victory.
In fact, it is a comfort.
It is a comfort when I am outgunned and outclassed … that War is not merely won by who has more and bigger weapons.
In fact, isn’t that what happened in the American Revolution.
Outgunned and outclassed - we defeated the worlds greatest Army.
It should give us strength and courage when we are outnumbered,
because we know more and bigger weapons don’t solely win wars.
Instead, God wins wars.
God determines the victors of Battle.
It is like Psalm 20:7 says,
Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
Just like David,
A Good Marine will recognize that God determines the victory.
And finally,
Belief #5: God Establishes Lasting Peace and Prosperity. (Psalm 144:12-15)
Belief #5: God Establishes Lasting Peace and Prosperity. (Psalm 144:12-15)
Psalm 144 ends with an interesting twist.
It begins with David pleading for God to deliver him,
and ends believing God will grant lasting peace.
May our sons in their youth
be like plants full grown,
our daughters like corner pillars
cut for the structure of a palace;
may our granaries be full,
providing all kinds of produce;
may our sheep bring forth thousands
and ten thousands in our fields;
may our cattle be heavy with young,
suffering no mishap or failure in bearing;
may there be no cry of distress in our streets!
Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall!
Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord!
What Psalm 144:12-15 is describing is lasting peace?
Those who fight for what is right and good,
also hopes for a day when the war over.
A day when lasting peace will come.
David confessed in v. 15 where that that peace comes from
Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall!
Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord!
Just like God establishes the victor,
God is the one who establishes peace.
The final belief - Just like David,
A Good Marine will recognize that God establishes lasting Peace.
CONCLUSION:
So those are the 5 belief’s of David, the ideal warrior, that we should also believe.
Belief #1: God Prepares the Godly for Battle. (Psalm 144:1)
Belief #2: True Warrior Strength Comes from God. (Psalm 144:1-3)
Belief #3: Godliness Matters in War. (Psalm 144:8, 11)
Belief #4: God Determines the Victors of Battle. (Psalm 144:10)
Belief #5: God Establishes Lasting Peace and Prosperity. (Psalm 144:12-15)
When I consider Psalm 144, I must conclude that -
The Best Marines are both Spiritual and Physical Warriors.
The Best Marines are both Spiritual and Physical Warriors.
Now I hope you find this Psalm as fascinating to you as it was to me.
Psalm 144 is certainly not the message we typically hear, or typically think of.
But it is still God’s Word, and has much to teach us.
In the American Revolution, it was one of the most quoted passages in the Bible.
And I find that fascinating.
I recognize that today I have mixed crowd.
Some of you are Marines, and we that currently serve need to think about these ideas.
Ecclesiastes 3:8 (ESV)
a time for war, and a time for peace.
Thank God we are living in a time of peace,
but remember that tomorrow can be war.
I challenge you consider what truths from God’s Word you need to remember - when you are going into battle.
>>>>But for many of you - you are to pass the time to be called to War.
What does this text say to you?
Not only is the passage often quoted for physical battle,
but many in Church history have quoted it in regards to Spiritual battle.
The church Father Augustine, talking about this verse, said -
Old Testament VIII: Psalms 51–150 The Inner Battle with Sin (Augustine)
There is a war a person wages with himself, engaging evil desire, curbing greed, crushing pride, stifling ambition, slaughtering lust. You fight these battles in secret, and you do not lose them in public! It is for this that your hands are trained for battle and your fingers for war.
While this text is clearly talking about a physical battle David faced,
it’s teaching seemed to fit well when we talk about the Spiritual battle we face.
I challenge - to be the Ideal warrior - Mighty in Faith … prepared to serve God however he sees fit.
*********************LET US PRAY*******************