My Sovereign Protector

For over a year and a half now my husband and I have read through the Psalms and Proverbs together once every month.

Since my husband was away last week helping with an OMF construction project we read separately. But somehow we were both impressed by this verse from one of our Psalm readings:   for he breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron. (Psalms 107:16)

It fits well with a verse that impressed me from my own Bible reading last week: Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. (Proverbs 30:5)

And this puts me in mind of the beautiful old Toplady hymn we learned from Daughter # 4’s new in-laws while we were in Holland for her wedding in January.

A sovereign protector I have,
Unseen, yet forever at hand,
Unchangeably faithful to save,
Almighty to rule and command.
He smiles, and my comforts abound;
His grace as the dew shall descend;
And walls of salvation surround
The soul He delights to defend.

Inspirer and hearer of prayer,
Thou shepherd and guardian of Thine,
My all to Thy covenant care
I sleeping and waking resign.
If Thou art my shield and my sun,
The night is no darkness to me;
And fast as my moments roll on,
They bring me but nearer to Thee.

Kind author, and ground of my hope,
Thee, Thee, for my God I avow;
My glad Ebenezer set up,
And own Thou hast helped me till now.
I muse on the years that are past,
Wherein my defense Thou hast proved;
Nor wilt Thou relinquish at last
A sinner so signally loved!   - sung to TREWEN

That message - “And walls of salvation surround the soul He delights to defend” – was one we needed just then. And God in a most amazing way brought it home to our hearts through the Psalms we sang at church – nearly every day during Christmas and New Year.

No, He won’t relinquish A SINNER SO SIGNALLY LOVED!