“He teaches my hands to make war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You have also given me the shield of Your salvation; Your gentleness has made me great.” (2 Samuel 22:35–36, NKJV)

There was no doubt about it; David was a man of war. Slaying Goliath as a teenager, commanding the armies of Israel in his twenties, and becoming the king of Israel in his thirties. Where did he learn to be such a skilled warrior? How did he come to fight the LORD’s battles?

Obviously, God chose David from the time of his birth, if not before (Galatians 1:5; Jeremiah 1:5). God prepared him for battle in the sheep fields. David rescued sheep from the mouths of lions and bears (1 Samuel 17:34-35). He began with stones and a sling, and he graduated to a sword, a shield and a bow. But God was with him at every step, making David not only a passionate worshiper but also a courageous warrior.

David carried the shield of salvation. In every battle, David looked to the LORD to be His Savior. I am reminded of what Paul wrote to the Ephesians:

“Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.” (Ephesians 6:16, NKJV)

We too are warriors in a battle. We don’t wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities, powers, and the rulers of the darkness of this age (Ephesians 6:12). The devil is continually shooting fiery darts into our minds, accusing us, accusing others, and telling lies. But when we take up the shield of faith, we will extinguish all his fiery darts and flaming arrows. In all our spiritual battles we overcome the enemy by our faith. As we follow Jesus, we trust Him to be our wisdom, strength and salvation, and He gives us the victory.

Finally, David said, “Your gentleness has made me great.” As he surveyed all that God had given him and all the battles he had won, David was overwhelmed. He knew that God stooped down to lift him up. And He will do the same for you!