The Buckler

The Buckler 2 Samuel 22:31 (KJV) reads, “As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tried: He is a buckler to all them that trust in Him.”

This lyric of praise came before David’s final words, essentially giving the Lord His flowers for all that He has done throughout his reign. We all know David as a mighty warrior who attributed his success to the Lord because he was always after God’s heart. The whole chapter, all 51 verses, is David singing praises to the Lord for His deliverance, His judgment, His mercy, His strength. See, David never thought it was a waste of time to praise the Lord. Why? Because he saw how He moved, encouraging him to praise, not worry, and sing to the Lord instead of complaining.

The word buckler stood out to me in verse 31 because I never heard of the word before. Merriam-Webster defines a buckler as a small, round shield, worn on the forearm, to either shield or defend the one holding it. Bucklers differ from traditional shields in their smaller size and inability to cover the whole body.

Upon further research, I found that warriors often prefer bucklers because they are lighter, more maneuverable, and allow for more specialized active defenses. They trusted that the smaller shield would protect them despite how unreliable it may looked to its counterpart.

David was acquainted with that subject, trusting despite perception.

Psalm 27:13-14 (NKJV) reads, 13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the Lord
In the land of the living. 14 Wait on the Lord;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord!

It was David’s faith in God and His might that kept him from losing heart. The buckler may be small, but it has proven very dependable in battle. Those who trusted in it were never ashamed, and thats how it is with The Lord.

Isaiah 50:7 (AMP) For the Lord God helps Me,
Therefore, I have not been ashamed or humiliated.
Therefore, I have made My face like flint,
And I know that I shall not be put to shame.

Joel 2:23-26 (AMP) So rejoice, O children of Zion,
And delight in the Lord, your God;
For He has given you the early [autumn] rain in vindication
And He has poured down the rain for you,
The early [autumn] rain and the late [spring] rain, as before. And the threshing floors shall be full of grain,
And the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil. “And I will compensate you for the years
That the swarming locust has eaten,
The creeping locust, the stripping locust, and the gnawing locust—
My great army which I sent among you.
“You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied
And praise the name of the Lord your God
Who has dealt wondrously with you;
And My people shall never be put to shame.

Philippians 1:20 (AMP) “according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.”

The final Scriptures I will leave you with show how the larger shield can be likened to our own strength and things we deem plausible in this world, but in battle, it is no match for the misunderstood, yet powerful buckler’s capabilities and dependability. What may look like something to be ashamed of is the only way capable of achieving victory in your life. It also allows the buckler, the Lord in this case, to show Himself worthy and able, which in turn will inspire us to be like David to give Him the glory and honor that is rightfully His.

1 Corinthians 1:27 (AMP) “But God has selected [for His purpose] the foolish things of the world to shame the wise [revealing their ignorance], and God has selected [for His purpose] the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong [revealing their frailty].”

Hebrews 11:32-34 (AMP) “And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets,  who by faith [that is, with an enduring trust in God and His promises] subdued kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promised blessings, closed the mouths of lions, extinguished the power of [raging] fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became mighty and unbeatable in battle, putting enemy forces to flight.”

2 Timothy 1:12 (AMP) “This is why I suffer as I do. Still, I am not ashamed; for I know Him [and I am personally acquainted with Him] whom I have believed [with absolute trust and confidence in Him and in the truth of His deity], and I am persuaded [beyond any doubt] that He is able to guard that which I have entrusted to Him until [a]that day [when I stand before Him].”