For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God, the God who girds me with strength and makes my way blameless? He makes my feet like hinds’ feet, and sets me upon my high places. He trains my hands for battle, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You have also given me the shield of Your salvation, and Your right hand upholds me; and Your gentleness makes me great.
Psalm 18:31-35
The Hebrew word “chaayi” — translated here as “strength” — is used approximately 244 times in the Old Testament, with about 20 of those references in the Psalms related to God’s might/omnipotence. In this passage, “strength” is used in an absolute state which indicates possession; thus God is viewed as girding (binding up) the psalmist with His strength.
It’s important to note that in a practical sense, or modern-day application, the phrase “girds me with strength” means to make strong — assuring the readers that, in context, it is the one true God that is working to make the writer strong.
Our psalmist is now a warrior, being trained for war with a might far above all other created sources or strengths! Without this wondrous girding/belt, he would have been feeble, with uncertain energies and a misguided or misdirected human force/ability. Now, however, he himself is daring in purpose, courageous, and in possession of, or perhaps possessed by, a concentrated, holy power.
Have we too, as believers, and Christ’s disciples, been made more than human conquerors? Are we fully equipped and empowered from on-high with strength and might greater than anything known to humanity?
If yes, then let us ascribe all the glory and honor to Him Who has girded us with His own inexhaustible strength — that we might be unwearied during our pilgrimage of faith, and victorious throughout our battles with the world, the flesh and the devil (our enemy, Satan).
As we turn to our New Testament, we find the Apostle Paul, early in his ministry (Acts 9:22), “increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ.” The Greek word used here, “endunamoo,” translated “increasing in strength,” is a compound word from the Greek root word “dunamis,” meaning power. Should we even question or ever wonder what’s actually at work in him?
It was also this same apostle, who, in Philippians 4:13, boldly declares, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Do you suppose he had been girded with strength from the Lord above?
I Peter 4:11 brings this concept home for us… for each of our own individual, day-to-day lives –
Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Now, as many of you have already anticipated, this lands us right in Ephesians 6:10-17:
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Whose armor is this? Is He not girding us with His strength? –PF