Some Trust in Chariots and some in horses,

But we will remember and trust in the name of the

Lord our God (Psalm 20:7)

Commonly the first line of this verse will be used to express a person's indifference to someone else's beliefs. I can hear in my head a part of a conversation going this way.

Person 1: "I think that I want to take the train instead of flying there. I just feel safer on the ground."

Person 2: "Alright, whatever, some trust in horses and chariots," he said, shrugging his shoulders.

Many forget or simply don't know that the verse is focusing on the latter part, where believers are called to trust in the name of the Lord our God.

The Bible is a large collection of stories from ancient events in history in which war was a commonality. War allowed people to gain access to lands and peoples, that they most likely would have been closed off from. It allowed and still does allow nations to enlarge their territory.

It was common for nations with large forces to feel superior to others due to the amount of horses and chariots they had. This would have given them a false sense of power and security. It was also a sign to their enemy nations that they were a powerful nation. The history of war, allowed Israel to gain riches and land, most notably to receive the land unto which God promised them. In contrast, so many instances in the Bible's war history, it was used to discipline Israel. So Israel not only gained in war, the Bible depicts many instances where they were defeated.

The story of Gideon is such a powerful testament to Psalms 20:7. The story out of Judges 6 and 7 brings the readers to the land inherited by Israel, however the nation had done wrong in the sight of God. This led God to allow the Midianites and Amorites to overpower Israel. Israel had grown poor and consumed with fear of the people of the land of Midian because they kept stealing their crops and livestock, in what comes off as a 7 year long bullying campaign. One day, the Angel of the Lord, presented himself to Gideon saying, "the Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor. " (Judges 6:12). Gideon, was the the son of Joash an Abiezrite (one of the clans belonging the tribe of Manasseh). Notably Gideon even describes himself as the lowest in his father's house, however, God chose Gideon to lead the nation to victory over the Amorites. How the Lord does it, speaks volumes on our need to trust in Him solely.

The story continues in Chapter 7 after Gideon test the Lord multiple times with a fleece and dew. (see Judges 6:36-40) Gideon found that even being from the lowest clan in Manasseh and being the lowest of his family, that he could trust the Lord. He led his men to camp South of the camp of the Midianites in preparation to battle. Soon, the Lord spoke to Gideon and told him that he had too many men. 22,000 men left and 10,000 remained. God said to him again, too many remain. A test was devised to determine which would stay and which would go (see Judges 7:4-6) after which Gideon ended up with 300 men to go up against the Midianites. And as the story continues you find that Gideon and his 300 men defeat the army of 120,000 (Judges 8:10).

This demonstrates God's power and authority. God surpasses anything we might fear on earth. Placing our trust in Him rather than in the apparent power of horses and chariots will consistently lead us to victory. Every. Single. Time.

In the modern world, the horse and chariot have transformed into numerous things we rely on or place our hope and faith in, yet similarly, they provide only an illusion of security and power.

Whatever your horse and chariot may be—be it wealth, attractiveness, intelligence, power, well-being, popularity, social media followers, your job status, etc.—understand that they can all be removed in an instant by the Lord.

Psalms 20:7 offers profound insight into the pervasive culture of materialism that surrounds us in modern society. Today, we often find ourselves unconsciously serving the little gods of covetousness, prioritizing the pursuit of possessions and status over spiritual fulfillment and divine purpose. Many of us navigate through our daily lives, scrolling endlessly through social media platforms, where we are constantly bombarded with images and narratives that showcase the lives of others. This relentless exposure cultivates a deep-seated desire within us to acquire what others possess, be it wealth, luxury items, or even relationships that seem enviable. We begin to covet these things, which lie outside the realm of what God has intended for us, and in doing so, we allow our material possessions to define our self-worth and elevate our sense of superiority over our peers. This situation is not one that I can claim to be free from; rather, I recognize my own struggles with it and I desire to break free from the chains of comparison and envy. We inhabit a world steeped in the illusion that accumulation (of things) equates to invulnerability or significance.

This mindset mirrors the experience of the Midianites in the biblical narrative of Gideon, where they ultimately fell victim to their misguided reliance on their own strength. Just as the Midianites faced their downfall, we too risk a similar fate when we place undue faith in our own abilities and resources. The truth is that our dependence on material wealth and personal power can lead us to a risky place, where our very strengths may become the source of our undoing.

This is precisely why the Lord calls us to redirect our trust towards Him and His divine name. No earthly power or material possession can offer the kind of victory and fulfillment that comes from a relationship with God. When we place our faith in Him, we open ourselves up to experiencing triumphs and breakthroughs in ways we may have never imagined possible. Trusting in the Lord allows us to transcend the limitations imposed by our materialistic culture, leading us to a deeper understanding of true victory—one that is rooted in spiritual richness rather than fleeting worldly gains. In this journey of faith, we can discover victories that not only enrich our lives but also align with God’s greater purpose for us, revealing a path that leads to lasting fulfillment and peace.

So when you find yourself trusting in the horse and the chariot, remember to thank the Lord who equipped you with it. Without Him the horse and the chariot can not do a work. They are but "things" that exist in a world that He created. I heard somebody say, "why trust and pray to creation, when Jesus died so that you could trust and pray to creation's creator?" Trust in the Lord. The real power lives in Him.