The Week in Review

As beautiful as the sky is when the sun is setting, it still cannot do justice to explaining the essence of God.  We only get glimpses of him but he is much bigger than what we can see, hear or feel.  Yet, I am grateful to him for taking the time to show himself to us at all.

Writing Assignment #2 – View of God

Jewel D. Williams

Written 2006

The writers of the Bible used different models to represent God. They helped bring the enormity of God to a level the average person could relate to or understand. David was one of those writers that used models to express his understanding of God. One must take a look at the writer, David the king and warrior, to comprehend why he used military models in describing God.


According to Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary David is the second king of the United Kingdom of Israel. David as a youth showed courage and faithfulness as he tended to his fathers sheep. He killed both a lion and a bear that attacked the flock (Nelson 332). David knew the sheep were defenseless without the care of a shepherd. The models David used were those most familiar to him as shown in his writing about God as “my shepherd” (in the 23rd Psalm).


David also referred to God as his fortress and high tower. “The LORD is my rock and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower” (Psalm 18:2 KJV). The American Heritage College Dictionary defines a fortress as “A fortified place, esp. a large permanent military stronghold that often includes a town” (Gildea 546). “These fortified cities were strengthened by walls towers gates and bars” (Nelson 464). The practice of erecting defensive walls around a city to protect it from enemy attack was not widely used by Israel until the period under David and Solomon. Usually these massive walls were 15 to 25 feet thick and about 25 feet tall. Sometimes several walls were built for more protection of the city. Towers were built on the corners and in places were obvious attack was possible. The tops of the towers often had rows that resembled teeth and they were used to put the archers in a good position to turn back imposing attackers (Nelson 463).




David was thankful to God for being his fortress, the impenetrable walls that protect. A fortress keeps things in and it also keeps things out. God’s protection stopped the enemy’s attack from every direction. David felt pressed on all sides when sought by Saul. God had placed the heavy wall of protection around David and he knew God as his fortress. God as a fortress keeps one safe in his presence, enclosed within his walls or arms of protection. As David writes, “Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou has given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.” (Psalm 71:3 KJV). David knew he had to stay in God’s presence to continue to receive God’s protection.


David again gives the reference to God as his fortress and high tower in this scripture. “And he said, The LORD is my rock and my fortress, and my deliverer; The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower and my refuge my savior; thou savest me from violence” (II Samuel 22:2-3 KJV). In these verses David uses several references to military items when speaking about God. Shields were normally made from hard material like metal. They came in all sizes and shapes. Another word used to represent shield was buckler (Psalm 18:2 KJV). To give another view of this model one can look at the war movies created in our times. In these movies the king’s army is clad in armor and fighting against another kingdom that is shooting arrows, swinging heavy clubs or axes as their weapons of destruction. Those warriors that had a shield were able to go forging ahead and use their shields to push back the enemy and his weapons. David was aware of being pushed against by strong forces. He models God as the shield that helps him to push back the hand of the enemy and continue to go forward. Saul chased David but the hand of God shielded David against everything Saul tried to do.


Looking again at the fortress, it has a high tower, a place where one can easily see into the distance any approaching danger. The watchman that sits in the high tower relays the message to the fortified city and the trumpet is blown to alert everyone to come to arms. Imagine standing level on the ground and then someone being high up in a tower or tall building looking down on the surrounding area. The one level to the ground has a limited visual of what is ahead. As one goes higher, vision increases and limitations are diminished or completely removed. David was aware that God’s vision was not limited as his was. God was able to see all approaching dangers. God as one’s high tower allows an individual to receive the information needed to know in advance of coming danger. God provided David with the information he needed to stay alive as Saul sought his destruction. God, like the watchman in the high tower, saw the impeding danger. David may have also understood that it was his relationship with God that increased his spiritual vision and understanding in the situations he faced. He also understood God as the archer that stood on top of the high tower that could send the arrows to defeat the attacking enemies. Against God’s weapons there is none greater. To see him as a high tower an individual must also see him as the one who has the best vantage point. God is the one that can see in every direction at all times. He is able to see where others are limited.


David refers to God as a hiding place when he writes, “thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah” (Psalm 32:7). David sinned and tried to hide it from God. Yet his sin was not hidden at all. In the earlier verses of this chapter, David tells how he felt when he tried to cover his sins. He most likely felt physically ill from the ordeal. He felt the heaviness of his sins, the weight of it (Psalm 32:3-4). Yet when he acknowledged his sins, God was merciful and David was forgiven.


David describes God as the one to go to in order to find forgiveness of the sins that will destroy. David found out you cannot hide yourself from God and the consequences of your sin. David describes how sins negatively affect an individual emotionally, physically and spiritually. Yet when there is confession to God, he becomes the only true place to find rest from the sentence of sin. When confession is made, one experiences the relief from the emotional feelings of the separation because of sin. One experiences the relief from the physical effects of the stress and worry caused by sin. Most importantly one experience the relief from the spiritual weight sin has caused when an individual was out of God’s will.




David was now hidden by God’s love from the punishment of his sin. This also gives a glimpse into what Jesus would accomplish with his coming. The blood of Jesus becomes a hiding place when one comes and confesses their sins. Those forgiven sins can no longer destroy because the death sentence that was set has been removed by the crucifixion of Jesus. Isaiah 32:1-2 foretells of this very thing, “BEHOLD, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgement. And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.”


David was a man very much aware of battle. He took on one of his first acts as a warrior when he killed Goliath. David saw God as a protector, an unmovable force and the one who would keep him in any situations. He also saw God as a mighty leader with limitless abilities and resources. These models are vital today in equipping believers to be able to stand when faced with attack and say as David did, he is “my fortress”.

Works Cited

Alden, Robert L., et al. Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995.


Gildea, Spike, Ph.D., et al. The American Heritage College Dictionary. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2002.




Thompson, Frank Charles, D.D., PH.D. The Thompson Chain-Reference Bible, 5th ed. Indianapolis, IN: B. B. Kirkbridge Bible Co., Inc., 1988.