- Defense that Saves
Psalm 7.10
My defense is of God, which saveth the upright in heart.
If one is upright in heart, then the defense of God saves him. This conditional promise is meant for the upright. And once again it is God Himself that makes a person upright by faith in Jesus Christ. Therefore, the believer can claim this promise for himself since he is upright in heart. The upright has an honest faith and a sincere commitment. The upright in heart is another term distinguishing the righteous and the wicked, or the impenitent sinner from the forgiven sinner. The sinner, in Christ, is also an upright saint; the sinner, without Christ, is only a sinner.
A defense or a shield protects against the evil and harm that would come from others or from self. By faith in Christ I step behind the defense, and the shield of faith is placed between the enemy and my soul. It is clear that it is God who does the saving, not the shield of faith; He is my source and my strength, not my faith or anything in me at all.
When faith is joined with a clean conscience then there is access to God in prayer, confidence, peace of mind, mitigation of trouble, protection and deliverance. God saves us from the evil of Sin and the wicked intent of Satan and the finality of Death so that never can Sin, Satan and Death have the last word, the final say. Ultimate salvation comes at the Last Day when Sin, Satan and Death are no longer present, and meanwhile every day God saves from the effects of these three enemies throughout our life. Thus we pray daily: “Deliver us from evil.” When the Lord Jesus Christ has supremacy in one’s soul the Enemy does not.
By the way, when we do not repent and believe the Gospel we ourselves become an enemy to other children of God. “Deliver us from such evil also.” God saves the upright.