“It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, for you loved them.”

Psalm 44:3

Psalm 44 personifies God’s work for his people in three striking ways: the power of his hand, the strength of his arms and the radiance of his face. Each represents a separate facet of his love for them.

Defended by a Powerful Hand

The subdual of pagan nations and acquisition of the promised land is not attributed to Israel’s might and fine swordsmanship. Victory came to them through God’s right hand. This, I take it, is his sword-wielding hand. Their mighty warrior was God himself.

Scripture presses this point continually. In Exodus 14:14 God declares “I will fight for you; you need only be still”; similarly in Zechariah 4 “not by power or might, but my spirit says the Lord Almighty”.

Carried by Strong Arms

Like a small child held in her mother’s arms, so God’s arms were the transport for his people into the promised land. They did not come in on the merits of their own strength. They were carried by him.

Here again is the pre-requisite and firm foundation of faith: the everlasting faithfulness and absolute reliability of our God. How easy it is to surrender to his arms when we know the strength of his character and the sureness of his love.

Watched over by a kind face

The light of God’s face is another persistent metaphor in Scripture. Few things convey personality and express sentiment more than a face. We talk about having a “poker face” or having a “face that says it all”. We can be “red-faced” or “two faced”. We can put on a “happy face”.

God’s face radiates light. It expresses his gloriously gracious character. For God’s face to shine on his people is for them to be blessed beyond compare. It indicates that he is looking toward them, looking out for them, and watching over them. He cares for them as the apple of his eye.

In Christ we can be confident that these blessings have become ours in abundance. As the Messiah who came from God’s right hand in power, Jesus secured access to God’s kingdom through his victory over sin and death on the cross. In him alone is our transport to glory, as we are carried in faith by the sureness of his word. As the ascended Lord who once more sits at God’s right hand, we can be sure he watches out for us and watches over us. Guided by his spirit, we know our hope is sure.

Because he is on our side. Always.