God is our shield

St. Louis, we’ve seen some things. We have seen promises made and broken. We have seen violence rise and justice stall. We have seen our neighborhoods grieve — yet we keep going. We have learned to be strong in the world, but the question remains: are we strong in the Lord?

Psalm 3 reminds us that “the Lord is a shield about me.” That is not just poetry — that is power. Because when the headlines say we are losing, when the odds say we are outnumbered, God whispers, “Don’t count my people out.”

David knew what it felt like to be outnumbered and underestimated. His own son turned against him. His people doubted him. The whispers around him said, “God can’t help him now.” Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Too many in our city have heard the same — that there is no help for our neighborhoods, no hope for our youth, no healing for our homes. But the same God who shielded David is still shielding us.

We have a shield they won’t understand. When systems fail and resources are few, we still stand. When they count our numbers and think the math “ain’t mathin” — God is still the variable they cannot calculate. It is why our grandmothers prayed when the bank said no. It is why our elders built, when the city tore down. It is why we are still here — because our shield works.

But God’s shield doesn’t just defend; it uplifts. “But you, O Lord, are a shield about me; my glory, and the lifter of my head.” There is power in that phrase — the lifter of my head. Because life in St. Louis can weigh you down. When gunfire silences another young life. When rent rises higher than hope. When another promise for reform turns into another meeting with no action. But God says, “Lift your head.”

Lift your head, because shame will not have the last word. Lift your head, because despair is not your destiny. Lift your head, because God is surrounding you — even when you feel surrounded by trouble.

Elisha prayed, “Lord, open his eyes that he may see.” And suddenly, the prophet saw that the hills were filled with chariots of fire. St. Louis — watch this: what has you surrounded, is surrounded. Our city’s violence is surrounded by God’s peace. Our brokenness is surrounded by God’s healing. Our despair is surrounded by divine deliverance.

So put on your shield of faith. Not the kind made of metal or glass — but the kind that can stop flaming arrows of fear, racism, and doubt. When the world says “you are finished,” you can stand and say, “I’ve got one more move”.

Yes, the struggle is real. But the shield is too. And as long as we stand behind that shield, our story — St. Louis’ story — is not over. Remember: God is our shield. And this shield still works.

Rev. Dr. Anthony L. Riley is pastor of the historic Central Baptist Church of St. Louis.