“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God” (Psalm 20:7).
Psalm 20 is an important prayer for a king before battle. It was written for a time when chariots and horses were not just concepts, they were real, and they were charging.
The Chariots and Horses represent human power. In the ancient world, they were the most terrifying and sophisticated weapons of war. They were symbolic of military might, wealth, and national security. They are everything that the world counts as powerful and dependable.
In our own lives, the chariots and horses are different, but their function is the same. They are the things we love to cling to for security: our health, our wealth, our influence, our knowledge, our technology. These are not inherently bad things; they are gifts and tools.
The danger is that we begin to love the gift more than the Giver, and we build our foundation on something that, in the end, cannot sustain us.
The Prophet Isaiah warns, “Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, who trust in the abundance of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 31:1).
For all their strength, chariots and horses cannot give peace to a restless soul. They cannot mend a broken heart. And they can disappear in an instant.
Turn to the name of the LORD our God.
To trust in the “name of the LORD” is to trust in: His Power, as the Creator of the universe. His Character, as the faithful, unchanging, and merciful God who keeps His promises (Exodus 34:6). The unique covenant name, Yahweh (the LORD), which reminds us that He is the “I AM WHO I AM” (Exodus 3:14) – the ever-present, self-sustaining God who is always there, and always for us.
This trust is not a superficial positive thinking. It is an intentional, deep-seated reliance. It is the wisdom to say, “Even if everything I own and every plan I have fails, my foundation is secure.”It is the humble act of acknowledging that our human strength has limits, but God’s strength has none.
It’s the heart behind the powerful declaration of Isaiah 40:29: “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.”
It is not just for the good times. It is a battle cry for the moments of overwhelming fear. When your own strength is gone, and the “chariots” of your life seem broken, you can still whisper, “I trust in the name of the LORD my God.”
And in that trust, you find a hidden power. You discover that you can stand when everything around you is falling. You find a security that is not of this world. As promised in Proverbs 18:10: “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe.”
Where is your trust built? What is the thing you are most afraid of losing? Is it your “chariot” or is it your “strong tower”?
You do not need to choose between being prepared and having faith. You are allowed to have “horses.” But the Psalmist calls you to a higher love, to a love that places its primary hope in the One who will never fail you, even when all the world’s power falls. It is a wisdom that brings a peace that passes understanding.
God does not care about fast horses or strong fighters; instead, God loves people who respect him and trust his steady love.
“His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor His delight in the legs of the warrior; the LORD delights in those who fear Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love” ( Psalm 147:10, 11).
“They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded” (Psalm 22:5).
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