Shadow of wings. Found several times in the psalms, this concept helps us picture the protection God gives to those under His care. The concept most likely comes from observing a mother bird protecting her young from the elements or other dangers. Scripture portrays God as acting like an eagle for the protection of Israel (Exod. 19:4; Deut. 32:11). Wings also remind the hearer of the two cherubim whose wings covered the mercy seat in the tabernacle (see Exod. 25:20; 1 Kings 8:6-7, etc.).
Shield, buckler. It was the primary defense weapon. Having the right shield in a battle could mean the difference between life and death. Shields varied in size and shape from place to place and from time to time. A buckler referred to a large, body-covering shield. If one had armor, one did not need as large a shield. Shield-bearers, who accompanied a warrior into battle, usually carried long shields. Because of its importance in battle, the shield became a metaphor for protection. When Scripture emphasizes God as a protector, it sometimes calls Him a “shield,” a metaphor used mostly in the Old Testament.
Fortress, For protection against raiders and bandits, people needed to be in cities with high, thick walls. If the city was on top of a mountain, all the better, as not only could they could see their enemies approaching, but the enemies would be battling uphill to break through the walls. The Bible often mentions God metaphorically as a fortress. Its writers see Him as the unshakable strength of their souls, the source of hope and salvation that no enemy, whether physical or spiritual, can ever threaten.
Stronghold. Although somewhat interchangeable with fortress, a stronghold is more generic. Both are places of safety from an enemy. But rather than being only a walled fortification, a stronghold may be any inaccessible place of refuge, such as a mountain cave, a desert, or a hill, although most often it is an elevated place. Both terms have a military background, representing protection of people and goods from an enemy. In Psalms, fortress serves as another metaphorical term for God. It is a picture of the safe, eternal refuge of the soul—a place of security, strength, and confidence.
Refuge. A refuge is simply a place into which one can run for safety. It may protect from danger or relief from stress. Sometimes it might be an overhanging rock offering shelter from the heat of the sun. One’s home can be a refuge to which a tired individual can return after an exhausting day. Or it can be a military stronghold or fortress, a defense from an invading enemy. God is metaphorically said to be the ultimate refuge, and most of these usages occur in the psalms. He is a Person/Deity to whom His people can run for safety and protection. Biblical writers depict Him as a rock, as having wings to protect, like a strong tower, as a shield, among other images.
Divine warrior. Nations in ancient times were not large. Sometimes they were only small tribes. Thus it was important not only to defend one’s territory but to seek to become strong by gaining more territory. But that created almost constant warfare. Other nations depended on their gods of war to fight for them. But recognizing God as king over all the earth, and themselves as His covenant people whom He had promised to protect, Israel saw Him as the true divine warrior in a cosmic war. Before the battle of Jericho, Joshua had the privilege of seeing this image of God visually. Scripture frequently portrays God as a mighty warrior who battles for His people and against the evil of the world. His weapons are varied. For example, He employed wind to force back the Red Sea (Exod. 14:21), pushed down the walls of Jericho (Josh. 6:20), and sent hail against armies (Josh. 10:11). He also used His own people to win battles, even when they were greatly outnumbered or weakened, such as when David killed Goliath and Gideon defeated Midian with only a few men. In the book of Revelation, we see Jesus as the divine warrior in the final battle. Scattered throughout the psalms are images of God as the divine warrior fighting battles for His people. Psalm 18 is an example (see Ps. 18:12-15).
Retribution principle. The concept of the resurrection, although present in the Old Testament, is not emphasized in ancient times. Instead, their focus was on the present life, demonstrated in their beliefs about suffering and prosperity. God’s covenant with Israel had built into it rewards for doing well and consequences for breaking the relationship. On an individual level, people believed that for God to execute His justice (an indispensable part of His character), the righteous person had to prosper, and the wicked person had to suffer.
The greater the prosperity, the more righteous they assumed a person was. And the worse the suffering, the more wicked the person must be. Therefore, suffering was a source of shame, as it was often seen as indicating that the person or family had done something wrong (hence, Job’s suffering was not just on the physical level but also on the levels of integrity and belief). This concept also helps us understand the imprecatory psalms better. If one regarded God’s justice as requiring punishment proportional to the seriousness of the sin, then when His people called down curses on their enemies (because they were hurting God’s covenant people), Israel saw those curses as the demanded appropriate justice for the crimes committed. The curses had to happen because God was just. And Israel was righteous in part because it joined God in His justice by calling down curses.
Of course, in the psalms, we see the turmoil in the minds of the psalmists when God granted hesed (mercy) even to those steeped in wrongdoing, or when He delayed justice. We often have the same concerns, but we know that in the end, God’s justice will always prevail.