God, At Our Right and At Our Defense

“⁸I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.” – Psalm 16:8 (ESV)

I have looked into what “at my right hand” means as I am in a study of the word “right”. In the commentary of my Christian Standard Bible (CSB) it is noted that being “at the right hand” is the one protecting another. It was also where a soldier kept his sword in the right hand during hand-to-hand combat. I have this interpretation to be true in other scripture as well where God is at the right hand of Israel protecting them against enemies; Psalm 110:5, Psalm 63:8, Isaiah 63:12 to mention a few (as found here: What does it mean to sit at the right hand? – Follow In Truth).

I see here that David is celebrating the fact that the LORD is indeed at his right hand always. As such, David is confident in his ability to make it through whatever is before him. He has the greatest protection that there ever was or ever will be. David is ready to do battle against any foe with God at his right hand. In fact, the title to Psalm 16 in my CSB is “Confidence in the LORD” and in my ESV, “You Will Not Abandon My Soul”.

I should have the confidence as David does to progress in this world. God is at my right hand and gives me the strength to move forward for Him in all that I do. He is there in my defense all through every situation I have or will encounter.

What is your confidence in the LORD? Are you able to progress forward knowing that God is there to protect you every step of the way? What if we all approached the world with the confidence that the LORD is indeed there at our right hand providing the needed support for the work we do for Him?