Psalm 20 Sermon PART 3 — Chariots and Horses

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[SECTION FIVE — The Contrast]
[Cello note sustained]
[Preacher — measured, theological seriousness]

We come now to the verse 
that gives the twentieth psalm 
its enduring theological force.

Verse seven:

Some trust in chariots, 
and some in horses.
But we will remember the name of the Lord our God.

This is one of the most important verses 
in the entire Old Testament 
for understanding the Christian life in the modern world.

Hear what the psalm is doing.

It is not contrasting trust with no trust.
It is not contrasting active engagement 
with passive surrender.
It is contrasting two different objects of trust.

Some trust in chariots and horses.
We remember the name of the Lord.

Both are forms of active reliance.
Both involve confident engagement with the world.
The question is not 
whether the people of God will trust.
They will.
The question is 
in what they will place their trust.

[SECTION SIX — The Modern Chariots]
[Cello note steady]
[Preacher — careful, pastoral]

What were chariots and horses in the ancient world?

They were the most advanced military technology of their day.
The chariot was the tank of the Iron Age.
The horse was a strategic asset 
that gave armies mobility and reach 
their enemies could not match.

When the psalm says 
some trust in chariots and some in horses,
it is naming the very best 
that ancient military civilization could produce.
Egypt was famous for its chariot corps.
Other nations were famous for their cavalry.
These were not minor advantages.
These were the decisive technologies 
that determined which kingdoms thrived and which fell.

And the psalm is saying — 
some place their ultimate trust there.
But we remember the name of the Lord.

Now in our own day, dear brothers and sisters,
we do not face armies of chariots.
But we face our own modern equivalents.

There are those who trust in economic power — 
who believe that wealth, capital, 
financial sophistication 
are the ultimate sources of security and meaning.

There are those who trust in technological power — 
who believe that human ingenuity, 
scientific advance, 
and engineering progress 
will solve the deepest questions of human existence.

There are those who trust in political power — 
who believe that the right party, 
the right ideology, 
the right state, 
will produce the conditions of human flourishing.

There are those who trust in military power — 
who believe that strength of arms, 
deterrent capability, 
and decisive force 
are what finally keep nations safe.

These are the chariots and horses of our age.

I want to say something carefully here.
The psalm is not saying 
that chariots and horses are wicked.
It is not saying 
that economic activity, scientific work, 
political engagement, or national defense 
are evil.
These are creaturely realities 
that have their place 
under God's providence.

But the psalm is asking 
where our ultimate trust is placed.

When our deepest confidence 
rests on economic strength 
rather than on the name of the Lord — 
that is the chariots-and-horses problem.
When our deepest confidence 
rests on technological progress 
rather than on the faithfulness of God — 
that is the chariots-and-horses problem.
When our deepest confidence 
rests on political alignment 
rather than on the kingdom that Christ is building — 
that is the chariots-and-horses problem.

We will not abandon engagement with these realms.
We are not called to monastic withdrawal.
We are called to remember 
in the midst of these engagements 
where our ultimate trust must rest.

[SECTION SEVEN — We Are Risen and Stand Upright]
[Cello note slightly deeper, warmer]
[Preacher — measured, theological]

The eighth verse completes the contrast.

They are brought down and fallen.
But we are risen, and stand upright.

This is one of the great verses of the Psalter 
for understanding the posture of the faithful.

Notice the verbs.

They — those who trust in chariots and horses — 
are brought down and fallen.
The verbs are passive.
Their condition is one of collapse.
Whatever they had relied upon 
has failed to sustain them.

But we — those who remember the name of the Lord — 
are risen, and stand upright.
The verbs are active.
Our condition is one of rising and standing.

This is the posture of the faithful, dear friends.
Not the posture of the conquered.
Not the laying down of arms.
Not the cessation of activity.

The faithful stand upright.
They rise.
They are not flattened by what flattens those 
who trusted in lesser things.

When the chariots have proven inadequate,
when the horses have failed,
when the economic systems have collapsed,
when the political ideologies have been exposed,
when the technological solutions have shown their limits — 
the people who have remembered the name of the Lord 
are st

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[intro] [British Reformed-Missionary Sermon] [Mid-sized Reformed church acoustic] [Single sustained low cello note] [Faint English parish atmosphere] [Preacher — continuing, approaching the theological center] [SECTION FIVE — The Contrast] [Cello note sustained] [Preacher — measured, theological seriousness] We come now to the verse that gives the twentieth psalm its enduring theological force. Verse seven: Some trust in chariots, and some in horses. But we will remember the name of the Lord our God. This is one of the most important verses in the entire Old Testament for understanding the Christian life in the modern world. Hear what the psalm is doing. It is not contrasting trust with no trust. It is not contrasting active engagement with passive surrender. It is contrasting two different objects of trust. Some trust in chariots and horses. We remember the name of the Lord. Both are forms of active reliance. Both involve confident engagement with the world. The question is not whether the people of God will trust. They will. The question is in what they will place their trust. [SECTION SIX — The Modern Chariots] [Cello note steady] [Preacher — careful, pastoral] What were chariots and horses in the ancient world? They were the most advanced military technology of their day. The chariot was the tank of the Iron Age. The horse was a strategic asset that gave armies mobility and reach their enemies could not match. When the psalm says some trust in chariots and some in horses, it is naming the very best that ancient military civilization could produce. Egypt was famous for its chariot corps. Other nations were famous for their cavalry. These were not minor advantages. These were the decisive technologies that determined which kingdoms thrived and which fell. And the psalm is saying — some place their ultimate trust there. But we remember the name of the Lord. Now in our own day, dear brothers and sisters, we do not face armies of chariots. But we face our own modern equivalents. There are those who trust in economic power — who believe that wealth, capital, financial sophistication are the ultimate sources of security and meaning. There are those who trust in technological power — who believe that human ingenuity, scientific advance, and engineering progress will solve the deepest questions of human existence. There are those who trust in political power — who believe that the right party, the right ideology, the right state, will produce the conditions of human flourishing. There are those who trust in military power — who believe that strength of arms, deterrent capability, and decisive force are what finally keep nations safe. These are the chariots and horses of our age. I want to say something carefully here. The psalm is not saying that chariots and horses are wicked. It is not saying that economic activity, scientific work, political engagement, or national defense are evil. These are creaturely realities that have their place under God's providence. But the psalm is asking where our ultimate trust is placed. When our deepest confidence rests on economic strength rather than on the name of the Lord — that is the chariots-and-horses problem. When our deepest confidence rests on technological progress rather than on the faithfulness of God — that is the chariots-and-horses problem. When our deepest confidence rests on political alignment rather than on the kingdom that Christ is building — that is the chariots-and-horses problem. We will not abandon engagement with these realms. We are not called to monastic withdrawal. We are called to remember in the midst of these engagements where our ultimate trust must rest. [SECTION SEVEN — We Are Risen and Stand Upright] [Cello note slightly deeper, warmer] [Preacher — measured, theological] The eighth verse completes the contrast. They are brought down and fallen. But we are risen, and stand upright. This is one of the great verses of the Psalter for understanding the posture of the faithful. Notice the verbs. They — those who trust in chariots and horses — are brought down and fallen. The verbs are passive. Their condition is one of collapse. Whatever they had relied upon has failed to sustain them. But we — those who remember the name of the Lord — are risen, and stand upright. The verbs are active. Our condition is one of rising and standing. This is the posture of the faithful, dear friends. Not the posture of the conquered. Not the laying down of arms. Not the cessation of activity. The faithful stand upright. They rise. They are not flattened by what flattens those who trusted in lesser things. When the chariots have proven inadequate, when the horses have failed, when the economic systems have collapsed, when the political ideologies have been exposed, when the technological solutions have shown their limits — the people who have remembered the name of the Lord are st

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