DAILY READING
REFLECTION
Horn of Salvation
by Mary Alice McGinnis
Have you ever noticed that two people can go through the same exact experience and see it completely different?
Not everyone sees the blessing of God’s hand through difficult circumstances.
If you were to reflect on the journey of your life, what would you observe?
Today’s passage gives us a peek into what David reflected upon. Some think these reflections were from when David's younger years. Others think it may be toward the end of his life. I like to consider that this “song” of David was written and re-written by David throughout his life.
Look at Psalm 18 and compare it to today’s verses.
David has seen and experienced God’s deliverance in real and tangible ways.
He recalls:
“The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge, and my savior.”
David claims God as his own, beginning each description with MY! He is so awe struck by all that the Lord has done for him, he lists phrase upon phrase to describe ALL the ways God has shown His goodness to him.
The phrase right in the middle puzzled me. David says God is “the horn of my salvation.” What exactly does that mean?
In Exodus, God told the Israelites: “Make a horn at each of the four corners, so that the horns and the altar are of one piece and overlay the altar with bronze.” (Exodus 27:2)
The horns of an animal were considered the emblem of their strength. When the priest came to make a sacrifice on this altar, Leviticus 4 says (several times):
“Then the priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering and pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.”
You see, when the animal was sacrificed, the blood was spilled for the sins of the people, and it was placed specifically on the HORNS of the altar.
In the book of Kings, Joab fled to the horns of the altar as a place of refuge to escape the wrath of Solomon. (1 Kings 2:28)
The horns of the altar was the powerful place where God’s redemptive work took place.
It amazes me how God brings His story full circle.

In Luke 1:69 when Zechariah is prophesying after his son (John the Baptist) is born, he says:
“(God) has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David.”
Jesus, who was yet unborn, is the ultimate fulfilment of Zechariah’s prophecy. Jesus is OUR horn of salvation. His own innocent blood was shed to make us clean. The blood of His redemptive work is OUR place of refuge, deliverance, and salvation!
PRAYER
Let’s turn our hearts to God in prayers of praise and gratitude for Jesus, who is the HORN of OUR SALVATION.
"Since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:21-23)

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