O God, defend me everywhere
With Your impregnable power and protection.

  - The Breastplate of Laidcenn (Irish, 8th-9th century)

Make haste, O God, to deliver me! O LORD, make haste to help me! Let them be put to shame and confusion who seek my life! Let them be turned back and brought to dishonor who desire my hurt!

   - Psalm 70.1, 2

A “breastplate” was a poem written to invoke divine protection. There are several excellent examples of these from the literature of the Celtic Christian period. They have some affinity with certain of the psalms, combining elements of complaint and imprecation in musical prayers that call down the help of God and angels for protection throughout the day or for some journey or task.

The principle is sound: since God is always caring for us and always upholding us by His Word of power, it can be a source of comfort and confidence to remind oneself in song of all the detailed ways that He protects the mind, the affections, and all the body, and how He guards the path and even shapes the attitudes of those we might meet along the way.

A breastplate poem was a lyrical confession of and appeal to the sovereignty of God, as well as a declaration of trust in Him and dependence on His grace. We have nothing equivalent to these wonderful, albeit sometimes amusing songs.

Breastplate poems serve to remind us of three important things: God is with us and caring for us always, down to the smallest detail of our lives. Second, it is good and useful to acknowledge that. And, third, singing is a wonderful discipline to remind us of God’s love and connect us with His sovereign presence.

This Lord’s Day, and throughout this Advent season, don’t let your singing be confined to the time you spend in worship with God’s people. Learn a new hymn, or perhaps a psalm, and sing it throughout the day, letting its melody and lyrics lift you above your mundane setting into the presence of eternal glory. Linger there in meditation and prayer, waiting on the Lord, thanking and praising Him for all His abundant goodness to you.

Find your own breastplate song to try on for today, and to take with you through the rest of the week. Enter more fully into the sovereignty of God's love and care, and rejoice to know His presence with you always.

T. M. Moore, Principal

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