This July 4th weekend we look back upon America’s history and are amazed at God’s provision and God’s protection. In the winter of 1777, George Washington decided to camp his army at Valley Forge. Valley Forge was barely 15 miles from Philadelphia. Because it lay in the fork where Valley Creek ran into the Schuylkill River it was easily defensible. With open fields nearby for drilling and ample wood for fuel and shelter, strategically Washington could not have chosen a better location.

The men were exhausted, hungry and freezing. They had long given up hope of meat for supper, a warm bed or a dry pair of stockings. Their footgear consisted of strips of blanket wound around their feet. In the entire dwindling army of 11,000 men, there may have been less than a dozen properly equipped for the terrible winter that lay ahead.

How did Washington respond? He responded with prayer. A number of accounts record many discovering the great general in prayer. The soldiers who came through Valley Forge were tempered into the carbon steel core around which an army could be built. We, as a nation today, face difficult days. As we sail through this dark world we are in desperate need of the guiding light of God’s word. It is incumbent upon all believers to be led by the guiding light of divine revelation. The truths of God’s word will lead us into the future.

David Livingstone said, “I’d rather be in the heart of Africa in the will of God than on the throne of England out of the will of God.” In Psalm 25, King David prayed for divine guidance. As George Washington prayed and King David prayed, so we today must pray for our country.

The historical background of this psalm is not known. But the circumstances involved a painful period when the psalmist was attacked by his enemies (verses 2-3, 19), entrapped in a trial (verse 15), isolated from supporters (verse 16), discouraged (verse 17) and hated by his enemies (verse 19). David cried out to God for deliverance (verses 1-3), direction (verses 4-15) and defense (verses 16-22).

This psalm is an acrostic psalm. Each verse begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet to aid in memorization and instruction. This is a model prayer. We must pray in the same way for America today.

Verses 1-3 is a prayer for God’s deliverance. David affirmed his trust in God. David said, “To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. O my God, I trust in you; let me not be ashamed; let not my enemies triumph over me” (verses 1-2). Ultimately, our trust is not in our military or our economic strength. It is God alone who protects and provides for us.

Verses 4-15 is a prayer for God’s direction. Verse 4 reads, “Show me your ways, O Lord; and teach me your paths.” Ways and paths are metaphors for the will of God. David desired to know the will of God that it might be pursued and traveled. He requested that God guide his life moment by moment all day long, since he was aware of his sinful nature (verse 18).

David requested, “Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation” (verse 5). David asked for divine guidance (verses 4-7). He affirmed God’s goodness (verses 8-10). He also asked for divine grace (verse 11).

David prayed for God’s deliverance. He also prayed for God’s direction. Finally, in verses 16-22 he prayed for God’s defense. This final section contains short, staccato prayer requests asking for God’s defense from his enemies. David was isolated, lonely and afflicted, full of troubles, anguish, affliction and distress. He was surrounded by enemies who hated him. David said, “Turn yourself to me, and have mercy on me, for I am desolate and afflicted. The troubles of my heart have enlarged, oh, bring me out of my distresses” (verses 16-17).

Jesus said, “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). A person can accomplish nothing of any eternal, lasting value unless he depends on the Lord. In his own strength you and I cannot do anything of real value for God. As a nation we must not be self-sufficient. We must not rely on our own strength. Jesus died for us and paid the price for our sins on the cross. May we recognize our inadequacies and frailties and rest in his infinite strength.

Frederick Nolan, a believer in Christ, was fleeing for his life from his enemies during a time of religious persecution in North Africa. Pursued by them over hill and valley with no place to hide, Nolan fell exhausted into a wayside cave, expecting his enemies to find him soon. Awaiting his death, he saw a spider weaving a web. Within minutes the spider had woven a beautiful web across the mouth of the cave. The pursuers arrived and wondered if Nolan was hiding there. But on seeing the unbroken spider web, they concluded it was impossible for him to have entered the cave without disturbing the web. His pursuers went on and Nolan’s life was spared. Having escaped, he wrote these words, “Where God is, a spider’s web is like a wall. Where God is not, a wall is like a spider’s web.”

God’s presence was a wall of protection around David, shielding him from his pursuing enemies. Through his trust in God, he was saved. For the believer who reverences the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord remains a constant refuge and shelter.

Ethan Hansen is pastor at Faith Bible Fellowship in Big Lake. He can be reached at ehansen@biglakefaithbible.org