What does it mean that some trust in chariots (Psalm 20:7)?

From this point to the end of the chapter the consequences of the advent of the Messiah are depicted. First, the Messiah will remove all the false confidences of His people. He says, "I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off." (v. 10) All these things were the symbols of human strength, human grounds of confidence in conflict; and hence the psalmist says, "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God." (Psalm 20:7.) Speaking also by the prophet Hosea, Jehovah says, "I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the Lord their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen." (Hosea 1:7.) And again in Micah: "I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots." (Micah 5:10) For in that day His people will have to learn that God alone is their refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble — a lesson which even Christians are slow to apprehend. And consequent upon the deliverance of His people, "he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth." For when once the King is established upon the holy hill of Zion, He will ask and receive the heathen for His inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for His possession. What is here predicted is the universal sway of Christ in His kingdom, after His return in glory, as depicted in Ps. 72.

Hazar-susah, the "horse-enclosure," remind one perforce, in such a connection, of the psalmist's words "Some trust in horses, and some in chariots." (Ps. 20:7.) The multiplication of either was forbidden to the Israelites on this very account. Both were used mainly for purposes of war; but Israel's reliance was to be the Lord their God.

Did Joshua fear in the presence of such a powerful enemy? If he feared, his fear must have vanished completely when Jehovah said, "Be not afraid of them, for tomorrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel; thou shalt hough their horses, and burn their chariots with fire." The Lord assured Joshua, and with such an assurance he rushed at once against the enemy by the waters of Merom. It does not matter how strong the enemy is, how cunningly his plans are laid, how he may come upon us with an host to terrify; if we are right with the Lord and on the Lord's side, we shall be more than conquerors. The victory is complete; their chariots are burned and the horses were disabled by cutting the sinews of their legs. The latter no doubt had for its purpose to make it impossible for His people to trust in human resources. If they had used these horses, they might have put their confidence in them. "Some trust in chariots and some in horses; but we will remember the LORD our God" (Psalm 20:7).

The horse, especially in the days of which our book speaks, and in the East, was chiefly used in war. God warned His people not to put their trust in this mighty agent of war: "The horse is a vain thing for safety." "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we will remember the name of the Lord our God" (Ps. 20:7). It is He who "hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath He thrown into the sea" (Ex. 15:1). So infinitely exalted is Jehovah above all His creatures. Let Job remember how puny he too is, and humble himself before Him who is God over all. His deliverance must come, not from horses, but from the Lord on high.

Just as a mighty man has confidence in his own strength, which in the long run fails him, so he may also trust the strength of a war horse, but this is a vain hope, for eventually he will find even the great strength of the horse to fail him. So people choose many methods of self-defense which only prove to be useless in preserving them, because they are not depending on their Creator. But we all seem to be very slow in learning this most elementary lesson, that the strength of the creature in any form is pathetically weak and we require the strength of God to preserve us.

And vain it is to trust in ordinary means without Him. The horse may be prepared for the battle, but the victory is with neither the rider nor his horse. Deliverance is of Jehovah.

In all men's activities, they need some means of help or support, and in battle they find horses of great benefit. Of course now they require motorized equipment; but whether horses or tanks, these are no guarantee of success. Deliverance is only by the Lord (v. 31). We are slow indeed to learn this elementary lesson.

Egyptians shall know that I am Jehovah when I have glorified myself in Pharaoh, in his chariots and in his horsemen." How vain indeed is the help of man, how weak and powerless the arm of flesh. As the psalmist declares, "Some make mention of chariots and some of horses but we of the Name of Jehovah our God … We will triumph in Thy salvation and in the Name of our God will we set up our banners (Ps. 20:5, 7).

It was just what Saul exhibited, when, having made use of the apparently devout expression, "The Lord be with thee," he proceeded to "arm David with his armour, and he put a helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail." He had no other idea but that David was to fight in the usual way. No doubt, it was professedly in the name of the Lord; but he thought David ought to use means. But it happens that we frequently speak of using means and really shut out God; we profess to use means in dependence upon God, and, in reality, use the mere name of God in dependence upon the means. This is virtually, and according to the judgement of faith, to make a God of our means. Whether had Saul more confidence, in the Lord or in the armour? In the armour, no doubt; and so with all who do not truly walk by faith; it is the means they lean upon, and not upon God.

This was Israel's folly, to turn from God and his Spirit to trust in Egypt and in an arm of flesh, because they walked as men. But what is this to the church's folly that is associated with her head in heaven, and is blessed with the ever-abiding presence of the Holy Ghost on earth; and has God for her, and the infinite treasures of his grace as her resource; and Eternal glory before her; when she is found turning to seek the world's friendship, and practically trusts in the flesh and in carnal wisdom for her guidance and help! The Lord teach our hearts more the force of that word, "If ye then be risen with Christ!" And lead us to beware of following the course of "Demas," of whom the apostle says," Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world." "If God be for us who can be against us." There is nothing more certain than this, that every degree of confidence that is reposed in man by a saint or in himself, is so much of his trust withdrawn from "the living God." "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God." But faith alone can use those weapons; and when faith fails, there is always the practical turning to the world and its strength and wisdom for help. This only is the right position of our souls, "to have the sentence of death in ourselves; that we should not trust in ourselves; but in God that raiseth the dead." And again let it be said; "if God be for us who can be against us!" "There is no king saved by the multitude of a host; a mighty man is not delivered by much strength. A horse is a vain thing for safety; neither shall he deliver any by his great strength … our soul waiteth for the Lord; he is our help and our shield."