What does the Bible say about bodyguard work?

QUESTION: 

What does the Bible say about bodyguard work?

Dex gives us the following explanation of this word:

BODYGUARD [ˈbädēˌɡärd] s. M. Bodyguard, guard (of someone); gorillabodyguard.

So Bodyguard is an English word made up of two words. Body and “Guard” – to guard or stand guard. From here in Romanian translates bodyguard.

We do not find this word in the Romanian translation of the Bible. However, Scripture speaks of bodyguards. This word is found in English translation, in Romanian translation several expressions are used, for example: brave, guardian, etc.

The Bible tells us about several bodyguards. For example, one of them is

Potiphar

Potiphar, who bought Joseph as a slave from the Midianites, was…

“Potiphar, Pharaoh’s officer, the captain of the bodyguard.” (Genesis 37: 36b,NASB)

Joseph was his servant and Potiphar treated him very well.

David was Achish’s bodyguard

When David fled from Saul, he hid in the land of the Philistines. Achish, the king of Gath, received David and after a while, decided to make David “the guardian of his head”, that is, a bodyguard.

Now it came about in those days that the Philistines gathered their armed camps for war, to fight against Israel. And Achish said to David, “Know for certain that you will go out with me in the camp, you and your men.”David said to Achish, “Very well, you will learn what your servant can do.” So Achish said to David, “Then I will assuredly make you my bodyguard for life!”(1 Samuel 28:1-2 NASB)

The phrase “guardian of my head” in the English translation is the word “bodyguard”.

David had a bodyguard

David had 30 heroes guarding him. Of these, 3 were the most famous. In the book of 2 Samuel 23 we find the list of David’s heroes. These were his faithful men, called the mighty men of David. So faithful were they, for David’s sake, were ready to pass through the camp of the Philistines and to come to the well of Bethlehem, to bring water to David.

And David had a craving and said, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem which is by the gate!”  So the three mighty men forced their way into the camp of the Philistines, and drew water from the well of Bethlehem which was by the gate, and carried it and brought it to David. Yet he would not drink it, but poured it out as an offering to the Lord; and he said, “Far be it from me, Lord, that I would do this! Should I drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?” So he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did.(2 Samuel 23:15-17 NASB)

David was very moved as the three put their lives at stake for him. At the cost of their lives they went and fulfilled David’s wish. In fact, this is a bodyguard’s job. He undertakes to be a bodyguard; that is, to defend the one who takes him into this service. In other words, the life of the person he is defending becomes more important than his.

God is the best bodyguard

As I thought of bodyguards, I remembered the scriptures that read:

I will raise my eyes to the mountains; from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to slip; He who watches over you will not slumber. Behold, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.The Lord is your protector; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun will not beat down on you by day, nor the moon by night.The Lord will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul. The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in. From this time and forever.(Psalms 121 NASB)

If you are a bodyguard, learn from God how to do this job. What beautiful qualities God describes in this Psalm. He is the best guardian. God wants to be the bodyguard of each one of us. Not that we would have hired Him but by His mercy and by His covenant with us, He becomes our guardian. So even Satan, when he wants to touch one of God’s children, cannot without asking His permission (Luke 22:31). The Lord does not sleep but 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, He is our Guardian. He is the shadow on our right hand. But I want to draw your attention to a very important truth. The bodyguard is obliged to guard a person’s body, he is the bodyguard. But God is committed to guarding not only our body but also our soul. This is what the psalmist says: “The Lord will guard you from all evil, he will guard your soul.”

My dear, who guards your soul? You may try hard to defend yourself, your family, your life, but you forget that if the Lord does not guard, you are still guarding in vain. In vain do you hire guards. The Lord wants to be your refuge and your tower of escape (Proverbs 18:10). Entrust your soul and destiny into His hand and you will live. And don’t forget that…

Unless the Lord builds a house, they who build it labor in vain; Unless the Lord guards a city, the watchman stays awake in vain.(Psalms 127:1 NASB)

Let no bodyguard trust in his own powers and mastery, but let him remember that if the Lord does not guard, he is still watching in vain. The Lord is the One who keeps all things in check, and every watchman must trust in the Lord.

Did you trust Him? In whose hands is your soul?

Translated by Ina Croitoru