Another thing: God's way is perfect. This refers to Abraham, as it says, "And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect." (Genesis 17:1) You have said, "The LORD is a shield." This means that the Lord refined Abraham through ten trials. These are: when he was thrown into the fiery furnace, as it says, "I am the LORD who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans" (Genesis 15:7); twice when God told him to go, and twice with Sarah, in Gerar when he said, "Come to my handmaid" (Genesis 16:2), with Ishmael when he sent away Hagar, and when he smote the kings (Genesis 14:14); and when God said to him, "Walk before me, and be thou perfect" (Genesis 17:1).
And during the latter trials, when he saw that the kingdoms were enslaving his descendants, and in Isaac, when God said, "Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac" (Genesis 22:2). Therefore, you have said, "The LORD is a shield" for all who seek refuge in Him. The nations of the world ask, "Why did God love Abraham so much, that He saved him from the fiery furnace, from nine kings and populations, and from all the troubles that he experienced?"
God replied, "I am saying to him, 'Sacrifice your son,' and he listens to me and trusts in me. Therefore, I shield him. He is a shield for all who trust in Him." And tomorrow, his children will bless him in prayer, saying, "Blessed be the shield of Abraham.
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my high tower." (Psalms 18:3) David said to God, "Why do they say, 'The shield of Abraham,' and not 'The shield of David'?" God replied, "I tested him in ten trials." David said before God, "Test me, and try me" (Psalms 26:2). When God tested him with Bathsheba and he did not stand up to it, immediately David prayed that they should say, "The shield of David" in the blessing after the haftarah (weekly prophetic reading).
"For Thy name's sake, Thou wilt lead me, and guide me. Thou shalt also make me the head of the nations; a people whom I have not known shall serve me." (Psalms 31:4-5)