What Is the Horn of Salvation in the Bible?

The horn on an animal is used for battle or attack. Horns are used for defense and protection. Jesus wants us to see the horn as a symbol of protection. It symbolizes that we are in the right place: under the care and ownership of a strong King. When we think of the horn of salvation of God, it means that He defends and assumes care for His own. He wards off our battles and means to protect and guard us by His great strength.

Where Does the Bible Use the Phrase “Horn of Salvation”?

Specifically, a phrase in the Bible references the “horn of salvation.” This is a more technical term than even “horn.” This horn of salvation references that Jesus will defeat our spiritual enemies. Think of a strong horn on an animal; the horn causes all the animal’s enemies to feel afraid. Similarly, the salvation of God is our horn. He has cast fear into the hearts of his enemies because His salvation is strong. It is the ultimate defense against sin and evil.

The Bible uses the phrase “horn of salvation” in three locations. In 2 Samuel 22:3, the horn of salvation is referenced along with other attributes of God, like refuge, shield, and stronghold. Psalm 18:2 also references the horn of salvation in a passage that mentions other descriptions for God, such as rock, fortress, deliverer, and shield.

Luke 1:69 is a special usage of the term horn of salvation. It refers to Zechariah’s prophecy, where he speaks of Jesus Christ. Old Testament language is deployed to reference Jesus Christ as the strong one of God. He is the deliverer, shield, refuge, rock, and fortress. Because this term is used to describe Jesus, we can know that our salvation does all of this for us: it protects and provides us with spiritual strength. We will never be turned over to our spiritual enemies because we have secured an interest in the blood of Christ.

Where Else Does the Bible Reference Horns?

Deuteronomy 33:7 utilizes “horn” in Moses’ blessing upon the house of Joseph before his death. This is where it is used to mean strength. Psalm 89:17 references a horn that is raised or exalted. And, here is where it means victory.

Jesus wants us to know that His is the victory. And, His is the strength. We can draw on these passages of Scripture to recognize that no one but our God could secure for us what Jesus has done. There is no one with the strength of the victory of our God. That is why we worship Him and praise Him for being the horn of salvation for us.

Do Horns Symbolize Anything in the Bible?

As previously mentioned, Scripture uses a horn to symbolize strength. Furthermore, a raised horn is a sign of success and victory. Pair this with the notion of salvation, and we have the kind of victory Christ alone can secure.

Interestingly, the two passages referencing the horn of salvation in the Old Testament, 2 Samuel 22:3 and Psalm 18:2, are attributed to David. David was a great warrior and king. He found victory on every side of God in battle. And even further, his personal life of flight from King Saul (when David was assumed to be the next king, but Saul—the current king—wanted to hunt David down) means that David had a lot of experience gaining victory over others in the strength that God alone could provide.

David was also a great king who was named to be after God’s own heart. He shows us the path to the heart of God after he sins against God in adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah, her husband. He lays out his heart in deep sorrow that he had sinned against God (Psalm 51). God shows us that part of being a strong king is having a heart of great sorrow over our sins. This is a quality that many of the kings of Israel lacked—and lacked significantly. Many of the Israelite kings did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord—and David did as well, but God forgave him because he repented.

Having these horn of salvation passages attributed to David means that he is, in a sense, the forerunner of Christ. He shows us that God gives us victory over our enemies, as He did for Israel in battle. He also shows us that the King of Israel has a noble heritage—for David did what was right in the eyes of the Lord by fleeing from Saul and not taking Saul’s life when he had the opportunity to do so. David honored God’s king, even when he was evil in God’s sight. David waited for God alone to make him king, not taking these matters into his own hand.

David also shows us the need for a Savior concerning his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah. God was very displeased with these actions, but he used them to show what a truly repentant heart would look like. Many have learned from the repentant heart of David. David shows us that we need an ultimate horn of salvation to come—one with the statute, victory, and nobility of David and one without sin. Christ would come from this line of David. The horn of salvation over David’s life was God. And there was one who would be born of the Holy Spirit, and from David’s line, to be the ultimate horn for us.

Who Is Our Horn of Salvation?

Jesus is our horn of salvation, raised from the house of David. He is the emblem of true victory and praise. He is the strong horn giving us spiritual success, and He is the raised horn—as though victory is proclaimed from on high. Luke 1:69 states that Jesus is “a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David.”

The Messiah was promised. He would sit on David’s throne and secure Israel’s eternal victory and prosperity. This is a blessed promise for the Jewish people. David had many successes, and Israel fared well under his leadership. Jesus will come and set up his eternal kingdom, signaling a time when utter victory and prosperity will come through His reign. He will be the Person of utmost dignity, nobility, righteousness, justice, and wonder. Through His reign, the earth will be brought into a state of peace like never seen by man since before the fall in Genesis 3.

We can look forward to the final inauguration of the reign of the Horn of Salvation—our Jesus Christ. It will be a time when we will see the triumph of God and His people. Evil will not be permitted to reign, but goodness will triumph over evil—in our hearts and the world. God will unite all things under His ultimate, good, and perfect rule.

David looked to God to be his horn of salvation. And, we have an eternity to which we can look forward when the Horn of Salvation takes His throne—descended from David and born of the Holy Spirit. He is God, all-powerful to reign, and like us, having taken our sins upon Himself and securing our victory through His righteous resurrection. He is coming. Jesus reigns; let the earth be glad.

Lianna Davis is author of Keeping the Faith: A Study in Jude and Made for a Different Land: Eternal Hope for Baby Loss. She is also a contributor to We Evangelicals and Our Mission with Cascade Books. Lianna is a graduate of Moody Bible Institute and a student at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. She lives in Illinois with her husband and daughter. You can learn more about her writing at her website.