For I was ashamed to request from the king troops and horsemen to protect us from the enemy on the way, because we had said to the king, "The hand of our God is favorably disposed to all those who seek Him, but His power and His anger are against all those who forsake Him."Ezra first proclaimed to the king that God would protect them, then seems to think he may have made a mistake. He affirms that God will punish those who are against Him, but then thinks he may need the king's protection against either foreigners or criminals en route to Jerusalem. However, he's just declared God's power, and can't back down from it now by asking for temporal help.
Did Ezra make the right call here? First, should have have stated God's power and will so forcefully? They are certainly true statements, but God does not necessarily protect His people from physical harm or loss. But he's suggested such, so he can't take it back without diminishing God in the view of the king. So his pride may have put him into a bad position, from which only God can bail him out. For if they had gone without troops, and had been attacked, surely that would have damaged God's sovereignty in the king's eyes.
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