As years pass in the Christian life, we look back to special times and particular events with grateful appreciation to the Lord. These may not be as intense as they were when they happened, but in our history, they have greater significance. This messianic psalm references our Lord Jesus Christ, even though it was very personal to David. He had first written it as a young man who had been delivered from his enemies, including Saul, by the apparent hand of the Lord. Now, as an older man who has experienced the rigors of life and the pressures of kingship, he repeats the same sentiments toward the Lord. One can imagine the depth of emotion of one who is older would likely bring tears of gratitude as minor changes were made to the psalm. The enthusiastic praise for deliverance from enemies in his youth and when the events happened has now deepened into worship nurtured through years of experiences of deliverance by the Lord.
"I love You, Lord" resonates with greater gratitude and deeper sentiment. Of particular interest is that his appreciation of and his attitude toward God have not changed. They express themselves in the same words. An "I love you" from a child or young person differs from a middle-aged or older son or daughter saying the same words to a parent. Even though there may be differences due to maturity, the interest shown in them and their acceptance for a lifetime have a deeper meaning. To say that our own strength has been passed on from our parents involves the true sense of love on the part of both children and parents. To speak to the Lord from our heart and say that our strength is in Him is the surrender of ourselves to His power and authority.
God is the Source of strength. He is the Rock that can never be moved. He is the Fortress - the safe place the enemy cannot penetrate. He is the Shield that protects from aggressive attacks that seek to harm one whose faith is in the Lord. He is the Horn, the symbol of power and strength that intimidates those who seek to defeat us. He is the Stronghold high above the enemies who cannot bring it down. All of the protection we need is in our God. The enemies of fear, distress, depression, and a sense of inadequacy cannot defeat one who calls upon the Lord. He is the One to be praised, and the enemies are not to be feared when we rest on our Shield and Defender. The repetition of "my" nine times makes this a real confession of David's faith in the Lord.
Then, the whole tenor of the psalm is changed as David writes of "pangs" that pierce the soul and "floods" that threaten to take away all that he trusted. The "sorrows" of hell and "snares" of death express deep fear of what is ahead as he faces danger. David sought deliverance from those dangers as he called out to God. In faith, he was assured that God heard and answered his heartfelt cry.
When one calls upon the Lord for salvation, God saves that person. To call upon Him in faith as a believer is to appeal to the highest power in the universe. The descriptions of God coming to deliver are very significant and majestic. Heaven and earth are moved when God takes steps to defend His people and deliver them from their enemies. Our God is the "Most High." He is above every known category of power and authority. As a Mighty Warrior, "He sent out His arrows." As the One who controls the waters of the sea, He can make the seabed dry land.
The word "He" is used four times, emphasizing the personal deliverance of the Lord's servant by the Lord's power. In whatever way He chooses, and even when we feel overwhelmed by what is happening to us and around us, God's protection is there for our support and security. Instead of being boxed in by circumstances, He brings us to a "large place" where there is all we need. Wholehearted obedience and genuine faith please God.
Holy living and its benefits are not reasons for us to boast. God is not paying us back as if He owed us anything. Godliness is expected in the children of God. But God does love righteousness and hates iniquity. The "clean hands" of a servant of the Lord is a testimony before other people that we are committed to keeping "the ways of the Lord" no matter what others do or may say about us. Uprightness is a public testimony that is true. But, of far more importance, we live a blameless life before the Lord. Our behavior before our fellowman brings a similar response from God. He is merciful to those who show mercy. Purity casts a personal reflection on the One who is absolutely pure. If one is devious or subtle, God has His own way of outsmarting the person who thinks he or she is getting away unscathed with something less than right. He rescues the humble from despair and makes the haughty people ashamed. Moral behavior is expected of those who belong to God by our Lord, and those who know we are born-again Christians or unbelievers.
Moral behavior brings a certain vitality to life, like a light in darkness. There is hope and comfort in light, but fear and despair in darkness. By the power of God, obstacles can be surmounted, and enemies overcome. There are no mistakes with God, whose "way is perfect." Our faith in God is not a sign of weakness but confidence in the One who cannot fail nor be defeated. All the enemies of the people of God, together, are weaker than our Almighty God. Our Lord has already won great victories over Satan's attacks and temptations. The armies of the mighty empires of men have never defeated the power of divine love and justice. God is our Lord, our Safety, and our Defender. So, He strengthens our arms to defend the faith. He makes our feet rise above and pass over all the obstacles in our path, placing them on solid ground. He is our Instructor who teaches us the nuances of spiritual defensive and offensive warfare. He is the One who entrusts us with the salvation message to deliver the captives. No matter our strengths or weaknesses, we can depend on our Mighty King-General to hold and guide us so we do not fall or fail.
David was a mighty warrior and a man of mercy when mercy was the right thing to show. Saul lived because of David's mercy. David's kindness was shown toward those who were defenseless before him. He was known for his power to overtake, subdue, wound, and destroy his enemies who would not surrender or submit to him. But he gave all the credit for his victories to God. He knew his leadership role was to provide blessings for God's people, not to make a name and a great reputation for himself.
This part of the psalm, where "the head of nations" is mentioned, refers to our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom all nations will submit when He is King of kings and Lord of lords. The dramatic statement, "The Lord Lives! Blessed be the Rock, and let the God of my salvation be exalted!" contrasts our Lord to the idols of the pagans. They have no life. He is the Source of life. They cannot give life or peace to those who worship them. Our Lord, the God of my salvation, gives eternal life to those who trust Him, offering abundant life now and forever. No wonder we do and will give thanks to Him when others will not so much as bow their heads or close their eyes in prayer. We sing hymns of praise from our hearts, putting our spiritual words into our voices with the emotion of praise. Those of the world pay people to praise them and sit back to be entertained by seeing how well they do. They miss the whole point of praise and turn it into entertainment instead.
We look into the future and see the great deliverance that will be experienced worldwide when "David's Greater Son" reigns and shows His mercy to those who know Him, love Him, and belong to Him.
PSALM 18. The Power that raised Christ from the dead. Verse 49 is quoted in Rom.15:9 as referring to Christ. This psalm is almost a duplicate of 2 Sam. 22. David praises God and expresses gratitude for deliverance and victory. v. 1-3. God hears and answers the prayers of His Son. There are five military symbols here: rock, fortress, horn, shield, stronghold. v. 4-6. As death closes in on Him, He has the assurance that His prayer is heard. v. 7-15. Satan and his host were defeated as the Most High came in a mighty display of divine power. v. 16-19. Christ is taken from the sealed tomb and is given a triumphant ascension through the enemy’s realm. [Col.2:5]. v. 20-30. God's righteous attributes demanded that He bring the Savior up from the grave in the power of endless life. It was essential because of Christ’s perfection. v. 31-42. The Second Coming of Christ in His appearing. [2Thes.1:7-8; Rev.19:13, 15]. v. 43-45. His kingdom is set up, and He is the Head of the nations. v. 46-50. A hymn of praise to God for what He has done.