God's Reward (Psalm 18)

Does God reward those who choose to live upright and honest lives, not following the ways of the world? Let’s look at Psalm 18.

Do we love God? Is He our strength? Do we call on Yahweh?

I love you, Yahweh, my strength. Yahweh is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower. I call on Yahweh, who is worthy to be praised; and I am saved from my enemies. (Ps 18:1-3 WEB)

Have we ever been in danger of death and called out to God for help?

Death’s cords were wrapped around me; rivers of wickedness terrified me. The cords of the grave surrounded me; death’s traps held me tight. In my distress I cried out to the Lord; I called to my God for help. God heard my voice from his temple; I called to him for help, and my call reached his ears. (Ps 18:4-6 CEB)

Do earthquakes and volcanos spewing out lava remind us of God’s power?

The earth shook and shivered, and the mountains trembled down to their roots. You were angry and breathed out smoke. Scorching heat and fiery flames spewed from your mouth. (Ps 18:7-8 CEV)

Does God respond swiftly to our prayers when He is ready to end the plans of our enemies?

He bowed the heavens and came down; thick darkness was under his feet. He rode on a cherub and flew; he came swiftly on the wings of the wind. He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him, thick clouds dark with water. Out of the brightness before him hailstones and coals of fire broke through his clouds. (Ps 18:9-12 ESV)

What power from heaven does God use to scatter the enemy?

The Lord thundered from heaven; the Most High projected His voice. He shot His arrows and scattered them; He hurled lightning bolts and routed them. The depths of the sea became visible, the foundations of the world were exposed, at Your rebuke, Lord, at the blast of the breath of Your nostrils. (Ps 18:13-15 HCSB)

Does God reach down to deliver us from a flood of calamity sent by those who hate us?

He reached down and took me; he drew me from many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemies, from those who hated me because they were stronger than I. They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my support. He brought me out to a spacious place; he delivered me, for in me he takes delight. (Ps 18:16-19 ISV)

Does God reward us according to the righteous acts we do?

The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God. For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me. I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity. Therefore hath the Lord recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight. (Ps 18:20-24 KJV)

Is God kind to us, saving us from affliction, lighting up our lives in a dark world?

With the kind You show Yourself kind; With the blameless You show Yourself blameless; With the pure You show Yourself pure, And with the crooked You show Yourself astute. For You save an afflicted people, But eyes which are lifted up, You bring down. For You light my lamp; Yahweh my God illumines my darkness. For by You I can run upon a troop; And by my God I can leap over a wall. (Ps 18:25-29 LSB)

Is God blameless, helping us to overcome, in an evil world?

As for God, His way is blameless; The word of the Lord is refined; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him. For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God, The God who encircles me with strength, And makes my way blameless? He makes my feet like deer’s feet, And sets me up on my high places. He trains my hands for battle, So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You have also given me the shield of Your salvation, And Your right hand upholds me; And Your gentleness makes me great. You enlarge my steps under me, And my feet have not slipped. (Ps 18:30-36 NASB)

Does God give us victory to overcome our enemies in a dangerous world?

I pursued my enemies and overtook them; I did not turn back till they were destroyed. I crushed them so that they could not rise; they fell beneath my feet. You armed me with strength for battle; you humbled my adversaries before me. You made my enemies turn their backs in flight, and I destroyed my foes. They cried for help, but there was no one to save them—to the Lord, but he did not answer. I beat them as fine as windblown dust; I trampled them like mud in the streets. (Ps 18:37-42 NIV)