Psalm 18 is the longest Psalm we have dealt with so far at fifty verses. It appears to have been written by David (though some argue against this) at a time after his lengthy battles with enemies that surrounded Israel and Saul’s battle against him for the kingship. It really speaks to the Lord’s faithfulness in rescuing those that belong to Him. This Psalm, by the way, is repeated almost word for word in 2 Samuel 22 during a portion of Scripture that recounts David’s and David’s men and their achievements. Keep in mind as we look at God as warrior portions of this psalm that God came to be our Ultimate Action Hero, to fightt and defeat sin that was seeking to devour us!
1 – 3
Look how David begins: “I love You, Lord!” How many times do you just simply tell God that? The most important thing we have going for us is the love relationship we have with the Lord. Here, David is saying “Yahweh, I love you!”
Then he uses some very descriptive and poetic words to describe how God has shown His love for David: rock, fortress, mountain, shield and “the horn of my salvation” which means that God has the power to save like the powerful horn of an animal.
How God uses these metaphors is to provide strength, deliverance, refuge, and salvation.
David says he called on God and was saved. There many times in David’s life where God literally hid him away from Saul. David here is looking back. Individual battles or experiences were tough and sometimes in the midst we cannot see the hand of God moving powerfully. But it is good for us to look back sometimes and see a series of events where God has come through for us, and rejoice!
I’d like to read the whole next section together because it is really one beautiful picture of how David felt about the Lord rescuing him.
4 – 19
David paints the picture of being pulled under the waves (vs 16). If you have ever experienced this you know how frightening it can be. I remember as a teenager I was body surfing at The Wall, a beach in Southern California, and I started riding one particular wave and it was really large and took me and slammed me down on the ocean floor and held me there. I really thought this was it, I couldn’t move, I couldn’t breathe, and I couldn’t escape the ocean’s hold.
Sometimes that’s what it feels like when we have been overcome with tragedy, difficulty, and attack.
In very wonderful and picturesque speech David pictures the Lord hearing about David’s plight and coming in a dramatic and forceful way, piercing through the enemy to reach down and pull David up and rescue him “Because He delighted in me.” (vs 19)
We may feel that God couldn’t love us enough to get us out of this jam we are in. But if you have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ then you are His child. This reminds me of a parent that has discovered their child is in danger. Parents, you know how it feels—you will spare nothing in order to rescue your child.
There is no pit so dark that our God cannot see and rescue (vs 15 “the depths of the sea became visible, the foundations of the world were exposed.”)
No matter how powerful your enemy (vs 17) God is more powerful.
20 – 24
This section is why some think that David could not have written this himself but was most likely someone writing about David. Because David was far from perfect, just ask Uriah the Hittite or ask the thousands who died in a plague because of David’s census. But the idea of righteousness means either righteous or forgiven. David had blown it, but he had also repented and sought forgiveness by the Lord. These verses go along with 25 through 29. It is really all about God’s faithfulness and the fact that those who love God are loved by Him.
As a Christian, your righteousness doesn’t come from your obedience; it comes from your relationship with Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.
2 Corinthians 5:21 He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
David is saying I “have not turned from my God.” God repaid David because he had a relationship with Him, and God will come to your rescue because He knows you and you are His child!
25 – 29
Here we have two opposites compared: those that love God, and those that reject Him. The “faithful” of verse 25 refers to those who are in relationship with God. If you are loyal to God He is loyal to you—you are His family. We are blameless and pure because of the sacrifice of Jesus, or of the looking forward to the sacrifice of the Messiah, and so God deals with us on that basis.
But for those reject Him, He cannot be fooled or taken advantage of. Those that raise themselves up against God will be humbled.
Verses 28 and 29 are a wonderful picture of what it is like to know God. What once was darkness in terms of what this age is about and what God is about becomes clear. Those that put up barriers against the knowledge of God cannot stop one who wants to have relationship with him.
This reminds me of 2 Corinthians 4:4 Regarding them: the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
The good news is that in Jesus: 2 Corinthians 3:16-17 but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.
30 – 32
Here David extols what it means to be a follower of Yahweh. First he declares that the way of living characterized by the Lord is “perfect” which means “entire, full, complete, whole, undefiled.” God represents the ultimate good, and as He expresses that in His word, it is pure, like gold refined by a goldsmith (from the meaning of the Hebrew).
Again David uses the imagery of shield and rock—but now he adds the idea of being “clothed with strength” which means the ability to accomplish things. What will David accomplish? We find it in the end of verse 32 “makes my way perfect.” That word “perfect” is the same Hebrew word used of God in verse 30. Following God makes His character and way of life rub off on you. Isn’t that great?
The results of this relationship are found in verses 33 through 36.
33 – 36
David describes this strength and this way—which means to live and walk in a way that mirrors God’s character and accomplishes God’s will despite circumstances—as a sure-footed deer in the rocky heights, and as a warrior who is so trained that he can move and work freely for God, and God’s shield protects him always and will rescue, or save him always.
I love the end of verse 35 how God is pictured holding us up with his hand. I think of a little child when you grab their hand they feel so secure. And then “Your humility exalts me”. Isn’t that an odd juxtaposition? Usually these two things are opposite each other. Jesus described Himself as “gentle and humble at heart.” (Matthew 11:29). He also said “many who are first will be last and the last first” (Matthew 19:30). God has a character that does not seek self-exaltation. Exalt here means “to increase.” Through humble service to God and to others we are able to do “above and beyond what we could ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20).
So David feels that when he walks in life there are no edges to fall off of and no rocks or potholes to trip him up. Walking in the ways of God you will experience resistance but you will never doubt you are going the right way.
So next David describes his abilities to follow God’s ways in a manner familiar to him, that of a warrior:
37 – 42
Notice here the joint work effort. Verse 27 it is David, then in verse 39 it is God and David, then in verse 40 and 41 it is the Lord acting again, then in 41 it is back to the Lord. When the Holy Spirit comes inside a person they are not just a robot or a puppet. We have the wonderful opportunity of working right alongside the Lord. Yes, He is the one really doing the work, but so are we! It’s a little like having one of those cool exoskeletons on that give you super human strength.
Next David talks about how not only militarily, but also in his reign as king, his area of responsibilities and in relationships God is working.
43 – 45
The effects of his military victories are that other nations, who are enemies of the Lord, are put in subjugation to David. This is also a Messianic prophecy as Jesus will rule the nations “with an iron scepter.” (Revelation 19:15)
The final section is a summary of what David has worked through and a declaration of God’s loyalty to David and David’s descendants, including the Messiah.
46 – 50
Verse 40 is an older worship song “The Lord liveth, and blessed be my rock and may the God of my salvation be exalted”
Notice the word “vengeance” in verse 47. Is this god-like? Yes, when it is God repaying evil acts. Remember, “Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord.” (Deuteronomy 32:35).
As for us, God “frees” us and “rescues” us from all our troubles. It doesn’t mean we are trouble free, but God is our ally whenever anyone comes against us for our relationship with Him and at some point He will execute vengeance against those who are against the people of God.
It moves David to sing (no surprise there) and to praise. It reminds me of: Romans 8:37
“Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” NKJV
And: Matt 16:18-19 “and on this rock I will build My church, and the forces of Hades will not overpower it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth is already bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth is already loosed in heaven.”
And then the ending: another Messianic prophecy—David urging his people (and us) to look at “His anointed” (Hebrew: Messiah). God promised David that the Messiah would come from His line (2 Samuel 7:4-16).
Conclusions
God does His strongest work when we are at our weakest
David was in a bad place at the beginning of this psalm. He was in the deep and going down. A place of weakness means a place of reliance on something other than us. Don’t just cry when you are feeling overwhelmed, but like David, cry out to God for help (vs 6) because He will hear you and will answer
God is moved by your plight
The imagery used in verses 7 through 19 is pretty strong. The picture painted is one of God sneaking up on the situation then blasting forth in victory. Sometimes it seems as if God isn’t even in the vicinity when we are in our worst trouble. But God’s victories don’t look the way we expect, but they are victories none the less.
He sees you no matter where you are
No matter how deep you are, no matter how invisible you seem, no matter how powerful a trial you are undergoing—God knows you, knows where you are, and cares about your plight.
You can trust in the righteousness God gives
David can rely on the cleanness of his heart before God—and in Jesus Christ you can rely on the righteousness of God in you. You don’t have to play the wonder game—wondering if you are good enough for God to care about you. You are because Jesus is good and He has given that goodness to you.
Remember this: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)
There is no battle too tough, no opponent too strong, no circumstance too difficult, no problem too large, no situation too hopeless that the Holy Spirit working in you cannot accomplish exactly what God wants to do in the situation. Take hope in the Rock!
