Psalm 18

SLIDE 1 Turn to Psalm 18. Just to let you know where we are heading, we will be looking at Psalm 19 next week and then we’ll take a short break from the psalms before continuing with Psalm 20.

With fifty verses, Psalm 18 is one of the longer psalms in the Book of Psalms. There are only three that longer with Psalm 119 being not only the longest psalm but the longest chapter in the Bible. Another version of the psalm is found in 2 Samuel 22, and quotations and allusions to the psalm can be found in Psalm 116.

The psalm starts with this header:

For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord. He sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said:

David did not go into battle and beat Saul. For that matter David never fought with Saul even though Saul considered David his enemy. And no matter how much Saul persecuted David, David never considered Saul his enemy. The victory described here then is not a military victory but a political one. Saul was out to kill David, but in the end Saul died in a battle with the Philistines. The tribe of Judah immediately made David king. The remaining tribes took Saul’s son Ish-Bosheth and made him king. For two years there were battles between their forces what was finally ended when Ish-Bosheth was murdered by his own general. It was only then that David became the recognized king over all of Israel and there was peace between the tribes. So this is a psalm of victory.

Another distinctive feature of this psalm is that it begins and ends with a doxology. Doxologies are words of praise to God. In these verses of praise to God David addresses God. While David addresses God throughout the psalm there are also parts where he addresses his hearers making the psalm a blend of worship and witness. It is worship thanking God for what he has done and a witness to others telling them what God has done. While the focus is on what God has done for David it can also be instructional on what God can do for us today. We all need victory.

There are some who see this psalm as being messianic – that it is talking about what God will do for Jesus. The biggest reason for thinking this is because Paul quotes a verse from this psalm in his letter to the Romans. Quoting verse 49 Paul wrote: SLIDE 2

8 For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God's truth, so that the promises made to the patriarchs might be confirmed SLIDE 3 9 and, moreover, that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written: “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing the praises of your name.” (Romans 16:8-9)

That this verse might apply to Jesus doesn’t mean that it doesn’t apply to David or give us lessons to apply to our lives. So what can we learn about what can do for us?

SLIDE 4 First, God delivers when we call on him.

1 I love you, Lord, my strength. 2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 3 I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies. 4 The cords of death entangled me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me. 5 The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me.

6 In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears. 7 The earth trembled and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains shook; they trembled because he was angry. 8 Smoke rose from his nostrils; consuming fire came from his mouth, burning coals blazed out of it. 9 He parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under his feet. 10 He mounted the cherubim and flew; he soared on the wings of the wind. 11 He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him – the dark rain clouds of the sky. 12 Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced, with hailstones and bolts of lightning. 13 The Lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded. 14 He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy, with great bolts of lightning he routed them. 15 The valleys of the sea were exposed and the foundations of the earth laid bare at your rebuke, Lord, at the blast of breath from your nostrils.

16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. 17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. 18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support. (Psalm 18:1-18)

David begins this psalm with a phrase we probably out to use more often in our prayer. He tells God that he loves him. When was the last time you told the Lord that you love him?

David uses several metaphors to describe his relationship with. David says that God is his rock, fortress, shield, horn, and stronghold. These are metaphors of an outdoorsman and a soldier. Each of these terms refers to God’s strength. Perhaps we should start out our prayers like this declaring to God what he means to us. As we saw this morning, God is our source of strength and power to do what he wants us to do. Our strength is not found in ourselves, but in God. He’s the one who provides shelter. He’s our source of protection.

In verse 3 David declares that God is worthy of his praise. God is worthy of praise because of who he is, but in the next few verses David emphasizes what God has done for him than demands his praise. First, David describes the problems he faced as he endured his enemies. Most likely these difficult situations David found himself in were the result of Saul’s pursuit of him. There were times when David felt overwhelmed by the dangers facing him. It didn’t seem like there was anything he could do to escape. Remember the story we looked at last week when David was hiding in Ziph. At one point Saul was on the other side of hill from David. David only narrowly escaped because Saul was suddenly called away because the Philistines were attacking. David could barely catch his breath before Saul was chasing him down again. As soon as Saul had defeated the Philistines he resumed the hunt. So he called on God and when he did God answered.

David was certain that God heard his cries for help. Sometimes we may wonder though. We wonder if God is listening or if he will do anything. You’ll remember when Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. They were each to prepare a sacrifice and see which God, Yahweh or Ball, could prove they were the true God by sending down fire to light their sacrifice. We read about the prophets of Baal: SLIDE 5

So they took the bull given them and prepared it. Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. “Baal, answer us!” they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made. (1 Kings 18:26)

They did everything they could to get Baal’s attention, but nothing worked. Then Elijah started giving some helpful suggestions. SLIDE 6

At noon Elijah began to taunt them. “Shout louder!” he said. “Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.” (1 Kings 18:27)

Elijah was just making fun of them. Of course Baal couldn’t answer their prayers because Baal wasn’t real. But even believers sometimes wonder if God is listening. Job wondered. But David was certain God heard and acted.

SLIDE 7 David depicts God’s deliverance like a storm. David is being figurative in these verses. David isn’t saying that God actually did those things, but that what God did was like this. But notice how descriptive David’s language is, like in verse 8 when he says concerning God:

Smoke rose from his nostrils; consuming fire came from his mouth, burning coals blazed out of it. (Psalm 18:8)

David gets pretty detailed in describing God’s actions. Some wonder if God allowed David to see something others couldn’t see.

In 2 Kings 6 Israel was at war with the king of Aram. At one point the king of Aram surrounded the city of Dothan where Elisha was. They woke up one morning surrounded by their enemy. When Elisha’s servant told him what had happened during the night Elisha told him not to worry. SLIDE 8

“Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” (2 Kings 6:16)

You can imagine the servant’s reaction. What did Elisha mean there were more with them? Could Elisha not see they were completely surrounded by their enemies? But Elisha saw something his servant couldn’t see. SLIDE 9

And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. (2 Kings 6:17)

There is more going on in the world than what our eyes can see. SLIDE 10 Maybe God opened David’s eyes so he could get a glimpse of the things that were going on for his deliverance. David says about God in verse 10:

He mounted the cherubim and flew; he soared on the wings of the wind. (Psalm 18:10)

Because David called out to God, at just the right time, God delivered him. David’s enemy fell in defeat, but David stood firm, supported by God. Years after being anointed by Samuel to be the next king David was finally sitting on the throne of Israel. His ten years of exile were over and his life had been spared.

SLIDE 11 Second, God rewards when we obey him.

19 He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me. 20 The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me. 21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord; I am not guilty of turning from my God. 22 All his laws are before me; I have not turned away from his decrees. 23 I have been blameless before him and have kept myself from sin. 24 The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

25 To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless, 26 to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the devious you show yourself shrewd. 27 You save the humble but bring low those whose eyes are haughty. (Psalm 18:19-27)

Back in verse 6 David said he had been is distress. The word he uses carries with the idea of being in a narrow or tight place. It’s the word used in Numbers 22 when Balaam was traveling to see the king of Moab. As he rode along on his donkey God sent an angel with a sword to stop. While Balaam couldn’t see the angel the donkey could. Do you think animals can see things in the spiritual world that we can’t? When the donkey turned off the road to go avoid the angel Balaam beat it. A little latter the angel appeared again, but this time Balaam was traveling between two walls. When the donkey tried to avoid the angel again it crushed Balaam’s foot against one of the walls. Then God opened Balaam’s eyes and he was allowed to see the angel. The Bible says the angel had stood before them in a narrow place. It’s the same word David uses in verse 6 to describe the situation in which he found himself. We might say he was between a rock and a hard spot. It didn’t matter which way he turned there was trouble. But that was before God delivered him. In verse 19 David declares that God had brought him into a large place, a spacious place, where he could move about freely.

In Psalm 17 we saw David asking God to examine him.

Though you probe my heart, though you examine me at night and test me, you will find that I have planned no evil; my mouth has not transgressed. (Psalm 17:3)

Now David says that’s what happened. God dealt with him according to his righteousness. Note the use of the words righteousness, cleanness of hands, blameless, and pure. David declares he knew God’s law and had kept his commands. As we’ve mentioned in previous psalms, that didn’t mean that David was without sin. We aren’t perfect and neither was David, but David was a man after God’s own heart. And you don’t have to take my word for it. God himself declared it to be true of David. As a result, God delighted in David the way parents delight in the maturing of their children in character, obedience, and service. While David wasn’t perfect, he was faithful to God, so God faithfully cared for David.

The way we relate to God determines how God relates to us. God was merciful to Saul. In His long-suffering, God was giving Saul opportunities to repent. He also allowed him to stay on the throne. But when Saul refused to repent God took the throne from him. David, on the other hand, was quick to repent when confronted with his sin. He owned up to them and didn’t try to blame others. And so God could call him a man after his own heart.

SLIDE 12 Third, God equips when we submit to him.

28 You, Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light. 29 With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall. 30 As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him. 31 For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God? 32 It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure. 33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he causes me to stand on the heights. 34 He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. 35 You make your saving help my shield, and your right hand sustains me; your help has made me great. 36 You provide a broad path for my feet, so that my ankles do not give way.

37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them; I did not turn back till they were destroyed. 38 I crushed them so that they could not rise; they fell beneath my feet. 39 You armed me with strength for battle; you humbled my adversaries before me. 40 You made my enemies turn their backs in flight, and I destroyed my foes. 41 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them – to the Lord, but he did not answer. 42 I beat them as fine as windblown dust; I trampled them like mud in the streets. 43 You have delivered me from the attacks of the people; you have made me the head of nations. People I did not know now serve me, 44 foreigners cower before me; as soon as they hear of me, they obey me. 45 They all lose heart; they come trembling from their strongholds. (Psalm 18:28-45)

God’s wants our obedience. We talked about this last Wednesday. We need to know that the opposite of faith isn't doubt. The opposite of faith is disobedience. When we disobey we are showing a lack of faith. If we truly believed God’s ways were right and good and best we’d follow them. When we submit he equips us.

Think about what it must have been like for David as he waited to become king. Samuel had anointed him in front of his family. No one knew but God, David, Samuel, and his family. And it wasn’t like he could go tell people. Then, King Saul tried to kill him. He lived as a refuge running and hiding for his life because he didn’t know who he could trust. This went on for ten years.

What was God doing during those difficult years? For one thing, God was disciplining his people for running ahead of him and making Saul king. God spoke through the prophet Hosea about that decision saying: SLIDE 13

10 Where is your king, that he may save you? Where are your rulers in all your towns, of whom you said, “Give me a king and princes”? 11 So in my anger I gave you a king, and in my wrath I took him away. (Hosea 13:10-11)

It was not God’s desire to give them a king, or at least not yet. God made provisions for a king in the law. But they couldn’t wait for God’s timing and suffered as a result. They started with Saul instead of starting with David.

SLIDE 14 At the same time, God was equipping David for his years of service. It takes time for God to prepare his servants. It took thirteen years for Joseph, forty years for Moses, and forty years for Joshua. The lessons David learned about himself and God during those years of exile helped to make him the man he was. The images in these verses reveal how God developing not only a great warrior and a compassionate leader, but also a godly man.

SLIDE 15 I don’t know if you remember the story of Kayla Mueller. Kayla was working with Doctors Without Borders when she was taken prisoner by ISIS in 2013 at the age of 23. She died while in captivity. Not much is known about her captivity or death except that Kayla handled her captivity far differently than most captured by ISIS. Most of ISIS’s captives did anything they could to save their lives. There’s footage taken of captives making confessions of guilt or converting to Islam or even renouncing America and their allies to gain their freedom. But, not so with Kayla. Although she was held captive for eighteen months she never gave in even in the hope of saving her life. We read about her faith in a letter smuggled home to her parents. Kayla wrote things such as:

I remember mom always telling me that all in all in the end the only one you really have is God. I have come to a place in experience where, in every sense of the word, I have surrendered myself to our creator because literally there was no else. . . . I pray each day that if nothing else, you have felt a certain closeness and surrender to God as well and have formed a bond of love and support amongst one another.

And this:

Please be patient, give your pain to God. I know you would want me to remain strong. That is exactly what I am doing. . . . Do not fear for me, continue to pray as will I and by God’s will we will be together soon.

SLIDE 16 How are we to live when we face difficulties? Some people seem to live their lives kicking and screaming about what is going on in their lives. And some people, like David and Kayla, live faithful and even brave lives in complete surrender to their Lord. When we faithfully submit to God he equips us.

SLIDE 15 And fourth, God is glorified when we worship him.

46 The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Savior! 47 He is the God who avenges me, who subdues nations under me, 48 who saves me from my enemies. You exalted me above my foes; from a violent man you rescued me. 49 Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing the praises of your name. 50 He gives his king great victories; he shows unfailing love to his anointed, to David and to his descendants forever. (Psalm 18:46-50)

After looking back at the ways God had protected and delivered him, what else could David do but praise him? Who else can deliver us but God? Who can reward us as God does? Who can equip as God does? Does he not deserve our praise?