Read
David Sings
(Psalm 18.1-50)
1David sang a song to the Lord after the Lord had rescued him from his enemies, especially Saul. These are the words to David's song:
2Our Lord and our God,
you are my mighty rock,
my fortress, my protector.
3You are the rock
where I am safe.
You are my shield,
my powerful weapon,
and my place of shelter.
You rescue me and keep me
safe from violence.
4I praise you, our Lord!
I prayed to you,
and you rescued me
from my enemies.
5Death, like ocean waves,
surrounded me,
and I was almost swallowed
by its flooding waters.
6Ropes from the world
of the dead
had coiled around me,
and death had set a trap
in my path.
7I was in terrible trouble
when I called out to you,
but from your temple
you heard me
and answered my prayer.
8Earth shook and shivered!
The columns supporting the sky
rocked back and forth.
You were angry
9and breathed out smoke.
Scorching heat and fiery flames
spewed from your mouth.
10You opened the heavens
like curtains,
and you came down
with storm clouds
under your feet.
11You rode on the backs
of flying creatures.
You appeared
with the wind as wings.
12Darkness was your tent!
Thunderclouds filled the sky,
hiding you from sight.
13Fiery coals lit up the sky
in front of you.
14Lord Most High, your voice
thundered from the heavens.
15You scattered your enemies
with arrows of lightning.
16You roared at the sea,
and its deepest channels
could be seen.
You snorted,
and the earth shook
to its foundations.
Reflect
Few of us are likely to be a king. The wealth and authority may appeal to us. However, with the wealth and authority come responsibility and challenges. King or not, we do experience life like King David and life is not always easy. We live with the choices that we or others have made. Some of those choices are good. An education usually means a higher income. A wise choice in a spouse means a happy home and family. Right mentors means support, encouragement and growth in every dimension of life. However, wrong choices – the Bible calls them sin – have consequences and always bring trouble. David is beset from the outside. It is impossible to live life without some of that happening. We are imperfect and sinful and our frailties and failures are often imposed on others. And like David in this story we can actually get to the place of despair.
This often comes as a shock or even disappointment to those who decide to be followers of Jesus. We may expect that once we’re a believer everything should be perfect and if not perfect, at least easy. Unfortunately Jesus never promises us that. It has been said that Christianity in a person’s life brings constant joy, constant hope and constant trouble. It makes sense that if the person who bought us salvation was made perfect through suffering (Hebrews 2:10), we should expect to suffer as well as to learn to live for him and have his likeness grow in us.
The good news in this text is David knows where to go when life happens. David declares the greatness of his God knowing that problems still come and his enemies are still real. The real person changed in this moment is David. He calls on his God and his God comes and answers him. The enemies of David become the enemies of God. God is for him.
Respond
Oh God,
My challenges are ever before me. Please help me to know you as David did, as my God, my rock, my fortress, my protector, my safety, my powerful weapon, my place of shelter, my rescuer and my defender. There is no question that I need you, Lord. Help me be aware that you are with me, always, regardless. I surrender my life to you. Do with it what you will.
William Morrow
William Morrow currently serves as an associate pastor at Evangel Church in downtown Montreal. Before that he was president of Master's College & Seminary in Peterborough Ontario. He also served as General Superintendent of The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada (12 years), Superintendent of the Western Ontario District (6 years) and pastored in Montreal, Smiths Falls and Sarnia. He spent five years teaching at the college where he now serves as President. He is a husband, father and grandfather and has given his ministry life to mentoring a new generation of leaders and pastors.