Psalm 18
is the longest psalm we’ve read so far, with the most specific heading. It
reveals David’s emotions and response at having survived repeated attack by
Saul and other enemies, and having led his nation in many victorious battles.
He found himself in many unenviable positions - “the cords of death entangled
me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me” (v4); “he drew me out of deep
waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong
for me” (v16).
I doubt
many of us have endured such physical assault or war. But each of us have our
own stories of being in a tight scrape, of feeling in deep waters, of knowing
that people are out to get us. If David hadn’t been through these testing
times, he wouldn’t have known God’s rescue so personally.
If you
wrote your own psalm, reflecting on how God helped you through difficult times,
how would you phrase it? What words would you use to describe God? What
emotions would you paint?
David’s
headline is “I love you, O Lord, my strength” (v1). Some of us find singing “I
love you, Jesus” difficult. The word David uses here for love is unique in the
OT - full of affection, even passion for the Lord. If even a ‘real man’ - a
brave warrior, fearless king, bold leader - can say “I love you, Lord”, maybe
we should, too? Or is our love limited, because our experience of God’s rescue
is limited?
(member of ordained
staff)