Psalm 18:1-19
Q.1. How did David address the Lord? Why was the content important? How desperate was David’s plight? What made him cry out to God? – (Ps.18:1-6)
David had a personal relationship with God – I love You, O Lord … (Ps.18:1). His song gave intelligent expression to his praise. God was the source of his protection and escape – 1 “I love You, O Lord, my strength.” 2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold (Ps.18:1-2). This was not meaningless repetition, but thoughtful statements that expressed the basis for his thanksgiving, and the reason he could say – I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies (Ps.18:3 c.f. Mt.6:7-8). The title to the Psalm explains David’s circumstances – A song composed by David the servant of the Lord in the day the Lord delivered him from the hand of his enemies and from the hand of Saul. David had feared for his life – 4 The cords of death encompassed me, and the torrents of ungodliness terrified me. 5 The cords of Sheol surrounded me; The snares of death confronted me (Ps.18:4-5). In this state, he pleaded with God for his life – In my distress I called upon the Lord and cried to my God for help; He heard my voice out of His temple, and my cry for help before Him came into His ears (Ps.18:6).
Q.2. How did God respond from Heaven? What did God do for him? Why? What happened to his enemies? – (Ps.18:7-19)
David was aware of God’s miraculous intervention against the five-nation confederacy, when God delayed the setting of the sun when – the Lord confounded them before Israel, and He slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon … As they fled from before Israel, while they were at the descent of Beth-horon, the Lord threw large stones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died; there were more who died from the hailstones than those whom the sons of Israel killed with the sword (Josh.10:10-11). Psalm 18:7-15 gave a dramatic testimony to God’s dynamic intervention in one of David’s battles against his enemies, in answer to prayer. The title also suggests that God miraculously saved David from the hand of Saul. This was recorded in 1 Samuel 24:1-7. This incident, when Saul relieved himself in the cave where David and his men were hiding, required stormy weather so that David was not detected, and was able to cut a piece off Saul’s robe. David gave praise to God for delivering him – from my strong enemy … from those who hated me … for they were too mighty for me (Ps.18:16-17). He also gave praise to God who – He brought me forth also into a broad place; He rescued me, because He delighted in me (Ps.18:19). His conclusion was that the Lord delighted in him.