Psalm 18

I miss yall and have been praying for you each today!

Psalm 18 is the first mega-psalm we've run into in our reading. This is actually the second time this psalm has been recorded in the Bible. Where is the other time you might ask? 2 Samuel 22 records this same psalm because the psalm is a description of the life of David. The 50 verses in the Psalm are a whole lot to take in during one sitting without forgetting everything read within 2 minutes of finishing. So I was thinking that I'd try to just simply break the psalm up into multiple sections to help everyone in their reading. I'll add in some commentary here and there on the many verses which stand out for their beauty and their profoundness.

Vs 1-3
David begins the psalm with praise to the Lord. The list of "my ...." statements is an awesome expression of love and trust for the Lord.

Vs 4-6
With death surrounding David on all sides, he cries out to the Lord for help to save him from his enemies.

Vs 7-15
The Lord responds! David uses some incredible language to describe the Lord's response on his behalf. Stop once again here and tremble at such a description of the Lord. He shakes the most unshakeable things (mountains) and He controls the most uncontrollable things (lightning). Vs 15 even says that God exposes the earth by blowing on it through His nose!

Vs 16-19
Possibly the high mark of the psalm. Linger on verse 16 for a second. After the unbelievable description of the Lord in all His might in the preceding 8 verses, David says in vs 16, "He reached down from on high and took hold of me." Stop and pray to God using this verse to describe your salvation.

Vs 20-28
The Lord delivers David according to his righteousness. Ray does an awesome job focusing upon this same issue in Psalm 17, so I reference you back to his post. Vs 25-26 would be an excellent memory passage for us as a group. Are you pure, faithful, and blameless? Or are you crooked?

Vs 29-42
The Lord is ascribed all the glory for the victory over David's enemies. Notice vs 41 and the extreme difference between the unanswered cries of David's enemies and this very psalm.

Vs 43-45
The people are subdued and now submit to David.

Vs 46-50
The Lord is again praised and given all the glory!

One last thing for you all to do. Read back through the psalm as a description of the life of Christ. Surely, the Lord conquers His enemies through the triumphant work of Christ on the cross.

Grace and peace,
John Michael