Highlights
- What God meant to King David – everything: his rock, fortress, deliverer, refuge – delivered him from his enemies etc
- Such a comfort to read King David’s thoughts, prayers, trust and praises of God. We can too be like him i.e be men and women after God’s heart;
- His prayer is full of praise of who God is and what He had done for him;
- In God, Christ and the Holy Spirit you have everything you need in life – heavenly Father, friend, master, love, comforter, deliverer, protector, refuge, provider, mentor, wisdom, knowledge, sound judgement, healer, power and more. Perfect love for God casts out fears and stresses of life. Trusts God like King David did.
Psalms 18:1-31
[1]How I love you, Lord! You are my defender.
[2]The Lord is my protector; he is my strong fortress. My God is my protection, and with him I am safe. He protects me like a shield; he defends me and keeps me safe.
[3]I call to the Lord, and he saves me from my enemies. Praise the Lord!
[4]The danger of death was all round me; the waves of destruction rolled over me.
[5]The danger of death was round me, and the grave set its trap for me.
[6]In my trouble I called to the Lord; I called to my God for help. In his temple he heard my voice; he listened to my cry for help.
[7]Then the earth trembled and shook; the foundations of the mountains rocked and quivered, because God was angry.
[8]Smoke poured out of his nostrils, a consuming flame and burning coals from his mouth.
[9]He tore the sky apart and came down with a dark cloud under his feet.
[10]He flew swiftly on a winged creature; he travelled on the wings of the wind.
[11]He covered himself with darkness; thick clouds, full of water, surrounded him.
[12]Hailstones and flashes of fire came from the lightning before him and broke through the dark clouds.
[13]Then the Lord thundered from the sky; and the voice of the Most High was heard.
[14]He shot his arrows and scattered his enemies; with flashes of lightning he sent them running.
[15]The floor of the ocean was laid bare, and the foundations of the earth were uncovered, when you rebuked your enemies, Lord, and roared at them in anger.
[16]The Lord reached down from above and took hold of me; he pulled me out of the deep waters.
[17]He rescued me from my powerful enemies and from all those who hate me — they were too strong for me.
[18]When I was in trouble, they attacked me, but the Lord protected me.
[19]He helped me out of danger; he saved me because he was pleased with me.
[20]The Lord rewards me because I do what is right; he blesses me because I am innocent.
[21]I have obeyed the law of the Lord; I have not turned away from my God.
[22]I have observed all his laws; I have not disobeyed his commands.
[23]He knows that I am faultless, that I have kept myself from doing wrong.
[24]And so he rewards me because I do what is right, because he knows that I am innocent.
[25]O Lord, you are faithful to those who are faithful to you; completely good to those who are perfect.
[26]You are pure to those who are pure, but hostile to those who are wicked.
[27]You save those who are humble, but you humble those who are proud.
[28]O Lord, you give me light; you dispel my darkness.
[29]You give me strength to attack my enemies and power to overcome their defences.
[30]This God — how perfect are his deeds! How dependable his words! He is like a shield for all who seek his protection.
[31]The Lord alone is God; God alone is our defence.