You Are Not the Only One

Psalms Chapter 18 Verses 17-34 #Deliverance #RetributionTheology #Favor #Grace #Peace #Trust

David continued his prayer of thanksgiving to The Lord citing the situation from which he received the divine intervention of God. Below the Psalmist reflects on his deliverance and his relationship with The Lord.

17He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me. 18 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay. 

When have you been in a situation where you felt you were surrounded by enemies who were too powerful for you, and who hated you? Not to be truthful today the word hate has so many strong emotions attached to it that I am choosing to use the word “contempt” in its place. So, when was the last time that someone treated you with contempt? A friend, a Christian brother or sister? Someone whom you respected? David experienced all of those emotions. Betrayal if one of the most devastating emotional traumas that a person could experience. It cut to the very fiber of their being. Verse 17a. Verse 18a “They prevented me in the day of my calamity:” The biblical definition for prevent for this word is: Psalms 18:5,18, “came upon.” “But GOD” is my mainstay statement when I do not understand what is happening to me and I know that He will deliver me.

PREVENT: pre-vent’ (qadham; prophthano, phthano):

1. “Prevent” occurs in the King James Version in the literal but obsolete sense of “to come or go before,” “to anticipate,” not in the sense of “to hinder.” It is the translation of qadham, “to be sharp,” “to be in front,” “to be beforehand”
2. (2 Samuel 22:6,19, the Revised Version (British and American) “came upon” Job 3:12, the Revised Version (British and American) “receive”; 30:27,
3. “are come upon”; 41:11, “first given”; 
4. Psalms 18:5,18, “came upon”; 21:3, the American Standard Revised Version “meetest”; 59:10, the American Standard Revised Version “meet”; 79:8,
5. the American Standard Revised Version “meet”; 88:13, “come before”; 119:147,148, the American Standard Revised Version “anticipated”; Isaiah 21:14, “did meet”; Amos 9:10,
6. the American Standard Revised Version “meet”).
7. In the New Testament prophthano, with same meaning, is translated “prevent” (Matthew 17:25, “Jesus prevented him,”
8. the Revised Version (British and American) “spake first to him”); phthano (1 Thessalonians 4:15, “shall not prevent,”
9. the Revised Version (British and American) “shall in no wise precede”). “Prevent” in the above sense occurs in The Wisdom of Solomon 6:13,
10. the Revised Version (British and American) “forestalleth” (phthano); 16:28, “we must prevent the sun to give thee thanks,”
11. the Revised Version (British and American) “rise before.”W. L. Walker Bible Study Tool Dictionary.

David has his BUT GOD moments too. After deliverance he stated “19He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, [Why did God deliver David? Why does He deliver me? Why will He deliver you?] because he delighted in me. Proverbs 16:7 “When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.” Hallelujah!! I will tell you this my friends, that is when this song becomes what I must do and who I am to make it through the day. 

Jaci Velasquez – On My Knees (Official Video)  via @YouTube

20The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.  WHY? 21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.

I just love the way that Cayce explains these verses. “And he delivers his church and people, because they are his Hephzibah. [My delight is in her.] In whom is his delight? See Isa. 62:4 “Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.”) [This applies to us too. Not just to David and Israel. See below.

1. The Father delighted in them and therefore chose them to salvation.
2. The Son delighted in them, and gave himself for them, and ransomed them out of the hands of him that is stronger than they.
3. The Holy Spirit delighted in them, and therefore regenerates, renews, and sanctifies them, and seals them up unto the day of redemption.

David gave himself entirely to the work of The Lord and was rewarded over and over again by deliverance and Warrior King protection. 

How does this speak to us today? Are we thankful for the people whom God has placed in our lives? Are we always looking for a new kind of truth?

 

22For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me.

When we look at this verse, we are reminded of who? Genesis 18:19 “For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.” Abraham! This man left all that he knew to follow God and to serve him. Isn’t that what Christians do today? No, our offenses will not come from without the House of the Lord. They will come from within.

That is why David was so distressed. Put, even though he was flanked by deceivers and people who wanted to destroy him, He remained resolute in his faith and his service to The Lord and His people. “And I did not put away his statutes from me”: (in 2 Sam. 22:23), it is read, “and as for his statutes, I did not depart from them.” Just look at Joshua. Joshua 1:8 “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” Is that our life’s goal? To follow Jesus no matter how impossible it may seem?

23 I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity. 24Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.

No human being can claim to be perfect. However, Jer. 9:23-24 gives us the standard by which we should live. “Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: [When we look at society today what do people talk about the most?]

But what is God’s standard? “But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.” 

OK now let’s look at some application of this Scripture. If the Lord loves the exercise of lovingkindness, [properment] judgment, and righteousness on earth. What should we be looking for in our leaders here on earth? The same things right? What should we be doing ourselves? The same things right? 

I walked out of a place once and determined that I would never return there again. The Lord dealt with me and asked me? Who do you serve Joyce? I had to say. “Your people Lord!” He told me He would deal with it and He did just that. “Vengence is mine said the Lord I will repay!” We do not have to repay people for the embarrassment that they put us through. God will deal with them. Love them anyway!

25With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright; 26With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.

 God is not a respecter of persons. Degrees mean nothing to Him because He is the sum total of all knowledge.  Let us look at how He operates with humanity.

1. He is faithful to those who are faithful. The noun and the root of the verb connote covenant love or loyalty ( ḥ sd ) (Longman 2014, 115). God made promises to the Children of Israel. He promised to protect and take care of them. He shows this promise by rescuing the Psalmist.  He reiterates this point once again in 25. Longman proposes that God used a “different noun and verbal root that means ‘to be blameless/innocent’ ( tmm ).”  This means that they are living ethical lives and lives that are governed by their integrity. Longman continued with the explanation of a “noun from the same root (‘to be pure’ [ brr I])” (Ibid).
2. David clarifies God’s position. Verses 25-26 are both clear. We reap what we sow. We can fool people, but we can never fool God. In addition, Longman stated that Verse 27 “uses antithetical parallelism to drive the point home. God saves the humble but will put down those who have pride” (Ibid). 27 For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks. It is always haughtiness that destroys a person’s name and reputation.

28For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness. 29For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.

David’s enemies may be coming at him through the darkness of sin, but The Lord keep the light of the Holy Spirit burning to light his way. In (2 Sam. 22:29), it is, “Thou art my lamp, O Lord.” David, not only knows where his help comes from, but he also knows who lights his path. Acts 2:28 “Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.” David said, “my God have I leaped over a wall.” Physically and spiritually David was high on the fact that his vertical relationship with God was intact. David gives honor to where the honor is due. It is not to Him, not his military prowess, or even the men who are working for him. It is not because of His army, but it is because of God Almighty. “and by my God have I leaped over a wall.” Not because of what he has done, but because of what God had done. Psalm 132:17 “There will I make the horn of David to bud: I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed.”

Verses 30- 34

30 As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.

David knew the contents of the Torah, and he knew that The Almighty was his shield.

1. Verse page

” data-hasqtip=”0″>Psalm 28:7 “The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him.”

• Verse page” data-hasqtip=”1″>Psalm 18:2

  “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.

• Verse page” data-hasqtip=”2″>Genesis 15:1

  “After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great.”

• Verse page” data-hasqtip=”3″>Deuteronomy 33:29

  “”Blessed are you, O Israel; Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD, Who is the shield of your help And the sword of your majesty! So your enemies will cringe before you, And you will tread upon their high places.”

 

Verse page

” data-hasqtip=”4″>Psalm 33:20 Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield.

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” data-hasqtip=”5″>Psalm 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD gives grace and glory; No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.

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” data-hasqtip=”6″>Psalm 115:9 O Israel, trust in the LORD; He is their help and their shield.

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” data-hasqtip=”7″>Proverbs 30:5 Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.

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” data-hasqtip=”8″>Psalm 89:18 For our shield belongs to the LORD, And our king to the Holy One of Israel.

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” data-hasqtip=”9″>Psalm 3:3 But You, O LORD, are a shield about me, My glory, and the One who lifts my head.

The new testament church also had a shield. The shield of faith is part of the armor of God. Read Ephesians 6:10–17. Paul concludes his mrddsgr to the Ephesians by stating “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes” (Ephesians 6:10–11).

 

Paul clarifies the importance of one part of the armor, “In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one” (verse 16). The ESV puts it this way: “In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one.”

 31For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God? 32It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. 

1 John 5:7 “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” From Eden, the Godhead has stood the test of time. His [eople knew that His name was “the Lord who saves!” “The Lord is our rock who saves!” The Lord who strengthens me? Psalms 121:2 declares “My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.” Where does your help come from? Social media? Christian Friends? Or The Lord?

33He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, and setteth me upon my high places. 34He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms

God’s counsel and his providence is tried, true and meets all methods of scientific inquiry. There is no hypothesis that we can state about his deliverance that will ever produce a negative result. We may not always understand it, but it is perfect, and we can trust it.