The Lord Liveth!
Today’s Verse:
The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted. ~Psalm 18:46
Ps. 18 is one of the great Psalms of David written after he experienced the Lord’s deliverance from Saul and his other enemies. It is a theological Psalm that teaches us great truths about God and His attributes. It is a thanksgiving Psalm that teaches us to thank the Lord always for Who He is and what He is doing for us. It is a thundering Psalm that reminds us that God is all-powerful, and without Him we are losers. This morning, we are traveling to the moment when David wrote this Psalm and was bursting with enthusiasm and joy when he proclaimed, “The Lord Liveth!”
We see the personal DISTRESS.
“The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.” David was going through a time of great personal distress. He was hated, hunted, and hurt by Saul. He had many sleepless nights and lived in constant fear of being killed. It seemed like he was barely one or two steps ahead of Saul. When we have distress, we feel overwhelmed, anxious, and sorrow for our situation. Our tendency is to go into hiding and get as far away from people as possible. You might be going through some type of distress. It could be that stress has you handcuffed in fear and trepidation. Be careful that your distress is not your demise!
We see the powerful DYNAMIC.
“In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.” David called on the Lord. He was doing what Phil. 4:6 admonishes us to do. “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” David discovered that “The Lord Liveth!” The Lord was well aware of David’s situation and was working mightily on his behalf. First, the Lord enabled him. “It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.” The Lord gave him the power to confront the problem head on. Second, the Lord enlarged him. “Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.” By this, he realized that God kept him from falling into sin. The Lord made his pathway understandable and clear. Third, the Lord gave him his escape. “He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man.” Yes, David testifies that the Lord liveth!
We see a prioritized DUTY.
David realized the circumstance he was in was to give glory to God. He acquired a greater appreciation and thankfulness for God’s power and providence in his life. His theological grasp of God’s attributes became so very real. He understood that the Lord was his rock; he understood how the Lord was his fortress; he understood how the Lord was his strength; he understood how the Lord was his buckler and the horn of his salvation. So, David exclaimed, “The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.” It’s our duty to praise the Lord for His goodness in our life and for every victory He gives us.
Yes, the Lord liveth! Difficulties and trials are God’s gifts to bring us closer to Him. They are tools God uses to cause us to thank and worship Him. David saw his victories as an opportunity to testify to the nations around him that God is good all the time.
God is not dead: the Lord liveth! Experience what He is able to do for you.
Have a dynamic God Morning!