Psalm 18:1-2
God the Sovereign Savior
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord, who spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. And he said:I will love You, O Lord, my strength.The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
Application:
David expresses his gratitude to God for delivering him from the grasp of all his enemies, including King Saul. This psalm is also found in 2 Samuel 22. As the king of Israel, divinely installed on the throne, David had a legal relationship with God. However, the relationship was also one of love: “I love you, Lord, my strength” (18:1). Because this love was reciprocated, David is confident that God is his source of deliverance and salvation (18:2).
No other psalm contains so many metaphors to express God’s attributes. All these metaphors draw on a military setting, portraying God as the true strength that supports the fighter. He also shields the psalmist, serving as a refuge from the enemy (his rock, fortress, and stronghold). God guards him against a barrage of weapons (he is his shield) and rescues him from his adversaries (he is his deliverer and salvation). In line with the psalm’s military imagery, the horn of salvation might refer to one of the altar’s horns, representing a place of refuge (1 Kg 1:50–51). However, it more likely signifies the horn of a wild animal that gored its enemies (Dt 33:17; Ps 92:10), symbolizing military strength.
Although our spiritual enemies are numerous and powerful, they do not stand a chance against our Lord. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and choose to obey Him, the Holy Spirit dwells within us. As John wrote in 1 John 4:4: “…He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”
Reference: Kevin R. Warstler, “Psalms,” in CSB Study Bible: Notes, ed. Edwin A. Blum and Trevin Wax (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2017), 830.
Reference: Tony Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2019), 515.
To God, be the glory!
Our Lord Jesus Christ created everything! By Him, For Him!
“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26
Disclaimer
When God inspires me, I write articles glorifying God. I invite you to view this writing as a Bible study. Like the Bereans in Acts 17:11, I encourage you to search the Scriptures to determine whether what I have written is true. Always consult with your church ministers regarding biblical matters. I am not a professional writer, so there may be some grammatical or spelling errors present. I strive to write as clearly and efficiently as possible. Your brother in Christ, Ricardo.
#Jesus, #God, #HolySpirit, #Bible, #Israel, #prayer, #wisdom, #faith, #battle, #leader, #border, #spiritual
Leave a comment or reply, I will love to hear from you!