By Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce
Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical precepts & Gospel music; Pastoral ministry & counseling
What resulted in King David’s victory and praised God in Sam.22 and Psalm 18?
Psalm 18 is a victory song, fourth longest in the Psalter, this psalm, also found in 2 Sam.22, was written after the death of Saul and the securing of David’s kingdom. Thus, it commemorates David’s overall deliverance from his enemies rather than a specific victory.
King David relates what the Lord is to him (vv.1-3), rehearses God’s deliverance (vv.4-19), relates the basis for that deliverance (vv.20-30), further rehearses the victory (vv.31-48), and resolves anew to continue praising God (vv.49-50). Not only had David quelled civil war (2Sam.3:1), but God had made him the head of many nations (2Sam.8). Paul saw messianic implications in this statement “so that the Gentiles may glorify God for His mercy, as it is written: “Therefore, I will praise you among the Gentles, I will sing hymns for your name.””(Rom.15:9) supported by the term anointed (Heb. messiah) used the royal line, which culminated in Christ.
What resulted in King David’s victory and praised God in Sam.22 and Psalm 18?
- First, He expressed his characteristics as follows,
1. His righteousness
2. The cleanness of his hands (v.20)
3. He has kept the ways of the Lord (v.21)
4. He has not done evil by turning from his God. (v.21)
5. He kept His laws, and decrees. (v.22)
6. He has been blameless before God (v.23)
7. He has kept himself from sin.(v.23)
Therefore, he said,
“To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless, to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd. You save the humble but bring low those whose eyes are haughty. You , O Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light with your help I can advance against a troop with my God I can scale a wall. As for God, His way is perfect, the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him.” (Psalm 18:25-30).
God shows with crooked (perverse) God shows Himself shrewd (lit., twisted); He is at cross-purposes with those who are at crooked-purposes with Him.
- Second, King David’s ankles do not turn, He is steadfast and leans on God, twice he claimed that “It is God who arms me with strength for the battle”, and he states,
It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way Perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; He enables me to stand on the heights. He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You give me your shield of victory, and your right hand sustains me; you stoop down to make me great. (Psalm 18:32-35)
Your armed me with strength for battle; you made my adversaries bow at my feet. You made my enemies turn their backs in flight, and I destroyed my foes. They cried for help, but there was no one to save them-to the Lord, but He didn’t answer. I beat them as fine as dust borne on the wind; I poured them out like mud in the streets. (Psalm 18:39-42)
The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Savior! He is the God who avenges me, who subdues nations under me, who saves me from my enemies. You exalted me above my foes; from violent men you rescued me. Therefore, I will praise you among the nations, O Lord; I will sing praises to your name. He gives His king great victories; He shows unfailing kindness to his anointed, To David and his descendants forever. (Psalm18:46-50)
It commemorates David’s overall deliverance from his enemies rather than a specific victory. Not only had David quelled civil war (2Sam.3:1), but God had made him the head of many nations (2Sam.8). Paul saw messianic implications in this statement “so that the Gentiles may glorify God for His mercy, as it is written: “Therefore, I will praise you among the Gentles, I will sing hymns for your name.””(Rom.15:9), supported by the term anointed (Heb. messiah) used the royal line, which culminated in Christ.
Implication & application
My friends, King David’s lesson when he faced multitudes of enemies who attacked him, he hid himself in a cave from king Saul, and fled from the attacks of his son Absalom. In his brokenness, frustration, and the disappointment of his loved one who he severed and loved, yet, betrayed him, his hope ankles in the Lord firmly; seek God’s strength, help, and deliverance. Most important is that he kept his integrity, loyalty to the Lord and his master who he served. He kept his characteristics: righteousness; the cleanness of his hands (v.20); He has kept the ways of the Lord (v.21); He has not done evil by turning from his God (v.21); He kept His laws and decrees. (v.22); He has been blameless before God (v.23); He has kept himself from sin.(v.23).
Indeed, God promised blessing for obedience, king David rejoiced because God blessed him for his obedience. And he praised the Lord, “The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Savior! He is the God who avenges me, who subdues nations under me, who saves me from my enemies.” Paul saw messianic implications in this statement “so that the Gentiles may glorify God for His mercy, as it is written: “Therefore, I will praise you among the Gentles, I will sing hymns for your name.””(Rom.15:9). Today, our generation needs to ankle on this solid Rock, the Messiah Christ Jesus our Lord. On this Rock we stand firmly, it is God arms us with strength for battle, the victory belongs to God.
My friends, are you leaning on Christ? Are you standing on this solid Rock? Are you keeping obedience to the Lord? Are you keeping your integrity characteristic? “The eternal God is your Refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms”. (Deut.33:27). Try to ponder the king David’s victory in 2 Samuel 22 and psalm 18, you will gain the wisdom, hope, help, peace, the sense of victory, and blessed assurance. Your heart will resound this traditional hymn “Leaning on the everlasting arms” it says,
1) What a fellowship, what a joy divine, leaning on the everlasting arms; what a blessedness, what a peace is mine, leaning on the everlasting arms.
2) O how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way, leaning on the everlasting arms; O how bright the path grows from day to day, leaning on the everlasting arms.
3) What have I to dread, what have I to fear, leaning on the everlasting arms? I have blessed peace with my Lord so near, leaning on the everlasting arms.
Bibliography,
Bauer, Walter. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. 3rd Chicago: The University of Chicago press, 2000.
Brown, Robert, Philip W. Comfort and J.D. Douglas, ed. The New Greek English Interlinear New Testament. Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.1990.
Friberg, Timothy, Barbara Friberg, and Neva F. Miller et al., eds. Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament.1st ed. Victoria BC: Trafford Publishing, 2005.
Lee, Witness. The New Testament (R.V.) Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985.
Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie study Bible (NIV). Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986.
Strong, James. Strong’s: the expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2010.
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