God’s Deliverance
Psalm 18:16–29
David encountered many difficult circumstances throughout his life. Psalm 18 — the fourth longest psalm in the Book of Psalms — expresses David’s praise for God repeatedly delivering him from his enemies.
In the opening verses of the psalm, David expresses his love to God and pledges trust to Him. He describes God using several words denoting strength: rock, fortress, deliverer, refuge, shield, horn of salvation and stronghold.
David learned the hard way that it was God who had saved him. In the focal passages, David elaborates on God’s deliverance.
The God Who Rescues (16–19)
David metaphorically describes the troubling experiences he had encountered. He was in deep water (as in a flood of trouble), and God took hold of him and pulled him out, rescuing him from hateful, strong enemies.
Naysayers confronted David — perhaps claiming that David’s difficult experiences were his own fault. The reality was that God acted to rescue David. The Lord provided support, a spacious place to hide and rescue for David because God delighted in him. Like David, those who walk in close relationship to God can see His hand on their lives in both good and challenging times.
Faithfulness Rewarded (20–24)
God blesses obedience. David followed God’s commands, and God rewarded the king according to the cleanness of his hands, a phrase that appears in verses 20 and 24.
Roughly two-thirds of the usage of “hand” in the Bible are metaphorical usages. David had “clean hands” — a figurative way to stress David’s faithfulness and obedience.
David was not sinless, but his goal was to follow God’s commands. He sought to obey the ways of the Lord, turn from wickedness and keep the statutes of God. The result? David was blameless before God, and God blessed him.
Faithfulness to God brings blessings, but our faithfulness also may lead to ridicule or persecution. In both scenarios, God remains faithful. He honors, blesses or rewards people based on whether we have hands clean of sin.
Are your hands clean before a Holy God? What steps of faithfulness to God do you need to take today?
Hope Given (25–29)
The Bible contains a doctrine of two ways, two paths, two destinies — the path of right or the path of wrong, the path of life or the path of death.
In these verses, David sets forth ways that people might act and how God responds. Faithful people enjoy God’s faithfulness. Blameless people understand God’s blamelessness. The pure see the purity of God (see Matt. 5:8). However, the crooked will experience God’s judgment (see Matt. 7:2).
God expects His people to be faithful, loyal, blameless and pure. Unfaithful, unloyal and blameworthy people may lack hope.
A key word thrown around in the business world today is integrity. Integrity is defined as the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles that you refuse to change. In a Christian’s life, integrity involves consistency in beliefs, words and actions, regardless of the circumstances or the perceived benefits to the individual.
There is hope if individuals choose God’s path. God proves Himself faithful to the faithful. How have you seen God’s faithfulness expressed in your life recently?
By Mark Rathel
Pastor of Friendship Baptist Church in DeFuniak Springs, Florida
