I will Love You O Lord – Psalm 18

“To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the servant of the Lord, David, 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. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; so, shall I be saved from my enemies.” Psalm 18:1-3

David and the apostles were happy to be known as the Lord’s servants. David placed “servant” before his given name in the Hebrew text. [1] Paul repeatedly introduced himself as a “servant of Christ Jesus” (Romans 1:1, Philippians 1:1, Titus 1:1). Peter identified himself as a “servant of Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:1). James referred to himself as a “servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ” (James 1:1). Jude identified himself as a “servant of Jesus Christ” (Jude 1:1). The Greek word for servant is “doulos” which implies that they were “purchased” by Christ, and therefore, willing to serve Him. In Revelation 5:9, in heaven, the saved people of God celebrate what Christ did for them, singing, “You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood.”

David had endured years of persecution from King Saul. Perhaps, as many as 10 years! From the time, he killed Goliath as a young man until he was 30 years old and became king. Who would have thought that a good deed such as killing a giant would have brought on so many years of misery. It’s as though Goliath represented Satan, and therefore, Satan wanted to kill David for bringing him down.

1 Samuel 16:14 says that after the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, “an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him.” This spirit yielded for him fits of paranoia and rage. Evil spirits always want to turn people against the Lord and His anointed one. Due to Saul’s disobedience, the Lord allowed the spirit to torment him. Sadly, Saul never turned to the Lord for rescue.

How many people have grown up with a family member or someone outside their family that targets them for persecution? Saul was David’s father-in-law and king. Therefore, he felt that he could not harm or kill him. He had to avoid him. He had to place Saul in God’s hands.

Obviously, God used David’s heartbreaking circumstances to deepen his relationship with him. What was David’s initial response on the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul? He declared, “I will love You, O Lord.” To love the Lord is the first and great commandment. Blessed is the man, woman, boy or girl who has a genuine love for God in his or her heart. A great way to bless the Lord is to love Him.

David also described who the Lord was to him. God was his strength. The Lord protected and delivered David from a king and his army. He trusted in the Lord, and the Lord did not disappoint him. He declared that the Lord is worthy to be praised. After he became king, he appointed many musicians and singers to lead praise and worship in Israel.

“The pangs of death surrounded me, and the floods of ungodliness made me afraid. The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me. The snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called upon the Lord and cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, and my cry came before Him, even to His ears.” Psalm 18:4-6

At times, there had been just a hair between David and death. He experienced extreme fear. He experienced sorrow. What did David do? He cried out to the Lord. The Scripture doesn’t say that he prayed. It says that he cried out. These were intense moments of emotion before the Lord.

Jesus Christ experienced the pangs of death. Ungodly people tortured and insulted Him. He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. On the third day, after His death, He resurrected from the tomb. Acts 2:24 says, “God raised Him from the dead, freeing Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on Him.”

“Then the earth shook and trembled. The foundations of the hills also quaked and were shaken because He was angry. Smoke went up from His nostrils, and devouring fire from His mouth; coals were kindled by it. He bowed the heavens also and came down with darkness under His feet. And He rode upon a cherub and flew. He flew upon the wings of the wind. He made darkness His secret place. His canopy around Him was dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. From the brightness before Him, His thick clouds passed with hailstones and coals of fire. The Lord thundered from heaven, and the Most High uttered His voice, hailstones, and coals of fire. He sent out His arrows and scattered the foe, lightnings in abundance, and He vanquished them. Then the channels of the sea were seen, the foundations of the world were uncovered at Your rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of Your nostrils. He sent from above, He took me. He drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my support. He also brought me out into a broad place. He delivered me because He delighted in me.” Psalm 18:7-19

In this passage, David describes God becoming angry at the news of his anguish. God blew smoke out of His nose and fire out of His mouth. He flew to David’s rescue. David’s enemies thought he was down for the last time, but the Lord was the difference maker. The Lord supported David. The Lord brought David into a broad place.

Darkness, hailstones, fire, thunder and lightnings appear in Revelation 8:5, 11:19, 16:10, 18, 21, when the first, fourth and fifth bowls of God’s wrath are poured out on earth. These judgments are likely in response to the mistreatment of God’s servants. Revelation 18:20 says, “Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!”

“The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness. According to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of the Lord and have not wickedly departed from my God. For all His judgments were before me, and I did not put away His statutes from me. I was also blameless before Him, and I kept myself from my iniquity. Therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in His sight.” Psalm 18:20-24

The Lord had given David grace to do what was right amidst very evil circumstances. Thus, I don’t perceive that he is taking onto himself the glory that belongs to the Lord. He is merely stating a fact. God curbed David’s will to do what was right in His sight. His obedience to the Lord’s directions saved him from harm. He could not afford to slip up, and the Lord kept him on the straight and narrow road.

In 2 Corinthians 1:12, Paul wrote, “Our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you.” In Acts 23:1, Paul declared before his enemies, “Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.” The Lord helped Paul not to violate his conscience amidst those who wanted him to do so.

It is good to keep one’s conscience clean. In 1 Timothy 4:1-2, Paul warned that in the last days people’s consciences will be ineffective. He wrote, “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron.”

“With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful. With a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless. With the pure You will show Yourself pure. And with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd. For You will save the humble people but will bring down haughty looks. For You will light my lamp. The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness. For by You I can run against a troop, by my God I can leap over a wall.” Psalm 18:25-29

The Lord says in Galatians 6:7-8, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.” You want God’s mercy, show mercy. You want God’s holiness and purity, pursue Him for these virtues.

In Matthew 5:7-8, Jesus taught us, saying, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

God saves the humble, that is, those who know their need of Him. And He gives added blessings such as light where it is dark, and ability to overcome armies and walls that want to halt your progress.

God shows Himself shrewd with the devious. The Hebrew word “pathal” (shrewd) implies twisting, but when applied to God, it signifies His ability to turn the plots of the crooked back upon themselves, not that God Himself is immoral or deceitful. [2]

“As for God, His way is perfect. The Word of the Lord is proven. He is a shield to all who trust in Him. For who is God, except the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God?” Psalm 18:30-31

Contrary to what some would say about God, David knows God as perfect. His Word is proven. David trusted in the Lord and the Lord protected him against an army that was waged against him. An army, incidentally, that he did not feel at liberty to fight against due to them being misled by evil king.

“As for God, His way is perfect.” Earthly fathers, even at their best fail to be perfect towards their children. In Matthew 5:48, in the context of love, Jesus said that our Father in heaven is perfect. In Matthew 5:45-47, Jesus said, “Your Father in heaven makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?” Our Heavenly Father shows lovingkindness both toward those who love Him and those who don’t.

“It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of deer and sets me on my high places. He teaches my hands to make war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You have also given me the shield of Your salvation. Your right hand has held me up. Your gentleness has made me great. You enlarged my path under me, so my feet did not slip.” Psalm 18:32-36

Here, David gives God the glory for his triumphs. God gave him strength when he was weak. God helped him to navigate through very life threatening circumstances and survive. God helped him to win battles. God’s right hand held him up. Christ sits at the right hand of God.

God’s gentle treatment of David helped him to become great. Our Heavenly Father is not like earthly fathers who exasperate their children. Isaiah 40:11 says, “He tends His flock like a shepherd. He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart. He gently leads those that have young.” This verse is a good one for parents to claim. “Gently lead us as we try to raise a family.” May the Lord also help us as parents to be gentle with our children.

In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

The Lord enlarged the path under David, so his feet did not slip. God provided for David blessings amidst trials that helped him to remain faithful to God. He did not slip away from God.

“I have pursued my enemies and overtaken them. Neither did I turn back again till they were destroyed. I have wounded them, so that they could not rise. They have fallen under my feet. For You have armed me with strength for the battle. You have subdued under me those who rose up against me. You have also given me the necks of my enemies, so that I destroyed those who hated me. They cried out, but there was none to save; even to the Lord, but He did not answer them. Then I beat them as fine as the dust before the wind. I cast them out like dirt in the streets.” Psalm 18:37-42

In terms of enemies that David could destroy without reservation such as the Philistines, Moabites, and Ammonites, the Lord helped him to subdue them. He beat them down as fine as dust so they could not rise up again to cause God’s people harm.

In this way, David was a type of Christ. Albeit Christ took down spiritual forces of wickedness in high places. He cast down the accuser of the brothers. Colossians 2:13-15 says, “And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” By atoning for our sin, Jesus took away the devil’s right to punish and curse us due to our sin. 1 John 3:8 says, “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”

“You have delivered me from the strivings of the people. You have made me the head of the nations. A people I have not known shall serve me. As soon as they hear of me, they obey me. Foreigners submit to me. Foreigners fade away and come frightened from their hideouts.” Psalm 18:43-45

David had so much that he wanted to do for God’s glory, but until now, the striving of the people had thwarted his progress. Finally, the Lord gave him a clear opportunity to build worship in Israel. To build up people’s faith in God! Whereas before Saul’s death, he had to exist as a fugitive exists. In 1 Samuel 21:13-15, he even pretended to be a crazy person to escape death at the hands of the Philistines. Now, he was king of his nation commanding the army of God. He began to defeat Israel’s enemies on every side.

“The Lord lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let the God of my salvation be exalted. It is God who avenges me and subdues the peoples under me. He delivers me from my enemies. You also lift me up above those who rise against me. You have delivered me from the violent man. Therefore I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the Gentiles, and sing praises to Your Name. Great deliverance He gives to His king, and shows mercy to His anointed, to David and his descendants forevermore.” Psalm 18:46-50

Mortal friends live and die, but the Lord lives forever. David rendered unto God his highest praise. Only God, not anyone else, could do the miracles that God did for him. David was determined to thank the Lord and sing praises unto His Name as long as he lived, which brings us back to his opening declaration, “I will love You, O Lord.”


[1] Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary
[2] priceb3.wordpress.com/2011/03/13/psalm-1825-26, article by P. B. Middlebrook III