PSALMS 18
We will begin this lesson in Psalms 18:35 "Thou hast also given
me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up,
and thy gentleness hath made me great."
Just as Abraham had faith, and it was counted unto him as
righteousness, we must have faith to receive salvation. Romans 10:9
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt
believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou
shalt be saved." Romans 10:10 "For with the heart man believeth unto
righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
Faith is believing in things you cannot see. Hebrews 11:6 "But without
faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God
must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that
diligently seek him." The Right Hand of God is Jesus Christ our Lord.
We will find that our help is God. He is holding us up, to keep us
from falling. Even when we do not realize He is helping us, He is
holding us up. Gentleness and longsuffering go hand in hand. God is
not only gentle, but patient with us. He is waiting even now to come
back, so that a few more will be saved.
Psalms 18:36 "Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet
did not slip."
To me, this would mean that God had made his step sure. We know
that the path to righteousness is narrow and straight, so it does not
mean that God has widened the path. It just means that, God made his
feet sure in the path.
Psalms 18:37 "I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them:
neither did I turn again till they were consumed."
We know that there was a literal meaning of this verse, because
David did defeat his enemy. I believe that looking at this from the
spiritual standpoint would mean: withstand the devil, and he will flee
from thee.
Psalms 18:38 "I have wounded them that they were not able to
rise: they are fallen under my feet."
We know that God was with David in battle. This is like a victory
cry over the enemy.
Psalms 18:39 "For thou hast girded me with strength unto the
battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me."
It was a dangerous thing to come against the anointed of God
then, and it is a dangerous thing now to come against the anointed of
God. The next Scripture shows how even David was fearful to come
against the anointed of God. I Samuel 26:9 "And David said to Abishai,
Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD'S
anointed, and be guiltless?"
Psalms 18:40 "Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies;
that I might destroy them that hate me."
Notice, again, that David is quick to give God the credit for
putting his enemies in his hand. Not only did he put them in David's
hand, but actually placed their neck in David's hand.
Psalms 18:41 "They cried, but [there was] none to save [them:
even] unto the LORD, but he answered them not."
These people had an opportunity to surrender to God, but did not.
Now it is too late for them to cry out to Him. When Jesus comes in the
clouds for the believers, it will be too late for those who rejected
Him completely. We must accept Jesus as our Saviour, because we
believe, not because we see Him with our eyes.
Psalms 18:42 "Then did I beat them small as the dust before the
wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets."
The defeat of our enemies will be as the defeat of David's
enemies, if we continue to serve the Lord. They were completely
destroyed.
Psalms 18:43 "Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the
people; [and] thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people
[whom] I have not known shall serve me."
This is a prophetic Scripture, speaking of Jesus being accepted
by the heathen. You see, the Hebrews, as a whole, rejected Jesus as
their Saviour, and He turned to the Gentile. The Gentiles did not have
God's law and had been classified as heathen. Jesus came and changed
all of that. Christianity was offered to the Jew first, and then to
the Gentile. When the Jew rejected Jesus, Christianity was offered to
whosoever would believe. Jesus is the Head of all believers in Christ,
Jew and Gentile. The most believers are the Gentile, however. The very
law that the Jew revered so was their downfall. They had a form of
godliness, but did not understand the grace of God.
Psalms 18:44 "As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the
strangers shall submit themselves unto me."
I Corinthians 1:21 "For after that in the wisdom of God the world
by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching
to save them that believe." In the study of Jesus' days of ministry
upon the earth, you will find that the simple people readily accepted
Him. They were called strangers, because the natural Jew was thought
of as being knowledgeable of the laws of God. The law of God was given
to the children of Israel on the way to the promised land. They had
used the law to benefit themselves. At the time Jesus walked on the
earth, it had been changed in meaning to fit the high priest in power
at the time. Had they really understood their law, they would have
recognized Jesus as Messiah. The Gentiles, who had never been allowed
to study the law, accepted Jesus quickly when they heard Him preach.
Psalms 18:45 "The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of
their close places."
To stay strong in the Lord, we must get our strength from the
Lord. We Christians have been grafted into the Tree of Life. As long
as we are connected to the Tree, we will have the strength to remain
with God. If we get separated from the tree, we will soon wither and
die. I am sure Jesus felt that fading away, when He was so alone on
the cross.
Psalms 18:46 "The LORD liveth; and blessed [be] my rock; and let
the God of my salvation be exalted."
Praise God! There was a resurrection morning. THE LORD LIVETH. We
should never cease praising the Lord Jesus Christ for what He has done
for us. We should exhalt His name forever. The God of my salvation is
Jesus. He is my Rock, He is my Lord, He is my Saviour. Liveth means to
continually live. He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the
End. We are not like those who worship idols {nothings}. We serve the
living God.
Psalms 18:47 "[It is] God that avengeth me, and subdueth the
people under me."
We need not be concerned with our enemies. God is our avenger.
Romans 12:19 "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but [rather] give
place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance [is] mine; I will
repay, saith the Lord." All people are controlled by the Lord. He is
our Creator and has absolute control over His creation.
Psalms 18:48 "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."
David was victorious over all of his enemies. Saul was not spared
in this. God removed Saul and made David king. One of the things I see
in this, is the fact that Satan thought he had defeated Jesus, but
Jesus rose again. The very act that Satan thought would do away with
Jesus was Jesus' greatest victory. On the cross, Jesus defeated sin
and on resurrection morning death was no more.
Psalms 18:49 "Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD,
among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name."
Jesus was not only in the lineage of David, but was David's LORD,
as well. David was not only thankful to the LORD for his victory, but
proclaimed it as a witness to the heathen, as well.
Psalms 18:50 "Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and
sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for
evermore."
Just as David was delivered from his enemies, we were delivered
from our enemies. This is speaking of the Christians, when it speaks
of his seed. This Psalm was written by David, king of Israel, but
certainly is prophetic and looks to the spiritual David, as well.
His mercy and grace is our hope.
Notes
Questions 18
1. What must we have to receive salvation?
2. What was counted unto Abraham as righteousness?
3. What does Romans chapter 10 verse 9 say, I must do to be saved?
4. Without _____ it is impossible to please Him.
5. Who is the Right Hand of God?
6. What does {Thou hast enlarged my steps under me} mean?
7. What does the author think is the spiritual meaning of verse 37?
8. Why did David not come against Saul?
9. David is always quick to give ____ the credit for his victories.]
10. We must accept Jesus as our Saviour, because we believe, not
because of what?
11. What happened to David's enemies?
12. What does verse 43 prophesy of?
13. Why were the Gentiles classified as heathen?
14. Who was Christianity first offered to?
15. The world by ______ knew not God.
16. It pleased God by the foolishness of ________ to save them that
believe.
17. Who readily accepted Jesus?
18. Had the Jews really understood their law, they would have
recognized Jesus as _______.
19. Why should we never cease praising The Lord Jesus Christ?
20. Who is the God of my salvation?
21. What does liveth mean?
22. Who is my Rock?
23. What are idols?
24. Quote Romans chapter 12 verse 19.
25. What 2 things did Jesus defeat on the cross?
26. What 2 Davids do we see in verse 50?
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