Psalm 18 (NIV) Pt I - He reached down...drew me out of deep waters

From Psalms

Psalm 18
(New International Version, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica)

(For the director of music. Of David the servant of the LORD. He sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said:)
¹I love you, LORD, my strength.

² The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
     my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
     my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

³I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise,
     and I have been saved from my enemies.
⁴The cords of death entangled me;
     the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
⁵The cords of the grave coiled around me;
     the snares of death confronted me.

⁶In my distress I called to the LORD;
     I cried to my God for help.
     From his temple he heard my voice;
     my cry came before him, into his ears.
⁷The earth trembled and quaked,
     and the foundations of the mountains shook;
     they trembled because he was angry.
⁸Smoke rose from his nostrils;
     consuming fire came from his mouth,
     burning coals blazed out of it.
⁹He parted the heavens and came down;
     dark clouds were under his feet.
¹⁰He mounted the cherubim and flew;
     he soared on the wings of the wind.
¹¹He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him—
     the dark rain clouds of the sky.
¹²Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced,
     with hailstones and bolts of lightning.
¹³The LORD thundered from heaven;
     the voice of the Most High resounded.
¹⁴He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy,
     with great bolts of lightning he routed them.
¹⁵The valleys of the sea were exposed
     and the foundations of the earth laid bare
     at your rebuke, LORD,
     at the blast of breath from your nostrils.

¹⁶He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
     he drew me out of deep waters.
¹⁷He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
     from my foes, who were too strong for me.
¹⁸They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
     but the LORD was my support.
¹⁹He brought me out into a spacious place;
     he rescued me because he delighted in me.

²⁰The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness;
     according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.
²¹For I have kept the ways of the LORD;
     I am not guilty of turning from my God.
²²All his laws are before me;
     I have not turned away from his decrees.
²³I have been blameless before him
     and have kept myself from sin.
²⁴The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
     according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

²⁵To the faithful you show yourself faithful,
     to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
²⁶to the pure you show yourself pure,
     but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.
²⁷You save the humble
     but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.
²⁸You, LORD, keep my lamp burning;
     my God turns my darkness into light.
²⁹With your help I can advance against a troop;
     with my God I can scale a wall.

³⁰As for God, his way is perfect:
     The LORD’s word is flawless;
     he shields all who take refuge in him.
³¹For who is God besides the LORD?
     And who is the Rock except our God?
³²It is God who arms me with strength
     and keeps my way secure.
³³He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
     he causes me to stand on the heights.
³⁴He trains my hands for battle;
     my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
³⁵You make your saving help my shield,
     and your right hand sustains me;
     your help has made me great.

Psalm 18 marks the first of many psalms that I could not fit into 1 page. So, Psalm 18 will span multiple days. This is good because then I can share more messages...more good news...about this Psalm.

In any case, let's start with verse 16-19, because this stands out to me.  During my recovery he reached down from high, took hold of me; pulled me out deep waters.  Lord knows I was in over my head in my addiction - and drowning.  He rescued me from my enemy, which was my addiction, which was too strong and powerful for me (step 1).  My addiction confronted me in the day of my disaster but God was my support.  He brought me to a good and spacious place...where I was out of danger.

Then from verses 25-29.  God is faithful - and those who are faithful to God, know this.  You are blameless, and those who are blameless know this.  You are pure - and those who are pure, know this, too.  However, when people are devious and choose to follow their own plan - they know You are shrewd.  You save the humble, turn darkness to light.  With God nothing is impossible - with You I can scale a wall.

I have mentioned in the past that I have a problem with some of these Psalms.  It's not a problem with the Psalms per se, as much as it is a problem with me.  You see, verses 20-24, the Lord did not save me because I am righteous.  He saved me because he is righteous.  He saved me because he is a forgiving Lord.  He saved me according to His righteousness.  That's not to say I don't try everyday to be more like Jesus than the day before.  But try as I might, I still fail.  I am not perfect.  However, God knows this - and he saves me regardless.  For that I am truly grateful.

Thanks for letting me share.