Psalm 18 (KJV) - Part 2: Thou wilt save the afflicted people

From Psalms

Psalm 18 (cont.)

¹⁷He delivered me from my strong enemy,
      and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.
¹⁸They prevented me in the day of my calamity:
      but the LORD was my stay.
¹⁹He brought me forth also into a large place;
      he delivered me, because he delighted in me.

²⁰The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness;
      according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
²¹For I have kept the ways of the LORD,
      and have not wickedly departed from my God.
²²For all his judgments were before me,
      and I did not put away his statutes from me.
²³I was also upright before him,
      and I kept myself from mine iniquity.
²⁴Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness,
      according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.

²⁵With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful;
      with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;
²⁶With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure;
      and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.
²⁷For thou wilt save the afflicted people;
      but wilt bring down high looks.
²⁸For thou wilt light my candle:
      the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.
²⁹For by thee I have run through a troop;
      and by my God have I leaped over a wall.

³⁰As for God, his way is perfect:
      the word of the LORD is tried:
he is a buckler
      to all those that trust in him.
³¹For who is God save the LORD?
      or who is a rock save our God?
³²It is God that girdeth me with strength,
      and maketh my way perfect.
³³He maketh my feet like hinds' feet,
      and setteth me upon my high places.
³⁴He teacheth my hands to war,
      so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.
³⁵Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation:
      and thy right hand hath holden me up,
      and thy gentleness hath made me great.

Yayyy - I rejoice in the Lord. I went to a meeting last night where I shared my 7th step prayer, which I posted here in Psalm 9 and a similar prayer in Psalm 15. After the meeting a guy came up to me and thanked me in a very heartfelt way. It felt so good to impact somebody like that - so, this psalm rings very true to me right now.

God is merciful, he has saved this afflicted soul. When my life was unmanageable (froward) God was distant (froward). However, in the last 8 months of my sobriety, God has given me strength and makes my way perfect. Perfect may be a stretch, but as it is said in the meeting, spiritual progress not spiritual perfection, and he certainly gives me progress.  God certainly puts me upon high places.  God makes me fast and fleet, and God enlightens my darkness.

However, despite what this Psalm says, God did not reward me according to my righteousness. He rewarded me according to his grace and mercy.  I am blessed that Jesus died for my sins, that God would save the life of wretched addict like me. Whatever the case, his grace or my righteousness, my cup runneth over and tonight I am very grateful for all the gifts he has given me and I rejoice in the Lord.

Thanks for letting me share.