Psalm 18 (Part 4)

Revealing What’s Inside
Psalm 18:37-45

You must remember that David’s enemies were God’s enemies and that David was fighting the Lord’s battles. As Christians, we are taught today to pray for our enemies and to do good to those who despitefully use us. David did that. He prayed for Saul, and on at least two occasions, he could have killed Saul and didn’t do it. Yes, David had the right attitude toward Saul, but Saul did not have the right attitude toward David. As you read verses 37-45, remember that David was not carrying out a personal vindictive vengeance. When he talked about his enemies, he was talking about God’s enemies. David was the instrument God used to accomplish His purposes in that world.

An interesting point is found in vers 42: “Then I beat them as fine as the dust before the wind.” David had been enlarged (vv.19,36). When he became enlarged, his perspective changed. His enemies became as small as dust. You see, circumstances reveal character. People say, “Well, a man is made by a crisis.” No, a crisis does not make a person. It reveals what the person is made of. When the crisis came, Saul and his crowd grew smaller and smaller as their true nature was revealed. But David grew bigger and bigger. David was also estalished (v. 36), while his enemies became like the dust, which the wind blows away.

Are the circumstances that you are going through making you smaller or bigger? Are they enabling you to overcome, or are they overcoming you? David was rejoicing that God had given him victory and that everything was now under his feet. The victory is the Lord’s. Let your circumstances make you bigger and greater for the Lord.

What is God revealing to you about your character by your present circumstances? (Even victories reveal something!) Ask God to help you grow through these circumstances.

David’s Doxology
Psalm 18:46-50

As David came to the close of this long psalm of triumph and victory, he did so with a doxology. “The Lord lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let the God of my salvation be exalted” (v. 46). David had been a fugitive. He had been waiting for the day when he could ascend the throne. Now the day had come. How did he respond? He glorified God. I suppose some of us would have said, “Well, my enemies are gone. Now I can do what I please. My battles are over. I’ve been put into a large place. Therefore, watch out everybody, here I come!” But David didn’t have that attitude at all. He gave glory to God. He ended his song with a hymn of praise to the God who had delivered him. “Therefore I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the Gentiles, and sing praises to Your name” (v. 49).

“Among the Gentiles”–isn’t that rather interesting? Here was David, a Jew, saying, “I want these Gentiles to know how great my God is.” Are you concerned about letting the nations know how great God is? Are you burdened to get the Gospel out to other people? If the Lord has saved you and delivered you, then you should be telling others what He has done for you.

David closed his song of victory by blessing the Lord. “The Lord lives!” (v. 46). Isn’t it good to know that we trust in the living God? Our God is the living God, not a dead god. Some people may worship a dead god, but we don’t We are the children of the living God. David said, “God is alive, and He is my rock and my salvation. I want Him to be exalted.” And he concluded, “Great deliverance He gives to His king” (v. 50).

How do you respond to the victories and promotions God gives you? Do they bring out the pride in you? Study 1 Corinthians 4:6,7 and 1 Peter 5:5,6 for the proper attitude.

Warren Wiersbe

Dr. Warren Wiersbe (1929-2019) was an internationally known Bible teacher, author, and conference speaker. He graduated in 1953 from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary in Lombard, Illinois. While attending seminary, he was ordained as pastor of Central Baptist Church in 1951 and served until 1957. From September 1957 to 1961, Wiersbe served as Director of The Literature Division for Youth for Christ International. From 1961 to 1971 he pastored Calvary Baptist Church of Covington, Kentucky south of Cincinnati, Ohio. His sermons were broadcast as the “Calvary Hour” on a local Cincinnati radio station. From 1971 to 1978, He served as the pastor of Moody Church in Chicago 1971 to 1978. While at Moody Church he continued in radio ministry. Between August 1979 and March 1982, he wrote bi-weekly for Christianity Today as “Eutychus X”, taught practical theology classes at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois, and wrote the course material and taught a Doctor of Ministry course at Trinity and Dallas Seminary. In 1980 he transitioned to Back to the Bible radio broadcasting network where he worked until 1990. Dr. Wiersbe became Writer in Residence at Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids and Distinguished Professor of Preaching at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary. In his lifetime, Dr. Wiersbe wrote over 170 books—including the popular Be series, which has sold over four million copies. Dr. Wiersbe was awarded the Gold Medallion Lifetime Achievement by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA).