It is important to tack on these psalms after 1 Samuel. The psalms we read today culminate David’s perspective or his debrief of the mission he survived. As you read each psalm, picture as David sits in an interview chair framed on the big screen. This is the extra interview we are about to hear that sneaks in after the credits roll in the theatre that glues viewers back into their seats a little longer.
After the curtain closes on the end of King Saul’s life in 1 Samuel 28-31, the words of David are expressed in Psalm 18. I don’t know why the scene of Bruce Willis at the end of Die Hard 2 when he walks away from the plane barely alive is in my head, but here we go. The debrief from David starts with adoration in verses 1-6. David gives reason after reason why his relationship with the Lord strengthened with every threat and uncertainty. The Lord never failed as rock, refuge, and stronghold. Then David illustrates with strong imagery the power of the Lord’s anger in verses 7-15. Yikes. The earth shook and the Lord uttered His voice and rebuked the enemy. Hallelujah! In the next verse, David describes the Lord as gentle and kind when he tells how the Lord came down for David to rescue him, draw him out, and delight in him.
Q: How do you see God? Is He meeting you with hailstones and coals of fire (v.13)? Or do you feel rescued and delighted in by God (v.19)? Take time to think about it because this really matters.
As someone who cheers on justice, verses 25-30 really fire me up to know the Lord is merciful to those who show mercy and brings down the crooked and arrogant. David uses the rest of Psalm 18 to credit the Lord for everything He did for David along the way from quick feet in battle to favor with nations. By this point in the interview, David must have heart-felt devotion in his eyes, maybe we see a few tears, and gratitude to light his smile as he praises the Lord because of who He is, the salvation He gives David, and the steadfast love of the Lord that never runs out. The picture is incredible.
For it is you who light my lamp; the Lord my God lightens my darkness. For by you I can run against a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall. This God—His way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; He is a shield for all those who take refuge in Him
Psalm 18:28-30
Let’s keep going. Psalm 121 also falls into place chronologically when 1 Samuel ends. The author is unknown, but the theme keeps in step with David’s heart in Psalm 18. The word “keep” is repeated six times in Psalm 121. When I see that kind of thing, it’s time to look up the Greek or Hebrew meaning. In Hebrew “shamar” is the word for keep which means to watch, preserve, or have charge of. You can relate this to how a gardener cultivates crops, a shepherd tends to flocks, and a vinedresser prunes back branches. The Lord keeps or sustains the nation of Israel in verse 4. This is a look at a broader scope of the Lord’s collective people. So that we do not get lost in the collective, the psalmist moves to a micro-level in verse 5 to say, “The Lord is your keeper.” Here is a great opportunity to replace “you” with your name and speak verses 5-8 out loud to yourself. We have to speak truth out loud to combat the lies of the enemy. Am I right? I can hear David shouting “amen” at the truth in Psalm 121 because David experienced how the Lord makes a way to keep David safe.
As the last moments of the interview with David close out, put yourself in David’s chair. This man is honored to tell you of the faithfulness and greatness of the Lord. He is in awe of it, not immune. In Psalm 18, I did not hear anything about David high-fiving guys after Goliath dropped to the ground or about David choosing to be the bigger person and not kill King Saul when he had his chance. There is no boasting of self, but David cannot stop boasting of the Lord. It’s incredible and convicting all at the same time.
Q: What would your interview sound like at this point in your life? We have all gone through hard things or experienced twists and turns in life. Would praise and adoration for the Lord be the first words you speak?
Additional reading: Psalm 123-125, Psalm 128-130
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