APRIL 21 – PSALM 18:1-2
GOD IS MY ROCK & FORTRESS
Today, we look at a short section of Scripture to remind ourselves of who God is. Just as David did, it is good to remember who God is and how He is our Rock, shelter, fortress, and stronghold, especially in times of trouble. Throughout this lengthy Psalm, we see David remember many ways in which God delivered Him. During these difficult times, it is good for us to do likewise in remembering the ways God has provided and cared for us.
1 “I love You, O Lord, my strength.”
2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge;
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. (NASB)
Key Takeaways:
- It is good to remember who God is
- It is refreshing, encouraging, and strengthening to remember what God has done
- It is good and wise to tell God how you love HIm
Context:
The superscription of this psalm credits the words to David after the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies including “Saul.” The superscription indicates this psalm was David’s hymn of celebration for the grace of God that delivered him. After reviewing all that the Lord was to him David then recorded his deliverance by the Lord and rejoiced in the mercies shown him. This psalm is a song of gratitude for victory by the warrior-king who at last was at peace. The psalm is also recorded in 2 Samuel 22 with some slight variations. Perhaps some of the wording in 2 Samuel 22 was changed in this psalm for use in public worship, but this cannot be proved. This may be a psalm of trust (like Psalm 23), but it is unique. The lengthy poem has several movements: (1) a statement of faith and a description of deliverance (vv. 1-6); (2) a poetic description of God’s battle for David’s deliverance (vv. 7-19); (3) a recital of the blessings of God on the righteous (vv. 20-27); (4) an offering of praise to the person of the Lord (vv. 28-36); (5) a recounting of battles and victories in the Lord (vv. 37-45); (6) concluding praise for God’s work of deliverance (vv. 46-50).
Verse Exposition:
In his vow to praise God, David utilized metaphor after metaphor to describe all that the Lord was and had been to him. He expressed his love for the Lord who had shown mercy to him throughout his many struggles. Twice in the Psalms, the psalmist declares a love for God (Ps 116:1). In this usage, an unusual word for “love” is used, referring to compassion as deep as a mother’s love (רָחַם (rā·ḥǎm)).[1]
David described the Lord as a Rock (cf. vv. 31, 46) because He provided stability and security for him. About 20 times in the Psalms the Lord is said to be a Rock. David also compared God to a fortress (the same Heb. word [meṣûḏâh] is used of God in 31:3; 71:3; 91:2; 144:2). “Rock” and “fortress” picture a high place of refuge and defense to which one might flee for protection. To take refuge in the Lord is far better than hiding in a man-made fortress or behind a huge rock. References to God as a mountain fortress that protects the believer are found many times in the Psalms (91:1-3; 144:1). This is a particularly apt image for David, who many times had to hide in the mountains for security (1 Sam 26:1, 20). The words strength and stronghold reinforce the image of God as Protector.
David also compared God to a shield (Ps. 18:30) and a stronghold (miśgoḇ; cf. Ps 9:9), both military terms suggesting protection and deliverance from enemies. As the Horn of his salvation God gave him strength. Animal horns were symbols of strength. They later symbolized rulers (Ps 148:14; Dan. 7:8, 11, 20–21, 24; 8:21–22; Rev. 17:12).
[1] Strong’s 7355