As Psalm 18:46 and 47 tell us, in the midst of his battles, David could shout:
“The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Savior! He is the God who avenges me, who subdues nations under me,”
[As far as we know, David was never defeated in battle and never was seriously wounded, at least there is no mention of him being wounded–because God protected him. “The LORD is my rock…my deliverer… my shield” (Psalm 18:2). And David remembered this, giving God the credit.]
Psalm 18:48 “He is the God…who saves me from my enemies.” And that is what you did for David, saved him from Goliath, from Saul, from his own men, from the Philistines, from the kings around him, and in the end from his own son, Absalom.
[Yes, O Lord God, it is true what David said, “I call to you, who are worthy to be praised…I am saved from my enemies…You reach down from on high, you take hold of me, you draw me out of deep waters” (Ps. 18:3,16).
So you did for us when we lived in the Middle East. The police tried make us run, to get us put into prison, to expel us permanently, to snuff out the small church, to get me fired from my job, to paint me in the newspapers as an evil man.
In all that they were unsuccessful; instead, with each new attack our freedom was more and more widely declared by the courts until the police gave up. This was followed by 10 years of great opportunity to share the gospel.
You, Lord God, are the faithful One who constantly watches over us, not primarily for our comfort, but for our being able to give you glory before the nations. Help us to do that consistently. Amen]
