Cry To The Lord
Psalms 18
We should never forget that even the Psalms are the inspired Word of God.
2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
So not only is this the praise of David but this Psalm should also be the praise of each of us that know the Lord Jesus as our personal Savior.
We know from our past studies that David was a sinner but he had a very personal relationship with the Lord just as we are to have.
We will never improve our walk with the Lord unless we get as close to Him as we possibly can!
God wants us to get close to Him!
Jas 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
How do we get closer to God?
First and foremost when God calls us by the Holy Ghost we must return God's call!
Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Then we must do these other things:
**Then we must present ourselves in His house.
Those that say they do not have to go to church are not in agreement with the Word of God.
**Then we must walk in His ways.
Those that have one foot in the world and one foot in the church are wasting God's time.
**Then we must obey His commands.
Those that think the Bible is a book of suggestions are in the wrong.
**Then we must humble ourselves in prayer.
Those that do not stay in daily contact with Our Father, through Jesus Christ, will have no power at all.
**Then we must exercise our faith toward Him!
Without faith we cannot please God.
BUT, we should never have the feeling that we must draw nigh to God before He will draw nigh to us because it is God that made the first move.
Eph 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and "hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us";
If we say when did God do this thing?
Mar 15:37 And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.
Mar 15:38 And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.
God sent His only begotten Son to pay our sin debt with His own death and this one thing opened the doorway to the throne room of God in Heaven.
David had found an even closer personal relationship with the Lord in his later days.
We need to begin our own personal relationship with God as soon as He calls!
Let's begin:
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, the servant of the LORD, who spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul:
*****18:1 And he said, I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.
And David said: "I love thee, O Lord".
We must realize that human love is preceded and generated by the love of God!
God did not wait for us to make some feeble attempt to clean ourselves up before He decided to love us!
Eph 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Eph 2:5 "Even when we were dead in sins", hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
God's love is shown fully by His mercy and His amazing grace!
We should begin each day by saying "I love you Lord" because we would have no strength to begin our day without Him!
How should we express our love for God?
Mar 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
This is a commandment and not a suggestion!
How does the Lord defend us in all our troubles in order to fulfill the purpose He has for each of us?
*****Psa 18:2 The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
In last weeks lesson we learn what the title LORD means.
These things are written about Jehovah, the self-existing, Eternal Living God!
**The Lord is our rock. It is the Lord who is my hiding place. The Lord is my cleft in the rock.
What did God tell Moses?
Exo 33:21 And the LORD said, Behold, "there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock":
And who is this Rock?
Dan 2:34 Thou sawest till "that a stone was cut out without hands", which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.
This the same rock on which the Bride of Christ is founded.
Psa 118:22 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
Eph 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, "Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone";
Jesus Christ is our hiding place, our cleft in the rock.
**The Lord is our fortress. The Lord is our place of safety.
Pro 18:10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
**The Lord is our deliverer. The Lord will deliver us our of all affliction, from all temptations, out of the hands of all our enemies, but more important the Lord will deliver us from a body of sin, eternal death, and His wrath that is soon coming.
It is the Lord who rescues our soul!
Joh 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
**The Lord is our strength.
Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
**The Lord is our God. The Lord is all good things in One God!
God says that every Atheist is a fool.
Psa 14:1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
The Atheist is a fool by his nature and having denied God he also becomes a fool in practice.
Pro 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
**The Lord is my buckler. A buckler is a portable shield.
Psa 91:4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
**The Lord is the horn of our salvation.
Luk 1:69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;
This "horn of salvation" is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ.
**The Lord is our high tower. It is the Lord who can place us so far out of reach that no evil can touch us. He will do this on the day of the Rapture of the Church.
Rev 21:10 And "he carried me away in the spirit" to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
Rev 22:1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
But the Lord can be none of these things unless we do the first thing ourselves.
*****Psa 18:3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
To call is to cry for help. To call is to pray and to pray is to be in conversation with God. To be in conversation with the Lord is to believe that He has the answers we need and that first prayer should be about salvation.
Act 2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Why, because it is the Lord who is worthy of our praise.
Rev 5:12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
How did our Lord suffer just to become worthy?
*****Psa 18:5 The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.
Psa 18:6 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.
We know that David suffered greatly at the hands of Saul but these things are about Our Lord.
What were these sorrows that encompassed our Savior?
Eph 4:9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
The Bible says that Our Savior tasted death for every believer.
Heb 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; "that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man".
We know that the Lord Jesus suffered the death of His flesh.
But the Lord Jesus also suffered the (spiritual) death of His soul because for a very brief moment He was forsaken by the Father because he bore all our sin.
Mat 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Mat 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth
Just as Our Savior had victory over sin in the flesh.
He also had victory over death because after 3 days he arose.
Act 2:27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
This was the reason our Messiah had to die. It was our sin that Our Savior bore on the cross that day!
Col 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, "nailing it to his cross";
Col 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
This was the reason God came down from Heaven, to take the sting of death away!
1Jn 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. "For this purpose" the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
It was our Savior who saw the sorrows of Hell for us. We will never see this place called Hell.
It was our Savior who escaped the snares of death that we could never have escaped from.
It is our Savior who teaches us by example that if we call upon the name of Lord we can be saved.
Peter said it like this:
Act 2:24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
At the time these things were written these were all prophesy but they were all fulfilled by the Lord Jesus Christ.
As David described them, the fear of death is like an overwhelming flood.
Verses 7-15 gives us a vivid picture of the turmoil on this earth that is called the flood of Noah's day.
*****Psa 18:7 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.
Psa 18:8 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.
Psa 18:9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.
Psa 18:10 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.
Psa 18:11 He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
Psa 18:12 At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire.
Psa 18:13 The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.
Psa 18:14 Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.
Psa 18:15 Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.
These verses give us a word picture of the convulsion of nature at the time of the flood.
But they also tell us many of these same things that happened when Our Lord arose from the death of the grave.
Just as Noah was delivered.
Just as David was delivered.
And because Lord Jesus Christ was delivered.
Then every believer will also be delivered!
*****Psa 18:16 He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.
Those same waters that brought death to the world of that day, raised up the Ark of Salvation.
Because the Lord ascended back to His throne in Heaven, He can now rescue everyone that calls on His name.
This is why we can "Cry Out To The Lord".
Noah and his family were drawn out of deaths chilly waters.
Moses and Israel were drawn out of deaths chilly waters brought on by Pharaoh.
David said he was drawn out of deaths chilly waters brought on by Saul's death grip.
Our Savior was also baptized in the chilly waters of agony and ascended back to His throne in Heaven.
Heb 5:7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
Heb 5:8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
Heb 5:9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
By His own blood He has redeemed all who believe because the Lord had victory over death, hell, and the grave!
*****Psa 18:17 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.
David knew the joy of being delivered.
Just as David was delivered from Goliath, and from Saul, we have also been delivered from Satan's power.
It would do us good to occasionally look back from where we came and remember that joy on the day that we were delivered from our sin.
Satan is our strong enemy and he is much too powerful for us to challenge alone but Satan's hold on us was broken through the cross!
Heb 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
Heb 2:15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
*****Psa 18:18 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.
Calamity is distress. The enemies of Jesus Christ are our enemies and the enemies of the church.
What did they do to the Lord Jesus?
They met Him, they laid hold on Him they insulted Him, they condemned Him, and they crucified Him.
But they could not "prevent Him" from fulfilling the will of God!
When David was greatly distressed, he encouraged himself in the Lord, his God!
Why should we do any different than David did?
Eph 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
*****Psa 18:19 He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
Just as God brought Joseph from the prison cell to be governor of Egypt and David from the caves of Adullam to throne of Israel, God will also bring us into a large place!
God does not just liberate us from the pangs of sin and stop at that point. Sin is Satan's prison but the Lamb of God brings true freedom.
Joh 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, "ye shall be free indeed".
Why? Because He delights in saving all those that love Him.
When we cry out to the Lord, He wants to do everything we ask of Him but we hold that power within our own selves.
We must be obedient to the things He says!
Our rewards come from doing things the right way!
*****Psa 18:20 The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
Psa 18:21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
Psa 18:22 For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me.
Psa 18:23 I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.
Psa 18:24 Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.
The Bible says it will be our righteousness if we observe to do all God's commandments.
We must keep our hands clean.
We must walk by God's standards.
We must study the Word of God.
We must abstain from even the appearance of doing evil.
We must realize that the Lord always has His eyes on us, not for punishment but always ready to give a reward for doing things right.
What is God's rule of thumb for rewards?
*****Psa 18:25 With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;
Psa 18:26 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.
Psa 18:27 For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.
God will render to everyone according to their own works!
*****Psa 18:28 For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.
Darkness is a place where evil goes to hide but evil can never hide from God.
Darkness is also seen as a curse, so death then is also in the land of darkness.
In the time of David many people would burn a lamp all through the night time because they dreaded a dark house.
But the Bible says it is the spirit of man that is God's candle.
Pro 20:27 The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
The question is then are we a lighted candle burning for the Lord or are we in darkness?
We must have that light within ourselves.
It is the Lord Jesus who must light up our souls so that we can give light to others.
Do you have enough light in your candle to light the light of some one else's candle?
We should ask ourselves this question and work on our walk with the Lord until we can be a shining light.
Those that reject the Word of God and look to this world for answers will forever be in outer darkness.
Isa 8:22 And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness.
Jesus Christ is our only light in this dark world!
Joh 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
Jesus Christ is the only light than can light our candle!
*****Psa 18:29 For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.
The reality of our world is that Satan has a large army of his followers. We should never under value the strength of the enemies of God.
There are many that look upon the death of Jesus Christ as some weakness on the part of God but we know that Christ Jesus rose through that occasion to be our place of strength.
Jesus did not die for Himself, He died for us. His sufferings were made short and He marched right through His enemies and our enemies.
Eph 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, "he led captivity captive", and gave gifts unto men.
Satan shuts the sinner up into a deep ditch of sin and a high wall of immorality.
When Christ comes into our heart, He leaps over these walls and carries each one to safety.
Satan cannot overcome the plan of God because God's plan is perfect.
*****Psa 18:30 As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.
Psa 18:31 For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?
Psa 18:32 It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.
Psa 18:33 He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places.
To the sinner God's ways may not seem to be perfect.
And when we are suffering we sometimes forget the promises of God.
The roads in the wilderness of sin are always crooked!
Disappointment most always causes doubt!
The "Gospel" is sometimes a stumbling block to many that want more from this life but do not know how to achieve it.
But pain comes from this world when we refuse to accept the "perfect" Word of God.
The Bible has stood the test of time!
2Pe 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
There is no other God besides Jehovah the Tri-Une God no matter what the world tries to say!
The girdle in the time of David was a necessary part of clothing. It strengthened the loins, it kept the other garments close to the body, and it gave a place to tuck in the long robe when it was time to move quickly.
The strength of God is to our soul, what the girdle is to the body.
Isa 45:5 I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:
That girdle for the soul is the Lord Jesus Christ.
A hind is a female deer or a doe.
It is the Lord that gives us swiftness to avoid trouble but also strength, protection, and a firm footing in this world.
All our strength will come from the Lord if we accept His plan of salvation!
*****Psa 18:34 He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.
Psa 18:35 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.
Psa 18:36 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.
Psa 18:37 I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.
Psa 18:38 I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.
Psa 18:39 For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.
Psa 18:40 Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me.
God's way is the perfect way and when our walk in this life is in step with the Lord Jesus Christ then He will make our walk perfect also.
We will be swift and sure footed when our path is slippery.
We will be strong in all our battles.
He will give us the shield of His Salvation.
But we must put on the whole armor of God because there should be no doubt that as Christians we are living in the war zone.
God will not always strive with the enemies of Jesus Christ!
*****Psa 18:41 They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the LORD, but he answered them not.
Our prayers are such a great weapon in this world that even the wicked will try call out for help in desperation but to no avail.
The Bible says:
Psa 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
It is a fact that bad men have called out to God to go against His own children but God will never answer that prayer!
Remember the story of Balaam?
When a sinner refuses to hear the Holy Spirit then God will refuse to hear when they cry out to Him.
Zec 7:13 Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the LORD of hosts:
In fact God will laugh and mock at these request.
Pro 1:24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
Pro 1:25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:
Pro 1:26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;
*****Psa 18:42 Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets.
Psa 18:43 Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people whom I have not known shall serve me.
Psa 18:44 As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me.
Psa 18:45 The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places.
King David had defeated the enemies of Israel in such a way that they were powerless. God had subdued all his enemies under his feet.
This gives us the example of the Lord during the Millennial Kingdom. It is the Lord Jesus Christ who will sit on David's Throne.
Psa 22:27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.
Psa 22:28 For the kingdom is the LORD'S: and he is the governor among the nations.
Psa 22:29 All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.
Even Israel will worship King Jesus at this time.
But even during the 1000 years of the Millennial Kingdom will everyone willingly serve the Lord. There will also be some, such as strangers who are too afraid not to!
All nations must now serve Him because He will reign with a "rod of iron".
Rev 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and "he shall rule them with a rod of iron": and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
*****Psa 18:46 The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.
Psa 18:47 It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me.
Psa 18:48 He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man.
Psa 18:49 Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.
Psa 18:50 Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.
We do not serve an inanimate, imaginary, or an old dying god. We serve the Living God!
Heb 10:31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of "the living God".
The topics of our conversation should be about our own calling by God the Father.
The topics of our conversation must include the redemption by the Son of God.
The topics of our conversation must include the washing and regeneration by the Holy Spirit of God.
It is only the individual Christian that can know these things!
This must be the beginning of our testimony to others!
What is the Psalm we will all sing in Heaven?
Rev 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. "Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,"
Vengeance is to never in our hands, vengeance belongs to the Lord!
It is the Lord Jesus Christ that has delivered us from all our enemies, especially Satan, the Devil.
Though this world we live in tries to stop our mouths from praising the Lord, we must sing out to our God whether they like it or not!
David wrote this Psalm, by the Holy Spirit, because he had been delivered.
If you know the Lord Jesus Christ as you Savior, then you have been delivered!
We should show our happiness in our singing of praises to the Lord!
We should have no problem crying out to the Lord!
Questions?
Let's Pray!
Psalms 18
We should never forget that even the Psalms are the inspired Word of God.
2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
So not only is this the praise of David but this Psalm should also be the praise of each of us that know the Lord Jesus as our personal Savior.
We know from our past studies that David was a sinner but he had a very personal relationship with the Lord just as we are to have.
We will never improve our walk with the Lord unless we get as close to Him as we possibly can!
God wants us to get close to Him!
Jas 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
How do we get closer to God?
First and foremost when God calls us by the Holy Ghost we must return God's call!
Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Then we must do these other things:
**Then we must present ourselves in His house.
Those that say they do not have to go to church are not in agreement with the Word of God.
**Then we must walk in His ways.
Those that have one foot in the world and one foot in the church are wasting God's time.
**Then we must obey His commands.
Those that think the Bible is a book of suggestions are in the wrong.
**Then we must humble ourselves in prayer.
Those that do not stay in daily contact with Our Father, through Jesus Christ, will have no power at all.
**Then we must exercise our faith toward Him!
Without faith we cannot please God.
BUT, we should never have the feeling that we must draw nigh to God before He will draw nigh to us because it is God that made the first move.
Eph 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and "hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us";
If we say when did God do this thing?
Mar 15:37 And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.
Mar 15:38 And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.
God sent His only begotten Son to pay our sin debt with His own death and this one thing opened the doorway to the throne room of God in Heaven.
David had found an even closer personal relationship with the Lord in his later days.
We need to begin our own personal relationship with God as soon as He calls!
Let's begin:
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, the servant of the LORD, who spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul:
*****18:1 And he said, I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.
And David said: "I love thee, O Lord".
We must realize that human love is preceded and generated by the love of God!
God did not wait for us to make some feeble attempt to clean ourselves up before He decided to love us!
Eph 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Eph 2:5 "Even when we were dead in sins", hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
God's love is shown fully by His mercy and His amazing grace!
We should begin each day by saying "I love you Lord" because we would have no strength to begin our day without Him!
How should we express our love for God?
Mar 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
This is a commandment and not a suggestion!
How does the Lord defend us in all our troubles in order to fulfill the purpose He has for each of us?
*****Psa 18:2 The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
In last weeks lesson we learn what the title LORD means.
These things are written about Jehovah, the self-existing, Eternal Living God!
**The Lord is our rock. It is the Lord who is my hiding place. The Lord is my cleft in the rock.
What did God tell Moses?
Exo 33:21 And the LORD said, Behold, "there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock":
And who is this Rock?
Dan 2:34 Thou sawest till "that a stone was cut out without hands", which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.
This the same rock on which the Bride of Christ is founded.
Psa 118:22 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
Eph 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, "Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone";
Jesus Christ is our hiding place, our cleft in the rock.
**The Lord is our fortress. The Lord is our place of safety.
Pro 18:10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
**The Lord is our deliverer. The Lord will deliver us our of all affliction, from all temptations, out of the hands of all our enemies, but more important the Lord will deliver us from a body of sin, eternal death, and His wrath that is soon coming.
It is the Lord who rescues our soul!
Joh 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
**The Lord is our strength.
Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
**The Lord is our God. The Lord is all good things in One God!
God says that every Atheist is a fool.
Psa 14:1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
The Atheist is a fool by his nature and having denied God he also becomes a fool in practice.
Pro 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
**The Lord is my buckler. A buckler is a portable shield.
Psa 91:4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
**The Lord is the horn of our salvation.
Luk 1:69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;
This "horn of salvation" is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ.
**The Lord is our high tower. It is the Lord who can place us so far out of reach that no evil can touch us. He will do this on the day of the Rapture of the Church.
Rev 21:10 And "he carried me away in the spirit" to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
Rev 22:1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
But the Lord can be none of these things unless we do the first thing ourselves.
*****Psa 18:3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
To call is to cry for help. To call is to pray and to pray is to be in conversation with God. To be in conversation with the Lord is to believe that He has the answers we need and that first prayer should be about salvation.
Act 2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Why, because it is the Lord who is worthy of our praise.
Rev 5:12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
How did our Lord suffer just to become worthy?
*****Psa 18:5 The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.
Psa 18:6 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.
We know that David suffered greatly at the hands of Saul but these things are about Our Lord.
What were these sorrows that encompassed our Savior?
Eph 4:9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
The Bible says that Our Savior tasted death for every believer.
Heb 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; "that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man".
We know that the Lord Jesus suffered the death of His flesh.
But the Lord Jesus also suffered the (spiritual) death of His soul because for a very brief moment He was forsaken by the Father because he bore all our sin.
Mat 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Mat 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth
Just as Our Savior had victory over sin in the flesh.
He also had victory over death because after 3 days he arose.
Act 2:27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
This was the reason our Messiah had to die. It was our sin that Our Savior bore on the cross that day!
Col 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, "nailing it to his cross";
Col 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
This was the reason God came down from Heaven, to take the sting of death away!
1Jn 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. "For this purpose" the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
It was our Savior who saw the sorrows of Hell for us. We will never see this place called Hell.
It was our Savior who escaped the snares of death that we could never have escaped from.
It is our Savior who teaches us by example that if we call upon the name of Lord we can be saved.
Peter said it like this:
Act 2:24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
At the time these things were written these were all prophesy but they were all fulfilled by the Lord Jesus Christ.
As David described them, the fear of death is like an overwhelming flood.
Verses 7-15 gives us a vivid picture of the turmoil on this earth that is called the flood of Noah's day.
*****Psa 18:7 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.
Psa 18:8 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.
Psa 18:9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.
Psa 18:10 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.
Psa 18:11 He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
Psa 18:12 At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire.
Psa 18:13 The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.
Psa 18:14 Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.
Psa 18:15 Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.
These verses give us a word picture of the convulsion of nature at the time of the flood.
But they also tell us many of these same things that happened when Our Lord arose from the death of the grave.
Just as Noah was delivered.
Just as David was delivered.
And because Lord Jesus Christ was delivered.
Then every believer will also be delivered!
*****Psa 18:16 He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.
Those same waters that brought death to the world of that day, raised up the Ark of Salvation.
Because the Lord ascended back to His throne in Heaven, He can now rescue everyone that calls on His name.
This is why we can "Cry Out To The Lord".
Noah and his family were drawn out of deaths chilly waters.
Moses and Israel were drawn out of deaths chilly waters brought on by Pharaoh.
David said he was drawn out of deaths chilly waters brought on by Saul's death grip.
Our Savior was also baptized in the chilly waters of agony and ascended back to His throne in Heaven.
Heb 5:7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
Heb 5:8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
Heb 5:9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
By His own blood He has redeemed all who believe because the Lord had victory over death, hell, and the grave!
*****Psa 18:17 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.
David knew the joy of being delivered.
Just as David was delivered from Goliath, and from Saul, we have also been delivered from Satan's power.
It would do us good to occasionally look back from where we came and remember that joy on the day that we were delivered from our sin.
Satan is our strong enemy and he is much too powerful for us to challenge alone but Satan's hold on us was broken through the cross!
Heb 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
Heb 2:15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
*****Psa 18:18 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.
Calamity is distress. The enemies of Jesus Christ are our enemies and the enemies of the church.
What did they do to the Lord Jesus?
They met Him, they laid hold on Him they insulted Him, they condemned Him, and they crucified Him.
But they could not "prevent Him" from fulfilling the will of God!
When David was greatly distressed, he encouraged himself in the Lord, his God!
Why should we do any different than David did?
Eph 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
*****Psa 18:19 He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
Just as God brought Joseph from the prison cell to be governor of Egypt and David from the caves of Adullam to throne of Israel, God will also bring us into a large place!
God does not just liberate us from the pangs of sin and stop at that point. Sin is Satan's prison but the Lamb of God brings true freedom.
Joh 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, "ye shall be free indeed".
Why? Because He delights in saving all those that love Him.
When we cry out to the Lord, He wants to do everything we ask of Him but we hold that power within our own selves.
We must be obedient to the things He says!
Our rewards come from doing things the right way!
*****Psa 18:20 The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
Psa 18:21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
Psa 18:22 For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me.
Psa 18:23 I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.
Psa 18:24 Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.
The Bible says it will be our righteousness if we observe to do all God's commandments.
We must keep our hands clean.
We must walk by God's standards.
We must study the Word of God.
We must abstain from even the appearance of doing evil.
We must realize that the Lord always has His eyes on us, not for punishment but always ready to give a reward for doing things right.
What is God's rule of thumb for rewards?
*****Psa 18:25 With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;
Psa 18:26 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.
Psa 18:27 For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.
God will render to everyone according to their own works!
*****Psa 18:28 For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.
Darkness is a place where evil goes to hide but evil can never hide from God.
Darkness is also seen as a curse, so death then is also in the land of darkness.
In the time of David many people would burn a lamp all through the night time because they dreaded a dark house.
But the Bible says it is the spirit of man that is God's candle.
Pro 20:27 The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
The question is then are we a lighted candle burning for the Lord or are we in darkness?
We must have that light within ourselves.
It is the Lord Jesus who must light up our souls so that we can give light to others.
Do you have enough light in your candle to light the light of some one else's candle?
We should ask ourselves this question and work on our walk with the Lord until we can be a shining light.
Those that reject the Word of God and look to this world for answers will forever be in outer darkness.
Isa 8:22 And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness.
Jesus Christ is our only light in this dark world!
Joh 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
Jesus Christ is the only light than can light our candle!
*****Psa 18:29 For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.
The reality of our world is that Satan has a large army of his followers. We should never under value the strength of the enemies of God.
There are many that look upon the death of Jesus Christ as some weakness on the part of God but we know that Christ Jesus rose through that occasion to be our place of strength.
Jesus did not die for Himself, He died for us. His sufferings were made short and He marched right through His enemies and our enemies.
Eph 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, "he led captivity captive", and gave gifts unto men.
Satan shuts the sinner up into a deep ditch of sin and a high wall of immorality.
When Christ comes into our heart, He leaps over these walls and carries each one to safety.
Satan cannot overcome the plan of God because God's plan is perfect.
*****Psa 18:30 As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.
Psa 18:31 For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?
Psa 18:32 It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.
Psa 18:33 He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places.
To the sinner God's ways may not seem to be perfect.
And when we are suffering we sometimes forget the promises of God.
The roads in the wilderness of sin are always crooked!
Disappointment most always causes doubt!
The "Gospel" is sometimes a stumbling block to many that want more from this life but do not know how to achieve it.
But pain comes from this world when we refuse to accept the "perfect" Word of God.
The Bible has stood the test of time!
2Pe 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
There is no other God besides Jehovah the Tri-Une God no matter what the world tries to say!
The girdle in the time of David was a necessary part of clothing. It strengthened the loins, it kept the other garments close to the body, and it gave a place to tuck in the long robe when it was time to move quickly.
The strength of God is to our soul, what the girdle is to the body.
Isa 45:5 I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:
That girdle for the soul is the Lord Jesus Christ.
A hind is a female deer or a doe.
It is the Lord that gives us swiftness to avoid trouble but also strength, protection, and a firm footing in this world.
All our strength will come from the Lord if we accept His plan of salvation!
*****Psa 18:34 He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.
Psa 18:35 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.
Psa 18:36 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.
Psa 18:37 I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.
Psa 18:38 I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.
Psa 18:39 For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.
Psa 18:40 Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me.
God's way is the perfect way and when our walk in this life is in step with the Lord Jesus Christ then He will make our walk perfect also.
We will be swift and sure footed when our path is slippery.
We will be strong in all our battles.
He will give us the shield of His Salvation.
But we must put on the whole armor of God because there should be no doubt that as Christians we are living in the war zone.
God will not always strive with the enemies of Jesus Christ!
*****Psa 18:41 They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the LORD, but he answered them not.
Our prayers are such a great weapon in this world that even the wicked will try call out for help in desperation but to no avail.
The Bible says:
Psa 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
It is a fact that bad men have called out to God to go against His own children but God will never answer that prayer!
Remember the story of Balaam?
When a sinner refuses to hear the Holy Spirit then God will refuse to hear when they cry out to Him.
Zec 7:13 Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the LORD of hosts:
In fact God will laugh and mock at these request.
Pro 1:24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
Pro 1:25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:
Pro 1:26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;
*****Psa 18:42 Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets.
Psa 18:43 Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people whom I have not known shall serve me.
Psa 18:44 As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me.
Psa 18:45 The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places.
King David had defeated the enemies of Israel in such a way that they were powerless. God had subdued all his enemies under his feet.
This gives us the example of the Lord during the Millennial Kingdom. It is the Lord Jesus Christ who will sit on David's Throne.
Psa 22:27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.
Psa 22:28 For the kingdom is the LORD'S: and he is the governor among the nations.
Psa 22:29 All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.
Even Israel will worship King Jesus at this time.
But even during the 1000 years of the Millennial Kingdom will everyone willingly serve the Lord. There will also be some, such as strangers who are too afraid not to!
All nations must now serve Him because He will reign with a "rod of iron".
Rev 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and "he shall rule them with a rod of iron": and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
*****Psa 18:46 The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.
Psa 18:47 It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me.
Psa 18:48 He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man.
Psa 18:49 Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.
Psa 18:50 Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.
We do not serve an inanimate, imaginary, or an old dying god. We serve the Living God!
Heb 10:31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of "the living God".
The topics of our conversation should be about our own calling by God the Father.
The topics of our conversation must include the redemption by the Son of God.
The topics of our conversation must include the washing and regeneration by the Holy Spirit of God.
It is only the individual Christian that can know these things!
This must be the beginning of our testimony to others!
What is the Psalm we will all sing in Heaven?
Rev 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. "Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,"
Vengeance is to never in our hands, vengeance belongs to the Lord!
It is the Lord Jesus Christ that has delivered us from all our enemies, especially Satan, the Devil.
Though this world we live in tries to stop our mouths from praising the Lord, we must sing out to our God whether they like it or not!
David wrote this Psalm, by the Holy Spirit, because he had been delivered.
If you know the Lord Jesus Christ as you Savior, then you have been delivered!
We should show our happiness in our singing of praises to the Lord!
We should have no problem crying out to the Lord!
Questions?
Let's Pray!
No comments:
Post a Comment