#focr 56

David begins by declaring, "Fervently do I love you!" and then delivers a torrent of God's names, eight of them! He knew God's attributes as expressed by His names, trusted what they taught him, and conducted his life accordingly. By faith, he trusted God to intervene in the affairs of men. Paraphrased, the eight names are "strength," "foundation," "place of safety," "fountain," "deliverer," "my strong God," "defender," and "horn of my salvation."

David now multiplies metaphors in order to bring out the wonder of what it means to trust in the Almighty God, and the people enter into the experience with him. He twice describes God as a rock, the first time as a strong and firm foundation, the second as a useful hiding place. The idea is firstly of a rock which is firmly a part of the mountain of which it is the expression, firm, solid, dependable, unbreakable and sure. He had cause to know. He had spent much time in the mountains, and knew the strength of those solid rocks in the face of adversity. But he saw God as the great Rock, stronger and more dependable than all.

God was also his fortress, the place where he could go to find refuge so that he could look out on his enemy without fear. Once he was in his fortress he could laugh in the face of the enemy. And He was also his Deliverer, his Saviour. For God not only protects, He also delivers those who are His own.

The second mention of the rock has the idea of it as a place of refuge. It is still firm and strong, but it is a place where the fugitive may hide in its crevices, kept safe from those who would hunt him down.

The fact that the Psalm was introduced into public worship is an indication that we can each take these promises to ourselves. We too can depend on the Rock, take refuge in the Fortress and respond to and rejoice in the Saviour.

‘My God (El), my rock, in whom I will take refuge.' Above all YHWH is his God, the ever-reliable, the ever-dependable, the impregnable, the One in Whom is the place of total safety. Nothing can harm us when we are hidden in God, for when we are with Him all that would affect us must come through Him. It may seem fearful, but it is under His control, and can only enter with His permission.

‘My shield, and the horn of my salvation.' A shield is in a sense a personal fortress which we can carry around with us. It protects from all attacks, both by arrow, sword or spear, indeed from all assaults of the enemy (Ephesians 6:16). And a horn is the expression of personal strength which we bear, as it were, on our foreheads (as the wild ox does) and with which we can defend and deliver ourselves. It may well be that warriors wore horns on their headgear as an expression of their ferocity. But here our horn is God Himself. Nothing can stand before Him. Thus deliverance is sure. The promise is to each individual as well as to all. We will each be delivered because YHWH shields us and gives us saving strength, and acts as our horn with which to defeat the enemy. For the idea of the horn compare among other references Psalms 28:7; Deuteronomy 33:17; Luke 1:69.

‘My high tower.' And finally we reach the ultimate in security, ‘the high tower'. That mighty fortress which men built for maximum security, made even more secure by the fact that this particular high tower is God Himself. No vulnerability here.

‘I will call on YHWH, who is worthy to be praised, so shall I be saved from my enemies.' Thus David knows that he can call on this mighty Rock, this Fortress, this Deliverer, this Shield and Horn, this High Tower, the One Who is worthy of all praise, and will then in one way or another be saved from all his enemies. And all who sing the psalm with him know it too.

~ Peter Pett

In Psalm 18:2–3, he set his heart on the ways God had been like a rock, a fortress, a deliverer, a refuge, a shield, a horn of salvation, and a stronghold. In biblical times, these metaphors of love for God meant more than many of us can imagine. As God’s people faced serious, life-threatening troubles so often, few things meant more than something to protect them, to keep them safe, to give them victory. So, when David used these metaphors, he expressed some of his deepest affections for God.

Perhaps it’s been a while since you have felt love for God overflow from within your heart. Take a few moments today, identify some things in life that mean a lot to you, and talk to God about how He is like them. Tell Him how He refreshes you like water, how His Word is sweeter than honey, how knowing Him is greater than having all the gold in the world. If you will follow the Scriptures and set your mind on metaphors for God, you will find your heart stirred with renewed love for the One who made you, saved you, and sustains you every day in Christ. ~ Ligonier Ministries

So what did David pursue in order to find comfort, faith and even joy on his most difficult and troublesome days as king? He looked back at the unchanging nature of God, and allowed his view of the world to be shaped by who God is rather than by what he would be facing… David declared that God was his strength. He knew that God never gets tired from being strong, so David was free to be weak.

He declared that God was his rock, so David knew that he stood on solid ground.

He declared that God was his fortress, so David knew that he was safe and secure in God’s presence.

He declared that God was his deliverer. David knew that he would be rescued from his enemies and saved from himself.

He declared that God was his shield, so the blows and fiery darts of accusation from the enemy couldn’t pierce him.

He declared that God’s salvation was like a horn with which he could take ground. He didn’t just need to defend – he could use the gospel to assault the dark places.

He declared that God was worthy of praise. He just declared.

To what will you look in order to shape your worldview? Will you look to your surrounding circumstances, or will you look to your unchanging God and declare that He is, in fact, all the things that David said He was? The choice you make will determine how you get through your toughest days. ~ Juillet [Acts 29]