SCRIPTURE: PSALMS 18
MEMORY VERSE:
“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” (Psalms 18:2)
“It is God who arms me with strength and make my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the heights.” (Psalms 18:32-33)
DAVID ACKNOLWLEDGED THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD:
A)- GOD’S FAITHFULNESS
- The Lord is my strength (v. 1)
- The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer. (v. 2a-b)
- The Lord is my shield and the horn of my salvations, my stronghold. (v. 2c)
B)- GOD’S POWER:
- The Lord trembled and quaked the earth and shook the foundations of the mountains. (v. 7)
- Smoke rose from his nostrils; consuming fire came from his mouth, burning coals blazed out of it. (v. 8)
- He parted the heaven and came down; dark clouds were under his feet. (v. 9)
- He mounted the cherubim and flew; he soared on the wings of the wind. (v. 10)
- He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him – the dark rain clouds of the sky. (v. 11)
- Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced, with hailstones and bolts of lightning. (v.12)
- The Lord thundered from heaven’; the voice of the Most High resounded (v. 13)
- He shot his arrows and scattered the enemies. great bolts of lightning and routed them. (v. 14)
- The valleys of the sea were exposed and the foundations of the earth laid bare at his rebuke. (v. 15)
C)- GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS:
- He reached down from on high and took hold of David and drew David out of deep waters. (v. 16)
- He rescued David from his powerful enemy and foes. (v. 17)
- The Lord support David in the day of his disaster. (v. 18)
- He brought David out into a spacious place and rescued him. (v. 19)
- The Lord had rewarded David according to his righteousness and according to the cleanness of his hands. (v. 24)
- His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. (v. 30a)
D)- GOD’S GENTLENESS:
- To the faithful, he shows himself faithful, to the blameless, he shows himself blameless. (v. 25)
- To the pure, he shows himself pure but to the crooked, he shows himself shrewd. (v. 26)
- He saves the humble and bring low those whose eyes are haughty. (v. 27)
- He keeps David’s lamp burning and turn darkness into light. (v. 28)
- He is a shield for all who take refuge in him. (v. 30b)
- He armed David with strength and made his way perfect. (v. 32)
- He made David’s feet like the feet of a deer; and enabled him to stand on the heights. (v. 33)
- He trained David’s hands for battles; his arms can bend a bow of bronze. (v. 34)
- He gave David shield of victory and sustained him with His right hand. (v. 35)
- He broadens the path of David. (v. 36)
E) – GOD’S EXALTEDNESS:
- David pursued his enemies, overtook and destroyed them. (v. 37)
- David crushed his enemies and they fell beneath his feet. (v. 38)
- David was armed with strength for battle and his adversaries bowed at his feet. (v. 39)
- David’s enemies turn their backs in flight and David destroyed his foes. (v. 40)
- David beat them as fine as dust borne on the wind and poured them out like mud in the streets. (v. 42)
- David was delivered from the attacks of the people and made as the head of nations and the people obeyed him. (v. 43-44)
- David’s enemies lose heart and came trembling from their strongholds. (v. 45)
After the victories, David gave thanks to the Lord by praising him among the nations. He did not attribute his victories for himself nor take any credit but gave all the glory to God. He sang praises to His name because God made him, enabled him, equip him and helped him to win all the victories.
THOUGHTS:
God promises to give us strength to meet challenges. He stands beside us, teaches us and strengthen us to face them. He gives us rough roads to walk, mountains to climb and battles to fight in order to make us grow. But we have to give thanks to the Lord and praise his Almighty powers.