The Righteous One Saved and Glorified

Having been delivered from his enemies, particularly Saul, David rejoices and renders thanksgiving. In these two men, David and Saul, there is an example of the two differing states of mankind, the righteous and the froward. But there is also demonstrated the law of reciprocity, and this is clearly seen in vv. 24-26. God will deal with us in response to how we deal with Him. He recompenses according to our attitude. Whilst He is the initiator of all grace, the virtuous use of that grace will draw fresh supplies. So God will be righteous to those who practice righteousness. He will be merciful to those who exercise mercy. To the upright, He will be upright, and to the pure, He will be pure.  But to the froward (false), He will show Himself froward (to wrestle or fight). When we are for God, He is for us. But it is an awful thing to have Him fighting against us.

Pastor Jeff O’ Neil

Psalm 18

¹Thee will I love, O LORD, my strength.
²My fortress is the LORD,
My rock, and he that doth to me
Deliverance afford:

My God, my strength, whom I will trust,
A buckler unto me,
The horn of my salvation,
And my high tow’r, is he.

³Upon the LORD, who worthy is
Of praises, will I cry;
And then shall I preserved be
Safe from mine enemy.

⁴Floods of ill men affrighted me,
Death’s pangs about me went;
⁵Hell’s sorrows me environed;
Death’s snares did me prevent.

⁶In my distress I call’d on God,
Cry to my God did I;
He from his temple heard my voice,
To his ears came my cry.

⁷Th’earth, as affrighted, then did shake,
Trembling upon it seiz’d:
The hills’ foundations moved were,
Because he was displeas’d.

⁸Up from his nostrils came a smoke,
And from his mouth there came
Devouring fire, and coals by it
Were turned into flame.

⁹He also bowed down the heav’ns,
And thence he did descend;
And thickest clouds of darkness did
Under his feet attend.

¹⁰And he upon a cherub rode,
And thereon he did fly;
Yea, on the swift wings of the wind
His flight was from on high.

¹¹He darkness made his secret place:
About him, for his tent,
Dark waters were, and thickest clouds
Of th’airy firmament.

¹²And at the brightness of that light,
Which was before his eye,
His thick clouds pass’d away, hailstones
And coals of fire did fly.

¹³The LORD God also in the heav’ns
Did thunder in his ire;
And there the Highest gave his voice,
Hailstones and coals of fire.

¹⁴Yea, he his arrows sent abroad,
And them he scattered;
His lightnings also he shot out,
And them discomfited.

¹⁵The waters’ channels then were seen,
The world’s foundations vast
At thy rebuke discover’d were,
And at thy nostrils’ blast.

¹⁶And from above the Lord sent down,
And took me from below;
From many waters he me drew,
Which would me overflow.

¹⁷He me reliev’d from my strong foes,
And such as did me hate;
Because he saw that they for me
Too strong were, and too great.

¹⁸They me prevented in the day
Of my calamity;
But even then the LORD himself
A stay was unto me.

¹⁹He to a place where liberty
And room was hath me brought;
Because he took delight in me,
He my deliv’rance wrought.

²⁰According to my righteousness
He did me recompense,
He me repaid according to
My hands’ pure innocence.

²¹For I GOD’s ways kept, from my God
Did not turn wickedly.
²²His judgments were before me, I
His laws put not from me.

²³Sincere before him was my heart;
With him upright was I;
And watchfully I kept myself
From mine iniquity.

²⁴After my righteousness the LORD
Hath recompensed me,
After the cleanness of my hands
Appearing in his eye.

²⁵Thou gracious to the gracious art,
To upright men upright:
²⁶Pure to the pure, froward thou kyth’st
Unto the froward wight.

²⁷For thou wilt the afflicted save
In grief that low do lie:
But wilt bring down the countenance
Of them whose looks are high.

²⁸The LORD will light my candle so,
That it shall shine full bright:
The LORD my God will also make
My darkness to be light.

²⁹By thee through troops of men I break,
And them discomfit all;
And, by my God assisting me,
I overleap a wall.

³⁰As for God, perfect is his way:
The LORD his word is tried;
He is a buckler to all those
Who do in him confide.

³¹Who but the LORD is God? but he
Who is a rock and stay?
³²’Tis God that girdeth me with strength,
And perfect makes my way.

³³He made my feet swift as the hinds,
Set me on my high places.
³⁴Mine hands to war he taught, mine arms
Brake bows of steel in pieces.

³⁵The shield of thy salvation
Thou didst on me bestow:
Thy right hand held me up, and great
Thy kindness made me grow.

³⁶And in my way my steps thou hast
Enlarged under me,
That I go safely, and my feet
Are kept from sliding free.

³⁷Mine en’mies I pursued have,
And did them overtake;
Nor did I turn again till I
An end of them did make.

³⁸I wounded them, they could not rise;
They at my feet did fall.
³⁹Thou girdest me with strength for war;
My foes thou brought’st down all:

⁴⁰And thou hast giv’n to me the necks
Of all mine enemies;
That I might them destroy and slay,
Who did against me rise.

⁴¹They cried out, but there was none
That would or could them save;
Yea, they did cry unto the LORD,
But he no answer gave.

⁴²Then did I beat them small as dust
Before the wind that flies;
And I did cast them out like dirt
Upon the street that lies.

⁴³Thou mad’st me free from people’s strife,
And heathen’s head to be:
A people whom I have not known
Shall service do to me.

⁴⁴At hearing they shall me obey,
To me they shall submit.
⁴⁵Strangers for fear shall fade away,
Who in close places sit.

⁴⁶GOD lives, bless’d be my Rock; the God
Of my health praised be.
⁴⁷God doth avenge me, and subdues
The people under me.

⁴⁸He saves me from mine enemies;
Yea, thou hast lifted me
Above my foes; and from the man
Of violence set me free.

⁴⁹Therefore to thee will I give thanks
The heathen folk among;
And to thy name, O LORD, I will
Sing praises in a song.

⁵⁰He great deliv’rance gives his king:
He mercy doth extend
To David, his anointed one,
And his seed without end.