(Psa 18:47-48) “It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me.  (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.”

David continues to summarize his Psalm with his final praise to God and the reasons why. Would to God that all of God’s people would daily give God the credit for deliverance, physically and spiritually. It is very important to praise God for all things, especially for deliverance from every enemy of the Cross.

When praises come from the believer, it indicates the level of fellowship the saint has with God. When the believer acknowledges God as his Deliverer, it reveals the believer is in submission to the Sovereignty of God. This is indicated by David’s comments concerning God:

The Judge: “It is God that avengeth me” (that rights the wrongs)

Vengeance only belongs to God (Ps. 94:1; Heb. 10:30); for only God can judge who is guilty. Only God has the proper degree of Judgment to be placed on the guilty (the enemy of God). David’s words are, “It is God that avengeth me.” It is God, not man, that has judged my enemies; for only God has all knowledge, and nothing is hidden from God. God knows every thought, motive; the good and the bad and even the secret evil thoughts and deeds of all men. David said: This why I praise You, Jehovah. Your punishment has been measured to my enemies according to Your knowledge. (1Sa 2:3) “Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.”

God has many tools in His arsenal to carry out the appropriate punishment upon the enemy. The believer can be assured that whatever tool God uses; it will hit its mark and will accomplish what God has purposed.

The Ruler: “and subdueth the people under me.”

All men are subject unto the Creator, God. God has no problem in humbling any man to His rule, especially His enemy. David said it was God that brought all his enemies to bow to his rule as King of Israel, (Psa 110:3) “Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power…”  The height of the pride of man is to set himself against God and expect to win the battle. God, who blew the breath of life into the nostrils of the lump of dust and man became a living soul, cannot be stopped or outwitted by man, whom God had created. God, who said He had all power in heaven and in earth, cannot be stopped by puny weak man. Those who still maintain that God created man to be equal with God, with a will to set aside the will of God; are those who have never experienced the Power of God in regeneration (salvation). Those who have had the work of Grace in the inward man by the Holy Spirit, are in receipt of the love and mercy of God, and now possess Eternal Life (even Jesus Christ, Who is Eternal Life; 1 Jn. 5:20). Those who have received the Spirit of Adoption (Rom. 8:14-16) have bowed their body, soul and spirit to their King, Jesus Christ. Yes, they have been subdued to God. But until that happens to the sinner, he is in rebellion to God; he has a stiff neck to God; and he rejects bowing to God as Savior.

Therefore, David acknowledged that it was the knowledge and power of God (Jehovah) that “subdued” the people of Israel to his rule as king. Make no mistake, it is not man that sets up the ruler; but, it is God, (Rom 13:1) “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.” David knew this truth applied to his case as king. Therefore, David issued this praise to Jehovah.

The Deliverer: “He delivereth me from mine enemies”

David was delivered from “Saul and his men, from Ishbosheth and Abner, from Absalom, and the conspirators with him; so, all believers are delivered out of the hands of their enemies by Christ, as that they can serve the Lord without fear.” When God delivers, it is not half-way – but it is total. Christ does not half save a sinner from the penalty, punishment, and power of sin – but Christ saves the sinner by His Grace forever and ever.

Reader, if you are bound by the bondage of sin – which is manifested in your helplessness and hopelessness of drugs, alcohol, sex perversion of all sorts, or a multitude of oppressions of the flesh, whereby you are no longer in control – then look to Jesus, The Deliverer, the Author and Finisher of our faith. Man cannot deliver himself from the penalty, punishment and power of sin; for he is born dead in trespasses and sins. Therefore, without God’s Power to raise the spiritually dead sinner from the curse of the law (which is spiritual death – or spiritually separated from God); the sinner remains in his spiritual death. The key here David said is “He delivereth” pointing to the Power of Jehovah (God). This is what the believer’s praise should continually be; for God, and God alone, has “delivered” my soul from my enemy, spiritual death.

The Lifter-Up: “yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me:”

David knew firsthand the Power of Christ to lift a man from the low estate of a shepherd to the throne of Israel; to be lifted above all his enemies that sought to destroy him; and to be brought from the deadness of sin to be an heir of God. So, it is with all the people of God. They are brought from the dunghill of the bondage of sin; translated from the darkness of sin to the Kingdom of Light; and given an inward witness whereby they cry, “Abba, Father.”

(1Sa 2:8) “He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD’S, and he hath set the world upon them.”

Conclusion

Therefore, all of the “born from above” – that is, all of the children of God that know by experience that God has sent the Spirit into their heart whereby they cry, “Abba Father.” Let them PRAISE JEHOVAH!