(Psalms 18:32-33) “It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. (33)  He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, and setteth me upon my high places.”

This devotion is Part One of a series about David’s comments in (Psalms 18:32-45). These verses give a detailed list of God’s actions of deliverance for His children. This post introduces David’s thoughts in Psalms 18:32-33.

Note the verbs in Psalms 18:32-33: “girdeth,” “maketh,” and “setteth.” These verbs reveal the action of God (Hebrew word is “EL” – which points to Jehovah as “Almighty”; see Strong’s # 410). The preeminence of these verbs is that the action originates and is performed by God – not man. David had no problem in giving God the honor and praise for God being the Origin and Performer of actions to him and through him. This must be mentioned, because the world today tries to give honor and praise to the believer for his success based upon the believer’s obedience or upon the believer’s own merit; whether it be his intelligence, his own good works, or because the believer willed it so. What must be investigated and examined is the source of the believer’s will; that is, what is, or what are, the believer’s desires to do every morning. Who influences the believer 24/7? Is it God; or is it the flesh?

The truth of the matter is, the believer’s actions comes from the power of the indwelling Spirit of God (Phil. 2:13). This thought does no violation to the will of the believer; for the believer’s will, after regeneration and conversion, is to do the will of God, which was implanted in the believer’s spirit. No child of God awakens in the morning with a determination to go against the will of God; but rather, seeks God in prayer to do the Will of God. Why does the believer do this? The answer is: Christ dwells in the believer. And therefore, the believer is not a “servant of un-righteousness,” but a “servant of Righteousness.” The fruit of the “servant of Righteousness” is holiness; which is from God and not from the flesh (Rom. 6:4-22).

Now to the devotion: 

1. (32a) “It is God that girdeth me with strength…”

God is the Origin, as discussed above at length, of the “girding” process. The Hebrew word (Strong’s #H247) means to “belt; to bind (compass) about, gird (up, with).” This binding up by God of the believer is “with strength.” That is, the “strength” of God (Eph. 1:19).

The Hebrew word (Strong’s #H2428 – from #H2342) translated “strength” means “a force, whether of men, means or other resources; an army, wealth, virtue, valor, strength.” The believer’s strength is not in himself; but in Christ (Phil. 4:13, 19). To do battle with the believer’s flesh and the pull of “this evil world”; the believer must be strong in the power of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 7:25). This opens a world of truth that in this setting cannot be opened up, for the subject is too large for this setting. However, please read (Eph. 5:18; Gal. 5:16, 18, 25) “walk in the Spirit”; “be led of the Spirit”; and “live in the Spirit.” For in these Scriptures, and in a multitude more, the believer will see what the believer is to do to be an “overcomer”; that is to experience the “strength” of Christ in the believer’s daily walk, talk, and practice. David said in (2Sa 22:33) “God is my strength and power…”

Without the action of God “girding” the believer with the “strength” of God, the believer will not experience Victory over sin and his flesh; for the believer has no power against evil without the power of God in him and upon him.

2. (32b) “and maketh my way perfect.”

Note, David said that God made his “way” perfect. That is, God removed everything that needed to be moved out of David’s way for him to be victorious. God made a plain path for David to be an “overcomer” over his enemies. The success of the believer as he traverses on his earthly path is dependent on the Plan and Purpose of God (Ps. 37:23; Prov. 19:21). God, Who neither sleeps nor slumbers, Who keepeth Israel, is without ceasing behind the scenes directing the believer in his walk, removing all stumbling blocks for the believer to have success (Job 23:13-14). “This is not to be understood of the way and course of David’s life and conversation, which was not perfect and unspotted, but had many blemishes and imperfections in it, which he often owns, confesses, and bewails.”

3. (33a) “He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet,”

The Hebrew word translated “hinds” means a “doe or female deer.” The feet of the deer are well documented to be “light and swift and sure.” This means that David had been given by God the ability to flee swiftly and with sure steps from his enemies. David had been given by God the ability to pursue after the enemy, to run through a troop, and leap over a wall, as before (1Ch.12:8). In a spiritual sense, God has given the believer in Christ the same ability; to have “hinds’ feet” in the battle against the enemies of the Cross. By feeding and assimilating the Scriptures, the believer can overcome the enemy (Jas. 1:21).

4. (33b) “and setteth me upon my high places.”

David presented three thoughts in verse (33b):

1) First, David said once again, all glory goes to God; for it is God that “setteth.” The Hebrew word translated “setteth” means to “stand” and a multitude of synonyms, such as, “abide, confirm, continue and dwell.” (Hab. 3:19) says, “The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.” Habakkuk added, “and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.” God made him to “walk” upon high places.

2) Secondly, David said the place that God made him to “stand”; to “abide”; and “to continue”; was “upon my high places.”  That is on the “towers and fortresses, and strong and fortified places, where he was safe from his enemies”; that is in a physical sense. But, this can be considered in a spiritual sense; the “high places”; or “in the heavenlies, even in the presence of God Himself in the fulness of grace”; or to stand or abide in the “love of God,” or in the “Promises of God.”

3) Thirdly, David said, “…upon my…”; using the possessive pronoun “my” to reveal that God had a particular plan and a particular place for David, as God does for all believers in Christ. David said, it is mine by the action and grace of God to me and for me in the work of Jesus Christ as the believer’s Sacrifice, Substitute and Savior. God has ordained that all believers’ position would be “in Christ”; the “High Places.”

Application:

(Psalms 18:32-33) “It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. (33)  He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, and setteth me upon my high places.”

These things that God did for David, as applied to the believer today, leaves the believer without excuse as to daily victory over the enemy. David said: You have the “strength,” and all things are taken out of your way, to experience victory over the enemy. God has made you sure-footed (that is, you know how and where to walk); and God has made you to stand upon every place that God has called you walk.

Believer, not only has God equipped you to run the race and to have the Victory over all enemies; but God has caused you to “abide” “upon my high places.” That is, not only are you where you belong; but, praise God, you experience the best that God has for you: His power, and the Joy of the Holy Ghost, while you walk your ordained journey for the Honor and Glory of God.