(Psalms 18:7-19)

(16) “He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.

(17)  He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.

(18)  They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.

(19)  He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.”

David explains the movements of God on his behalf in many metaphorical terms. David prayed and sought the help of God for physical salvation from his enemies. The results of God’s movements on David’s behalf are presented in Psalms 18:16-19. The keys to understanding God’s movements to deliver David are:

1. To see that God is Sovereign in all His actions toward sinners; and
2. To see how God views His people.

The perception of God and how He views His people is so important in this modern era of Christians. The reason is that many so-called Christians today believe that it is in some way upon their merit that God is moved to help deliver them in their distress; but in reality, God’s movements toward sinners in anyway whatsoever, flows from God’s Eternal Purpose alone, that which He had before ordained for the salvation of His people.

The Movement of God:

Note the verbs of action; “He sent, He drew, He delivered, was my stay”; and finally, “He brought, He delivered me, He delighted in me.”

These pronouns and verbs prove that God is the Origin, the Source, the Reason and the Power of deliverance for the child of God. It is God that supplied David’s physical salvation from all his enemies. The Apostle Paul wrote in many places that his physical salvation came from God. In (Phil. 4:13, 19) Paul’s statement of his strength and supply did in fact come from Christ and Him alone.

The believer is no match in and of himself to fight the deception of his own flesh; or of the forces of evil that have as their primary goal to steal, kill and destroy him. The only hope of physical salvation from the enemies of God that attack him is God Himself; for God has all power in heaven and in earth. God is the Creator, Controller and Consummator of all things. This is the first lesson the believer must learn if he is going to be an “overcomer” over his flesh, sin and this evil world, which operates on the principles of the devil (1 Jn.2:15-16). The child of God cannot in and of himself win over his flesh; only can he win and be counted an “Overcomer” in the power of the Holy Spirit of God.

But secondly, not only must the child of God learn that God is the Power; but, he must also know that his help cometh from the LORD, not on any of the merits of men, but from the Plan and Purpose of God. God has Promised, based upon His decrees, the Protection and Provision of His children in every aspect of life. from conception in the womb. to the believer’s last breath.

Thirdly, the movement to protect His child from all enemies flows from Him, and not because of man’s work or request in the first sense. Not only is God the believer’s strength and it is the Purpose of God to be the believer’s strength; but also, God is the Initiator of His actions toward the physical salvation of His child. In fact, all prayer begins with God and not man; man’s response to God is because of God’s movement in the man (Phil. 2:13). Paul wrote, (Romans 8:26) “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” This verse proves without a doubt: the child of God does not even know what to pray about without the aid of the Holy Spirit. Prayer originates with God for the benefit of His people to be prepared to receive the will of God. Pray is not to get God to do; but, for His people to do. It is so amazing how many so-called Christians elevate themselves to be equal with God in so many ways; especially in the area to get God to respond to their requests.

The Mind of God:

Here God gives two reasons of Why He is the Strength of the believer:

1. “for they were too strong for me.” God was well aware of the fallibility of man when He created man; for this too was the Purpose of God. God did not create another god when He created Adam and Eve; but, He created a fallible creature that, when tested, as Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden, would fail the law of God – for without Grace, man will always fail. God called this failure, or transgression of His law, sin. Because of sin, His creature would need a Savior from the curse of breaking God’s law (Gen. 2:16-17). The curse of the law of God is “spiritual death” passed upon Adam and all his posterity because of this transgression (Rom. 5:12). The soul and the spirit of Adam became one; and the soul, or the flesh, ruled man in the lust of the flesh, lust of the eye and the pride of life.

Therefore, from this point forward, man, until regeneration (Heb. 4:12), is ruled by his flesh. Even after man’s regeneration by the Holy Spirit; when the soul and the spirit are separated by the Holy Spirit; and after the old man, or the flesh, is crucified in the believer – the flesh is still in the believer until physical death. Because the flesh is still within the believer, even though it is not in control, it is constantly trying to deceive and defeat the “new man” in the believer. (Read Romans 7:14-24.) Because of this situation, the believer is no match for the enemies of God, whose weapons are the evil forces of this world.

Therefore, because of his own flesh still within him, and because he is no match for spiritual evil in high places – the believer must have God as his Help and Stay. This dependence upon God for deliverance by the believer is ordained of God. This dependence upon God completely for salvation brings honor and glory to God (2 Cor. 3:5; 12:9-10). 

2. “because he delighted in me.” This delight of God of His people; again, the Source of this delight is in God Himself; not in any merits of His people (Deut. 7:6-8). No one was alive when God chose “us” in Christ before the Foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4-6). No one was alive when God wrote “us” in the Book of Life before the Foundation of the world (Rev. 17:8c).

Therefore, God’s delight in His people did not originate in anything in man; but in God alone; according to His Good Pleasure and Purpose.

Because God’s delight in His people is not because of any merit of His people; but in God alone; then, this fact gives the people of God great hope and security. The Promises of God began with God, and are performed by God, and are sustained by God (Rom. 8:29-39). Therefore, the people of God, who know their own weaknesses, rest their all on Jesus Christ and Who He is; for He is God.