(Psalms 18:3) “I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.”

What does David mean when he wrote, “I will call upon the LORD….”? There are various ways to interpret this phrase. However, in the main, to “call upon the LORD” means to address God with a request. It reveals an understanding of Who God is to the one addressing God; that is, that God is the Only True and Living God; Who has all power in heaven and in earth, as the Creator, Controller and Consummator of all things.  It reveals the one making the request has an understanding that he has a need, or a reason to call upon God; and that God is the only One that can answer the request, because only God can save and deliver from all enemies.

Along with these two previous understandings is that the one making the request to God is identifying his profession, or confession, to God and to Him alone. When one calls upon Jehovah, he is saying, ‘I am His and He is mine. I am making a public profession that I have no hope outside of God for deliverance and salvation, both physically and spiritually.’ Also, it can be viewed that David is actually “calling” in a sense of “praising” God; not in a sense of need, but of thankfulness, or of praise, for Who God is. This statement can be viewed as a statement of gratefulness after his listing of the nine characteristics of Who God is to him. David, said, ‘I will call upon the LORD”; which means, I have no other God but Jehovah; I rely on none but Jehovah. Not that David meant one particular time; but, anytime David had a need, it would be Jehovah that he would make his request unto.

However, when making an interpretation on any passage of Scripture; the expositor must consider the immediate context. He must study the theme of the particular passage of Scripture in relation to the major and minor subjects being delivered. In the case of Psalms 18, David explains the Why of his statement in Psalms 18:1, “I will love thee O LORD…” The Why is because of the revelation David was given of Who God is, and Who God is to him, and him to God; of which David explains nine characteristics of God in Psalms 18:1b-2.

Upon this revelation, David then makes this bold and confident statement, “I will call upon the LORD,” and then adds, “who is worthy to be praised.”  David is saying: ‘Because of Who God is for me and to me; based upon His merits and not my merits; then, I can and will make my request known unto God.’ Therefore, it appears that David is making a public profession, or confession, before God and others, “I will call upon the LORD” (Jehovah – and none other – for there is no other God besides Jehovah).

David then, is actually giving a Praise to Jehovah as his Deliverer and Savior in all things and in every situation of need. To back up his statement of praise, David says, “who is worthy to be praised.” The reason that Jehovah is worthy to be praised is listed in (Psa 18:1c-2) “…my strength. The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.” These nine characteristics of Jehovah listed by David form the Foundation of love in David for God; for this is Who God is to David.

Application:

This is the same understanding of every child of God, when given the understanding of God through Christ. Read what the Apostle Paul said in (2 Cor. 4:6-7) “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.  (7)  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.”

And also what the Apostle John wrote in (1Jn 5:20) “And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life”.

When the sinner comes, by the work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration and conversion,: to see God in Jesus Christ, as the Glory of God; as Sacrifice, Substitute and Savior for and from his sin debt; and to know (by experience) that he has “an understanding” that Jesus the Son of God has come in the flesh, yet without sin; and to know (by experience) Him that is true, and that the sinner is in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ; and to know that Jesus Christ is the True God and Eternal Life – Then, The Saved Sinner Can Praise God As Did David With The Same Confidence And Assurance That Jehovah Is Worthy To  Be Praised.

Also, the saved sinner, can say with complete confidence and assurance, as did David, “so shall I be saved from mine enemies.” The saved sinner will, not maybe, but will have the same complete security in God as did the Apostle Paul when he wrote,

(Rom 8:31-33) “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? (32)  He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? (33)  Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.”

 (Php 4:13, 19) “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

 (19) ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

So, reader, what does it mean for you to Call on the LORD? Who is Christ to you? What do you know of Him? Do you know by experience that God is in you, and you are in Him? Is Christ worthy to be praised by you because you know Who He is?

If you do not at this moment in time, you can face Him; acknowledge that you are a sinner before the Holy and Pure and Righteous God; acknowledge your need of a Savior; and repent of your sin before Him, and to Him; and then confess that you know that Christ is your personal Sacrifice, Substitute and Savior.

(Rom 10:9-10) “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (10)  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

It is not maybe, but a fact; believe as David did, “so shall I be saved from mine enemies.” Salvation is not who you are, or any of your merits; but, Salvation is solely based upon the merits of Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:8-9).  True confidence in Christ as your Salvation and Deliverance from all enemies is not from some group of words you may or may not have uttered; but, the revelation by the Holy Spirit given in Regeneration and Conversion. (Rom. 8:14-16; Gal. 4:5-6; 1 Jn. 5:20; 2 Tim. 1:9). Confession of your Salvation in Christ is the Proof of the inward work of the Holy Spirit to cause you repent of sins toward God, and to have faith in Christ Jesus (Acts 20:21).