2 Samuel 22:1-4 - David
sang this song to the LORD after the LORD had rescued him from all his enemies
and from Saul. These are the words he
sang: "The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the strength of my salvation, and my stronghold, my high
tower, my savior, the one who saves me from violence. I will call on the LORD, who is worthy of
praise, for he saves me from my enemies.
David wrote a song of praise to the God who had stayed with
him through the worst and the best of his life. He called God his rock…his
fortress…his savior…his shield….his strength…his stronghold…his high tower. He said
that God was worthy of praise for all he had done for this shepherd boy …giant
killer…anointed king…sinner….redeemed man…who was close to the end of his purpose
for life.
I can’t help but wonder what the original version of his song
sounded like. Perhaps he went to his
room and simply sang out these beautiful words in a moment of prayer. Maybe one day as he took a quiet walk …his praise
just burst out of his heart….with loud shouts that scared the birds right out
of the bushes. Possibly… he was deep in
prayer…. at the tent he so wanted to be a more ornate place for God to live…and
his praise for God just couldn’t be kept silent. Or maybe he just picked up the
harp he used so much as a child one afternoon and the tune he strummed inspired
these great words of praise.
The words are almost verbatim the same as Psalm 18….perhaps
a revised version of this original writing.
David must have felt the strength in its words…and wanted to make sure
that others were able to use it later…so he wrote it down and gave it to the
music director….so others could magnify and praise the Lord with its powerful
words. Some of us will use these words to praise him quietly as we walk down
the street. Some of us will praise him with loud shouts that come from the
depths of our very soul. Some of us
will retreat to a quiet room…and speak in the softest...most reverent voice we
can find at the moment. Still more of us
will kneel in moments of prayer…and cry out tears of praise…that seem so
lacking for all that God has brought us through.
Father…I thank you for being my rock…my shield…my high
tower. I could never find the words to
adequately thank you for all you have brought me through. When I am down… your
love lifts me up just high enough that I don’t sink beneath the weight of life. When I start to feel sorry for myself…you
humble me with the sacrifice of your son on that cross. When I am overwhelmed
with joy…you provide an avenue for me to sing your praise. You are my strength when I am weak…and catch
my tears when I am broken…then you build me back with your amazing love… to be
something you can use. Thank you for
never leaving me…for always holding my hand…for chasing me when I ran
away. Draw me closer to you each day you
allow me life…so I can share even more of the praise David felt in the moment
that he wrote this song of love to you. Amen.
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