Join Claudia for this edition of Firmly Rooted Friday as she explores three powerful promises in Psalm 18.
Three Promises in Psalm 18
Studying the Psalms changed my heart.
The cares of this life made it brittle and the repetition of religion dulled it. A heart that was beating but not quite for Jesus. I was walking around with an unfinished heart and the Lord captured it, renewed it, redeemed it, and brought me to a place of gratefulness. That’s what my “one word” for this year is, grateful. And I didn’t even see it coming, but God knew.
Let’s talk about Psalm 18. In my reading, I saw 3 promises: to rescue me, to delight in me, and to equip me.
As military women, when we see the word “rescue,” we immediately think Black Ops, Navy Seals, and Rangers. When you rescue someone, you come in heavy and you bring the rain! Isn’t that a marvelous thought? Our God coming in victory just for me. I love it so much. Verse 7 reads like this:
“Then the earth reeled and rocked; the foundations also of the mountains trembled and quaked, because he was angry.”
Psalm 18:7 ESV
Now who wouldn’t trust a God who comes in with guns blazing?
I am reminded that I have a God who cares enough to orchestrate a bold rescue mission.
We have a promise of delight. Not many things draw our hearts into a place of delight on a daily basis. So much of our lives are spent trying to delight in others. You know the people we see all of the time. But, do we ever stop and consider maybe there is a God in heaven that finds delight in us? I don’t. Yet God delights in us every day. This is important to remember. We bump against awful things daily but we have a rescuer who rescues us every time we call and then he delights in us. Wait, what?
“He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me.”
Psalm 18:19 ESV
It’s true, every day, all day long, we are a delight to the Lord.
Yet, we have a purpose for that God-driven delight, kingdom building. I say it often because I need to constantly remind myself that God saved me for a purpose, a divine call. It keeps my heart humble to be constantly reminded of what I am here for. I am here for Jesus sweet friends; I am here for the works of God and his glory.
Now what do I do with all of this rescued delight?
A couple of weeks ago I had a moment of anxiety over something that was significant while in the midst of it, I doubted God. I doubted the call, the rescue, and I was pretty sure he wasn’t very delighted in me at all. I whispered aloud a simple prayer. “Lord, I am feeling overwhelmed and extremely anxious. I need you to speak to me.” Then I sat at my desk and waited silently for God to speak to me. Honestly, I was ready to hear an audible voice, I was in that place of despair. The Lord spoke quickly and quietly. I wish I could tell you my response was over the top Pentecostal with shouts of joy and some dancing thrown in there as well. But it was a soft response to match God’s quiet answer. It was a very familiar scripture.
“For you equipped me with strength for the battle; you made those who rise against me sink under me.”
Psalm 18:39 ESV
I was hoping for something flashy, in need of a deep interpretation, and a profound meaning. Nope. I printed the verse out and placed it above my desk. Later that word from God began to seep into the broken unsure places of my heart. In this verse God reminds us that he has equipped us for the battles we must fight.
Divine equipping comes from the depth of God’s Word.
When we delve into the Word and we find the knowledge of who God is and the power in his promises, we know we can trust him. These three promises in Psalm 18 became a battle cry for me when I needed to desperately believe that I was worth God’s rescue, delight, and equipping.
Will you claim God’s promises in Psalm 18?
What about you saint? Do you see God’s rescue, delight, and equipping for your feeble heart? If not, determine to go deeper. There is always more to grasp of the promises of God. This week press in, change things up, and get after the promises of God like you never have before. He is indeed waiting with the promises. Join me back here next week! We will dig a bit deeper into the Psalms!
<>< Claudia