Psalm 18: Overcome Challenges Now

Psalm 18: Overcome Challenges Now. With fifty verses, Psalm 18 is one of the longer psalms that David wrote. The psalm seems to be almost a summary of what had happened to David during his life, and for good reason. II Samuel 21 and 22 contains the record of David’s last battles, and his last words. The psalm recorded in II Samuel 22 is the same as is found in Psalm 18. 
 
As David wrote his hymn of praise to his God, his thoughts must have looked back at the events of his life. Like any man, David would identify successes and failures. And David would also have acknowledged how God had blessed him. David was the anointed of God. Later, God would tell the people of Israel through His prophets that He would not destroy Judah because of the love He had for His servant David. What a commendation! 

Psalm 18: Overcome Challenges Now

Because of the special relationship that David had with the Lord, a person would think that David’s life should have been one of happiness and success. For David, there should have been no sorrow or failure. However, even a quick reading of the psalm shows that was not the case. During his life, David faced countless powerful enemies that sought to defeat and kill him. For many years as a young man, David was a fugitive from King Saul. As King himself, he witnessed treachery on the part of his trusted general, he gave into temptation with Bathsheba, and he saw many tragedies occur within his own family. No, David’s life was not a “bed of roses”. 
 
Even before examining the psalm, there is a message for Christians today. How many people have thought, “Oh, once I become a Christian, all of my problems will be solved. I will live a happy life from now on.” How wrong that kind of attitude can be! Look at the message of David. David served God, but he faced trials and challenges in his life. Christians are God’s children. However, there is no more of a guarantee of a care-free life than there was for David.  

Psalm 18: Overcome Challenges Now

In David’s life, he experienced more tragedy than most people face today, but look at the first verse of this psalm, “I love you, 0 Lord, my strength.” It is very sad that too many people want to accept the Lord with conditions. “I’ll accept you, but you have to give me a life without trouble.” When this kind of “commitment” is made, usually the person will not be faithful, because “God didn’t protect me.”  
 
David did not say that in his psalm. He saw the Lord as his strength. In verse 2, David used a series of words to show what the Lord meant to him. “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. “I call upon the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and He saves me from my enemies.”  
 
Think about the words that were used. David, in the latter years of his life, looked back at all that had happened to him, and he still used such words as rock, fortress, deliverer, shield, horn (symbolizing strength), and stronghold. If a Christian was asked to use a series of describe words to describe the Lord, what words would be used? 

Psalm 18: Overcome Challenges Now

In the New Testament scriptures, there is another word that means the same thing. That word is “anchor”. This is what God is for Christians. That is what He does for Christians. The Lord does not want Christians to be strong for Him, and He doesn’t want Christians to decide to be perfect for Him. The Lord wants Christians to take refuge in Him. No one will ever succeed alone. It is only when a person decides to surrender and allow God to take over that a person will begin to succeed.  
 
It is tragic that so many people today miss the real blessing of being joined to God. The emphasis today is that mankind can solve the problems of the world. Science is the answer to everything. But the truth is just the opposite. Humanity has not changed one fraction from the first man and woman. People always become their own worst enemies, but when they join with God through Jesus Christ, the situation changes.
 
In Christ, a person does not have to be strong, or perfect. In Christ, all a person has to do is give himself/herself over to Him, and love Him with fully in heart, soul, and mind. God will take care of the rest. Even without the benefit of the New Testament scriptures, and the clear message of the Gospel, David understood that. In verse 28, he wrote, “You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning! My God turns my darkness into light” 

Psalm 18: Overcome Challenges Now

Wouldn’t it be nice to say that in every situation? When the electricity fails, home becomes a place of darkness. Although the house and furnishings are familiar, a person must move around slowly and hesitantly, because there is no light! But once a flashlight is turned on, or a candle is lit, confidence returns. Jesus Christ and His Word is the lamp for a Christian’s life. Without Him, a person will stumble through life. But when that person becomes a Christian and begins to live a Christ-centered life, there is confidence for today and for the future. There is rest for the soul and there is the anticipation of something better. Thank you Father for your love and the sacrifice of Your Son!