They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.
They came against him hard when trouble and distress had left him helpless, but the Lord upheld him and stood by him as his support. It is David's song of thanksgiving for deliverance from Saul after victory and establishment as king, when he cried out in trouble and God heard and brought him freedom and joy. When foes too strong to resist press in on the day of disaster, the Lord himself hears the cry from deep trouble and acts with all the power that made and sustains the heavens, reaching from above to seize hold, drawing out of overwhelming waters, freeing from the strong enemy, and bringing out into freedom because He delights in the one rescued. It also reveals the inner struggles of Christ, David's greater Son, confronted by enemies in calamity and sustained by God, and points to His victory over sin and spiritual enemies. This makes faith the lever that moves earth and heaven because it rests on the throne of the eternal God, proving that all His creative power will be exerted to free from sin and the present evil world everyone who needs help against the flesh and the devil, and giving courage and refuge for daily tasks and trials through life's toil and strain.
Words and Setting
The hostile enemies overtook and came against the speaker in the day of calamity, distress and trouble. They confronted him and pressed him hard in that distress. But the Lord upheld and supported him, becoming his support and help and staying by him as his stay. The surrounding lines portray him as helpless and distressed, crying out and calling upon God in trouble, and God heard him and brought him joy and freedom.
The verse belongs to David's psalm of thanksgiving and song of deliverance for being delivered from the hand of Saul. It was composed after his victory over Saul and his establishment as king.
Psalm 18 is to be read alongside 2 Samuel 22 as nearly the same song with only very slight changes. The two chapters are not exactly alike. 2 Samuel 22 shows its historical connection, while Psalm 18 gives it as part of the collection of David's writings.
Deliverance and Trust
The psalm is a song of triumph showing David's trust in God's might and goodness and his confidence in deliverance from enemies, offering lessons of trust. It also reflects the experience of Christ, David's greater Son. When hostile powers too strong to resist confront a person in disaster, the Lord himself upholds him. He hears the cry made in deep trouble and acts with all the power displayed in making and sustaining the heavens. He bows the heavens and comes down swiftly with darkness under his feet, riding upon a cherub and flying upon the wings of the wind. He reaches from above to seize hold, taking hold and drawing out of many and overwhelming waters, freeing from the strong enemy and from haters, sustaining in trouble, bringing out into freedom, and rescuing because he delights in the one rescued.
Faith is the Christian's lever that moves earth and heaven because it rests on the throne of the eternal God. This proves that all the power of God shown in creation will be exerted for everyone who desires and needs help in the fight against the flesh and the devil, to free from sin and from the present evil world. The verse shows Christ in a time of calamity confronted by enemies, revealing the inner experience of his struggles with the enemy and that God sustained him as his support. David's deliverance and victories also point to Christ's victory over sin and spiritual enemies.
The psalm gives courage that can be brought into the experience of meeting daily tasks and trials. When enemies confront the speaker in a time of calamity, the Lord is his support and help, in keeping with other verses about God's protection and deliverance. He is a support and refuge in times of trouble and the believer's stay through life's toil and strain.
They came against him hard when trouble and distress had left him helpless, but the Lord upheld him and stood by him as his support. It is David's song of thanksgiving for deliverance from Saul after victory and establishment as king, when he cried out in trouble and God heard and brought him freedom and joy. When foes too strong to resist press in on the day of disaster, the Lord himself hears the cry from deep trouble and acts with all the power that made and sustains the heavens, reaching from above to seize hold, drawing out of overwhelming waters, freeing from the strong enemy, and bringing out into freedom because He delights in the one rescued. It also reveals the inner struggles of Christ, David's greater Son, confronted by enemies in calamity and sustained by God, and points to His victory over sin and spiritual enemies. This makes faith the lever that moves earth and heaven because it rests on the throne of the eternal God, proving that all His creative power will be exerted to free from sin and the present evil world everyone who needs help against the flesh and the devil, and giving courage and refuge for daily tasks and trials through life's toil and strain.
Words and Setting
The hostile enemies overtook and came against the speaker in the day of calamity, distress and trouble. They confronted him and pressed him hard in that distress. But the Lord upheld and supported him, becoming his support and help and staying by him as his stay. The surrounding lines portray him as helpless and distressed, crying out and calling upon God in trouble, and God heard him and brought him joy and freedom.
The verse belongs to David's psalm of thanksgiving and song of deliverance for being delivered from the hand of Saul. It was composed after his victory over Saul and his establishment as king.
Psalm 18 is to be read alongside 2 Samuel 22 as nearly the same song with only very slight changes. The two chapters are not exactly alike. 2 Samuel 22 shows its historical connection, while Psalm 18 gives it as part of the collection of David's writings.
Deliverance and Trust
The psalm is a song of triumph showing David's trust in God's might and goodness and his confidence in deliverance from enemies, offering lessons of trust. It also reflects the experience of Christ, David's greater Son. When hostile powers too strong to resist confront a person in disaster, the Lord himself upholds him. He hears the cry made in deep trouble and acts with all the power displayed in making and sustaining the heavens. He bows the heavens and comes down swiftly with darkness under his feet, riding upon a cherub and flying upon the wings of the wind. He reaches from above to seize hold, taking hold and drawing out of many and overwhelming waters, freeing from the strong enemy and from haters, sustaining in trouble, bringing out into freedom, and rescuing because he delights in the one rescued.
Faith is the Christian's lever that moves earth and heaven because it rests on the throne of the eternal God. This proves that all the power of God shown in creation will be exerted for everyone who desires and needs help in the fight against the flesh and the devil, to free from sin and from the present evil world. The verse shows Christ in a time of calamity confronted by enemies, revealing the inner experience of his struggles with the enemy and that God sustained him as his support. David's deliverance and victories also point to Christ's victory over sin and spiritual enemies.
The psalm gives courage that can be brought into the experience of meeting daily tasks and trials. When enemies confront the speaker in a time of calamity, the Lord is his support and help, in keeping with other verses about God's protection and deliverance. He is a support and refuge in times of trouble and the believer's stay through life's toil and strain.