The Lord Is My Deliverer
2 Samuel 22:1-20
Key verse 22:2 He said: “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
Introduction)
Looking back on what God has done for him especially when God faithfully gave him great victories in the previous passage at his old age, David sang to the Lord the words of this song(Psalm 18). David remembers the hands of God at the times of deliverence. He could have died earlier when wild animals attacked him or Saul threw his spear at him. It is very important to remind of what God has done for us.
May the Lord help us to remember the Lord who is the Deliverer like him.
1. Read verse 1. What does David do when the Lord delivered him from his enemies and from the hand of Saul? What do you think of this? (Psalms 18:1)
1-1) Read verse 1.
David sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.
1-2) What does David do when the Lord delivered him from his enemies and from the hand of Saul?
David sang to the Lord the words of this song
He could have held a great banquet and enjoyed his peace with his servants like a proud king of Babylon. (Daniel 5:1)
But David maintained his thanks to the Lord. (1 Thesalonians 5:16-18)
Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1-3) What do you think of this? (Psalms 18:1)
Psalm 18
For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord. He sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said:
1 I love you, Lord, my strength.
When David was delivered from the hand of all his enemies, especially from the hand of Saul, he could have thought that he was lucky.
But he knew that he was delivered thanks to the hand of the Lord.
“I love you, Lord, my strength.” “He sang to the Lord.”
May the Lord help us to learn from him so that we may deepen our love to the Lord who is our strength and sang to the Lord.
We give thanks always and proclaim the love of the Lord.
2. Read verses 2-4. How does David describe the Lord? (2-4) What do you think about each of these names?
2-1) Read verses 2-4.
2 He said:
“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
3 my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation.
He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior—
from violent people you save me.
4 “I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
and have been saved from my enemies.
2-2) How does David describe the Lord? (2-4)
“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
3 my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation.
He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior—
from violent people you save me.
4 “I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
and have been saved from my enemies.
David piles title upon title in praising God for God’s work for David is so comprehensive that it can’t be contained in one title.
It stems from his own personal experience for he repeated “my.”
2-3) What do you think about each of these names?
a) my rock
Rock means strong hold and security.
God was not just some rock or one of many rocks, he called God MY ROCK.
This implies a personal relationship.
When God is YOUR ROCK you too can anchor to Him. When you look for stability in this ever-changing world, what is your rock?
Rock could mean “solid foundation.” So it reminds me of what Jesus mentions in Matthews 7:24-25.
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.”
Let us sing a song titled “My hope is built on nothing less”
My hope is built on nothing less Than Jesus Christ, my righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame, But wholly lean on Jesus’ name. On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand, All other ground is sinking sand. (http://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/h/298)
Also rock could mean that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow for he never changes. He always keeps his promise out of his genuine love.
b) my fortress
Fortress means castle that is invincible. The Lord is my wall of defence.
The dictionary defines a “fortress” “as something that is impenetrable.
When David needed protection from the world around him, he turned to God.
Apostle Paul said in Romans 8:31-39
“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future,nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
It is so easy to be afraid of the many things that can happen to us in this world.
When you need protection from the world, where do you go? I pray that we can come to Jesus and His words.
Let us sing a song “A MIGHTY FORTRESS IS OUR GOD”
“A mighty Fortress is our God, A Bulwark never failing; Our Helper He amid the flood Of mortal ills prevailing: For still our ancient foe Doth seek to work us woe; His craft and power are great, And, armed with cruel hate, On earth is not his equal.” - http://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/h/886#ixzz2ydIr1Gca
c) my deliverer
David experienced the LORD’s deliverance such as:
God delivered David from Goliath
God delivered David from Saul
God delivered David from backsliding
God delivered David from Israel’s enemies
God delivered David from Absalom
God delivered David from David’s own sinful passions
d) my God
David has his own version in terms of why God has to be his own God.
e) my shield
My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart.-Psalm 7:10
f) the horn of my salvation.
g) my stronghold
h) my refuge
i) my savior
Each title is meaningful to David because God has fulfilled the meaning of the title in David’s personal experience. Each title stems from his heart knowledge of God.
As a consequence, David learns to put trust in the Lord for he sees who God is in every aspect of his life. In all situations, he turned to his own personal God.
Faith does not depend on our head knowledge, but the right, personal, and heart knowledge of God.
3. Read verses 5-16. What had been happening in David's life? (5-6) What does David do in his distress? (7a) Where does the Lord hear his prayer? (7b) What does the Lord do for him?(8-16)
3-1) Read verses 5-16.
5 The waves of death swirled about me;
the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
6 The cords of the grave coiled around me;
the snares of death confronted me.
7 “In my distress I called to the Lord;
I called out to my God.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came to his ears.
8 The earth trembled and quaked,
the foundations of the heavens[c] shook;
they trembled because he was angry.
9 Smoke rose from his nostrils;
consuming fire came from his mouth,
burning coals blazed out of it.
10 He parted the heavens and came down;
dark clouds were under his feet.
11 He mounted the cherubim and flew;
he soared on the wings of the wind.
12 He made darkness his canopy around him—
the dark rain clouds of the sky.
13 Out of the brightness of his presence
bolts of lightning blazed forth.
14 The Lord thundered from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.
15 He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy,
with great bolts of lightning he routed them.
16 The valleys of the sea were exposed
and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at the rebuke of the Lord,
at the blast of breath from his nostrils.
3-2) What had been happening in David's life? (5-6)
5 The waves of death swirled about me;
the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
6 The cords of the grave coiled around me;
the snares of death confronted me.
According to a different verson(the Message) :
The waves of death crashed over me,
devil waters rushed over me.
Hell’s ropes cinched me tight;
death traps barred every exit.
He was on the verge of ruin or death when he cried out to the Lord.
3-3) What does David do in his distress? (7a)
7 “In my distress I called to the Lord;
I called out to my God.
3-4) Where does the Lord hear his prayer? (7b)
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came to his ears.
It indicates that although God is sitting in his glorious seat as the King of kings and the Lord of lords, He is happy to hear his prayer.
God is so concerned about David’s problem and come down from his holy temple in heaven.
3-5) What does the Lord do for him?(8-16)
8 The earth trembled and quaked,
the foundations of the heavens shook;
they trembled because he was angry.
9 Smoke rose from his nostrils;
consuming fire came from his mouth,
burning coals blazed out of it.
10 He parted the heavens and came down;
dark clouds were under his feet.
11 He mounted the cherubim and flew;
he soared on the wings of the wind.
12 He made darkness his canopy around him—
the dark rain clouds of the sky.
13 Out of the brightness of his presence
bolts of lightning blazed forth.
14 The Lord thundered from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.
15 He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy,
with great bolts of lightning he routed them.
16 The valleys of the sea were exposed
and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at the rebuke of the Lord,
at the blast of breath from his nostrils.
What impressive ways God had done for him in response to his prayer.
God shows his emotion such as anger.
Likewise, when Jesus died on the cross, God made the darkness.
Accompanied by earthquake, storm, thunder, and lightening, God is reponding to David’s prayer. So nobody is able to stop him from delievering him.
4. Read verses 17-20. How did God rescue David? (17-19) Why did God rescue him? (20b) What do you think David's song shows about God?
4-1) Read verses 17-20.
17 “He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.
18 He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me.
19 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the Lord was my support.
20 He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.
4-2) How did God rescue David? (17-19)
17 “He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.
18 He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me.
19 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the Lord was my support.
Here David knew that his salvation was possible only thanks to God’s personal intervention instead of his own merit or ability.
There was no victory by accident. Rather every victory was due to God’s help.
Without God’s support, he could fall long time ago and no more.
Thanks to God’s deliverance, his life continue simply.
4-3) Why did God rescue him? (20b)
20 He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.
David had a deep sense of God’s delight in him.
His prayer was rooted deeply in such an intimate love relationship or full trust, not merely in a desire to survive.
4-4) What do you think David's song shows about God?
God is living and is willing to support his servant like David.
God is not a concept but a real person who is happy to be the deliverer for David.
May the Lord help us to increase our personal faith so that we may experience God’s deliverance in our lives.
In Conclusion): Without God’s hand, David could have gone with the wind long time ago. But thanks to God’s deliverance he was saved and now gives thanks to the Lord. So many times he repeated “my.” In this way we learned that he had his own personal faith. He had confidence that the Lord delighted in me. May the Lord help us to follow his footstep for we are living in very unprecedented and unpredictable generation. But we have no problem as long as we acknowledge him in our daily lives like David. May the Lord help us to fix our eyes on Jesus and continue to give glory to the Lord whose name is worthy of our all praise.
One word: My Deliverer!
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