Psalm 59
David uses words like deliver, protect and save in the first few verses of this Psalm. He is petitioning the Lord to take care of him. What impresses me, however, is the choice of words. David didn’t say “show me the way” or “guide me”. His petition is to the one who can protect, save and deliver. I think about a mother and her infant inside of her belly. She delivers the baby, she protects the baby and if anything goes wrong, she would save the baby. Why? Love. There is nothing that baby has done in life to deserve that mother’s love. The baby hasn’t taken care of the mother, hasn’t provided for her or given her gifts. This baby is only seconds old and yet the mother will do everything in her ability to protect and save that baby. It is no different with the Lord. Well, the only difference is that the Lord loves us even more than a mother loves their newborn baby!
LORD God of hosts, … God of Israel. This is interesting. Why these choice of words? I think David was giving praise to the Lord and referring to Him as the one true God, the Creator of the entire world. Then, after declaring Him to be the Lord over all of creation, he brings it back home — personal. The God if Israel. It really is impacting to think — LORD God of the universe, LORD God of me. We have a God that is the true God of the universe but cares about each and every one of us individually. Mind boggling!
Impact Verses:
9 O my Strength, I will watch for you,
for you, O God, are my fortress.
10 My God in his steadfast love will meet me;
God will let me look in triumph on my enemies.
God is my Strength and my foundation. He provides everything I need including protection. He doesn’t act simply like a bodyguard but like a fortress! A fortress is a huge building that has multiple forms of protection and are typically very different to defeat. Our God is the unbeatable fortress! Yet, He cares enough about me to let me enter His house and be protected by Him. He loves me enough to let me know that I have a refuge, a save haven, where I can go. Not only that, but in my obedience, He will help me triumph over evil! He will let me triumph over evil when when I am not obedient simply because He is a merciful God full of grace and love. As men, we don’t possess these same traits — especially in the ever-present way of the Lord. He doesn’t hold a grudge and He doesn’t judge me any differently than anyone else. I thank the Lord that He loves me enough to show me this kind of leadership and this kind of love.