Scripture
1I love you, Lord;
you are my strength.
2The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the power that saves me,
and my place of safety.
3I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
and he saved me from my enemies.
Psalm 18:1-3
Observation
The prescript on this song gives us all the context we need: “For the choir director: A psalm of David, the servant of the Lord. He sang this song to the Lord on the day the Lord rescued him from all his enemies and from Saul.” David was having a Selah moment where we paused, prayed, and then praised God for all He had led him through. He had started out a shepherd boy and wound up a warrior king. This transformation didn’t happen over night. It was at least 25 years between when he was anointed to be King and when he actually sat on the throne of all of Israel and Judah. That time was mostly spent running for his life from King Saul while refusing to back down from the call on his life. David describes himself as the apprentice of a master who is teaching him how persevere through the pain and overcome. He didn’t remove him from the trouble, God lead him through it. Notice the imagery David uses: “In your strength I can crush an army; with my God I can scale any wall.” (Vs. 29). Have you ever tried to scale a wall? Could he just go around it? No, David had to over the wall and God gave him the strength to do it. Like when you stand on a friends knees and shoulders to reach the top of the wall. “32God arms me with strength, and he makes my way perfect. 33He makes me as surefooted as a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain heights. 34He trains my hands for battle; he strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow.” The wall wasn’t all. Now we are looking at David being trained to climb the sheer sides of mountains without falling to his death. After climbing the wall, and conquering the mountain, God then trains David to stand his ground with bow and sword and to not give up an inch. This is not a call to an easy life, but it is a call to a victorious one. God won’t lead us around but He will lead us through!
Application
As I was reading through this Psalm today I had the lyrics Tom Petty’s 1989 hit song “I Won’t Back Down” going through my head. Though clearly not the lyrical genius David was, the same idea of perseverance through pain is being conveyed:
Well, I won't back down
No I won't back down
You could stand me up at the gates of Hell
But I won't back down
No I'll stand my ground
Won't be turned around
And I'll keep this world from draggin' me down
Gonna stand my ground
And I won't back down
Hey baby
There ain't no easy way out
Hey I will stand my ground
And I won't back down
I apologize, because now this ear worm is going to be stuck in your head all day too. Which is ok by me if it helps to remember that we need to stop looking for an easy way out and recognize this life was always going to be a fight. How much time have I wasted trying to find the comfortable and convenient when God is trying to train me to conquer?
Prayer
Lord, forgive me for looking for the easy way out. You have called me to stand my ground at the gates of hell. Many are convinced that’s what California is. Maybe so, but this is where you’ve called me. Today we voted and I pray that change will come in our offices of leadership in this state. I know ultimately though, the change has to come in me. You are training me to persevere through the pain, so stand my ground and claim this ground as holy.
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