GOD’S MAJESTIC DELIVERANCE

“He sent from above, He took me; He drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy…” – Psalm 18:16-17a

David’s testimony elaborately describes GOD’S MAJESTIC DELIVERANCE: “He sent from above, He took me; He drew me out of many waters.  He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too strong for me” (Psa.18:16-17). God goes to great measures to protect, defend, and deliver His own. David sang about the majestic and dramatic deliverance God brought to him, marked by earthquakes, smoke, and fire; indicative of divine indignation and holy anger: “Then the earth shook and trembled…because He was angry” (v.7). God will do no less for any of His anointed!

God didn’t send an emissary on this rescue assignment. He personally intervened to deliver David: “HE was angry…smoke went up from HIS NOSTRILS, and devouring fire from HIS MOUTH…HE bowed the heavens….darkness under HIS FEET. And HE RODE upon a cherub, and flew; HE FLEW upon the wings of the wind. HE made darkness HIS secret place (vv.7b-11a). H.E. – His Excellency – was in action, engaging any of His creatures at will: the earth, hills, smoke, fire, coals, wind, darkness, thick clouds, thunder, hailstones, and the blast of His breath. All were – still are – at the bid and call of the Ultimate Controller! Universal Nature and her elements were reflecting the impact of their Sovereign’s displeasure!

“Smoke went up from His nostrils…” (v.8a): For smoke to burst from a warrior’s nostrils and fire from his mouth was a violent oriental method of expressing fierce wrath in warfare. Indicative of being heated by strong emotion, breath from the nostrils portrays the Almighty Deliverer as pouring forth smoke in the heat of His wrath and the spontaneity of His FIERY ZEAL.

“He…came down with darkness under His feet” (v.9): God always demonstrates DOMINION over darkness – “For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet” (1Cor.15:25). And He wants His children to always stand and operate on the same frequency of dominion: “And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly” (Rom.16:20a). Amen!

“And He rode upon a cherub, and flew…” (v.10a): David here emphasized the SPEED of God's deliverance. He comes to our rescue with all speed – swiftly as the wind: “He flew upon the wings of the wind” (v.10b). God is always on time.

“The LORD thundered from heaven…” (v.13): Phrase upon phrase, David described the great work of God on his behalf – using “thick clouds of the skies”, “brightness before Him”, “hailstones and coals of fire”, “His arrows”, “lightnings” and “channels of the sea” (vv.11-15). In summary, God moved heaven, sky, earth, and sea to defend and deliver His anointed.

“He sent from above, He took me; He drew me out of many waters” (v.16). The entire scenario not only emphasized God’s judgment against David's enemies, but more significantly, his own deliverance. God gave him Victory against his “strong enemy” and “those who hated” him (vv.16-17). This means that: deliverance for a righteous person or people often means judgment against oppressors. JESUS is the Unchanging Changer (Heb.13:8). He is not a respecter of persons, only of faith (Acts 10:34). However troublesome and vast the waters you’re wading through are, God is sending His Word from above: “He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions” (Psa.107:20). The Shepherd of Israel never ceases to hold His sheep. He who had taken David “from the sheepfolds” also took him from the jaws of “many waters” (Psa.78:70; v.16)!

The powerful poetic images of earthquakes, thunder, storms, and lightning that David used to depict divine help that came to him, echo the way God delivered Israel from Egypt, at Mount Sinai, and during the conquest of Canaan under Joshua. Like many saints of old, David experienced and testified of God's deliverance again and again in a variety of ways. We also can! Beloved, if you believe, God is your SUPPORT (v.18). He will always deliver you from your enemies and haters, however strong. His ultimate purpose is to usher you “into a broad place” – into your “wealthy place” (v.19; Psa.66:12).