King David and his God Part 1

Continuing my trek through the old testament, I have stumbled across David.

In 2 Samuel 22, David has been delivered from his enemies.  He had several might men who pledged their allegiance to him, and lots of protection, but on this great day when all enemies have been suppressed, he doesn’t praise the mighty men who aided him, or his own skillful hand, but Yahweh.  This is what he says:

“The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,

my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,

my shield, and the horn of my salvation,

my stronghold and my refuge,

my savior; you save me from violence.

I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised,

And I am saved from my enemies.

For the waves of death encompassed me,

The torrents of destruction assailed me,

The cords of Sheol entangled me;

The snares of death confronted me.

In my distress I called upon the LORD

To my God I called.

From his temple he heard my voice,

And my cry came to his ears.

 

STOP!!!!

Hold it!

David, the 7^th son of Jesse, the one who it seems no one paid attention to, and was tasked with taking care of dumb animals (sheep), says the the God of the Universe is his rock, his fortress, and his deliverer?  This is very personal.  You can read of several people in the books of Samuel and Kings refer to God as “your God” in talking to David and others, but David doesn’t refer to him this way.

David says that God “saves him from violence.”  He says that he “calls upon the LORD, and is saved from his enemies.”  That is very interesting.  Perhaps we should do this first?  I try to figure things out first, and come up with a plan, and maybe that’s just me, but I think I should do what David did.  Ask God.

David isn’t just dealing with a bad stock investment, or a messed up day, or a Monday when he doesn’t want to put in the time to work, he says, “the waves of death, the torrents of destruction, the cords of Sheol are around him”?  The cords of Hell?  Entangle him?  The snares of death confronted him?  What did David do?  Called on the LORD. 

I think the answer is in the last verse (7).  In David’s distress he called on the God whose face can’t be seen, who destroyed the Egyptians, and saved his people, who created the world by his mere breath, who plans all events, and controls the hearts of Kings, and the next sentence is stunning.  “From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry came to his ears.” 

 I am amazed at this.  God heard David.  God can hear me, and he can hear you.  From his high and lofty place,  he hears you.

How God responds is next, and deserves its own day.