THE LORD LIVES

Passage: Psalms 18:31-50

Key verse: 46

NIV

31 For who is God besides the Lord?(A)
    And who is the Rock(B) except our God?
32 It is God who arms me with strength(C)
    and keeps my way secure.(D)
33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;(E)
    he causes me to stand on the heights.(F)
34 He trains my hands for battle;(G)
    my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You make your saving help my shield,
    and your right hand sustains(H) me;
    your help has made me great.
36 You provide a broad path(I) for my feet,
    so that my ankles do not give way.(J)

37 I pursued my enemies(K) and overtook them;
    I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
38 I crushed them(L) so that they could not rise;(M)
    they fell beneath my feet.(N)
39 You armed me with strength(O) for battle;
    you humbled my adversaries(P) before me.
40 You made my enemies turn their backs(Q) in flight,
    and I destroyed(R) my foes.
41 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them(S)—
    to the Lord, but he did not answer.(T)
42 I beat them as fine as windblown dust;(U)
    I trampled them[a] like mud in the streets.
43 You have delivered me from the attacks of the people;
    you have made me the head of nations.(V)
People I did not know(W) now serve me,
44     foreigners(X) cower before me;
    as soon as they hear of me, they obey me.
45 They all lose heart;(Y)
    they come trembling(Z) from their strongholds.(AA)

46 The Lord lives!(AB) Praise be to my Rock!(AC)
    Exalted be God(AD) my Savior!(AE)
47 He is the God who avenges(AF) me,
    who subdues nations(AG) under me,
48     who saves(AH) me from my enemies.(AI)
You exalted me above my foes;
    from a violent man(AJ) you rescued me.
49 Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;(AK)
    I will sing(AL) the praises of your name.(AM)

50 He gives his king great victories;
    he shows unfailing love to his anointed,(AN)
    to David(AO) and to his descendants forever.(AP)

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Footnotes
  1. Psalm 18:42 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Syriac and Targum (see also 2 Samuel 22:43); Masoretic Text I poured them out
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

31 For (A)who is God, but the Lord?
    And who is (B)a rock, except our God?—
32 the God who (C)equipped me with strength
    and made my way (D)blameless.
33 He made my feet like the feet of a (E)deer
    and set me secure on (F)the heights.
34 He (G)trains my hands for war,
    so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You have given me the shield of your salvation,
    and your right hand (H)supported me,
    and your (I)gentleness made me great.
36 You (J)gave a wide place for my steps under me,
    and my feet did not slip.
37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them,
    and did not turn back till they were consumed.
38 I thrust them through, so that they were not able to rise;
    they fell under my feet.
39 For you equipped me with strength for the battle;
    you made those who rise against me sink under me.
40 You made my enemies (K)turn their backs to me,[a]
    and those who hated me I destroyed.
41 (L)They cried for help, but there was none to save;
    they cried to the Lord, but he did not answer them.
42 I beat them fine as (M)dust before the wind;
    I cast them out like (N)the mire of the streets.

43 You delivered me from (O)strife with the people;
    you made me (P)the head of the nations;
    (Q)people whom I had not known served me.
44 As soon as they heard of me they obeyed me;
    (R)foreigners (S)came cringing to me.
45 (T)Foreigners lost heart
    and (U)came trembling out of their fortresses.

46 The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock,
    and exalted be the God of my salvation—
47 the God who gave me vengeance
    and (V)subdued peoples under me,
48 who rescued me from my enemies;
    yes, you (W)exalted me above those who rose against me;
    you delivered me from (X)the man of violence.

49 (Y)For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations,
    and (Z)sing to your name.
50 Great (AA)salvation he brings to his king,
    and shows steadfast love to his (AB)anointed,
    to (AC)David and his offspring forever.

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Footnotes
  1. Psalm 18:40 Or You gave me my enemies' necks
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. It is God who arms me with strength (31-45)

When David took refuge in God, he had personal experiences with God. He armed David with strength and made his feet like the feet of deer. God's saving right hand sustained him and made him great. He enabled David to overtake his enemies and destroy them. He made him the head of nations. God's people who take refuge in Christ have personal experiences with him. They are rescued from Satan and elevated to a royal priesthood and a holy nation. It is God who has done all these things for us.

2. Therefore I will praise you, LORD (46-5

)

Remembering God's deliverance from his enemies, David pledges praise to the name of God. He praises the living God who not only saves him but shows his unfailing love to those whom God saves. God's love extends to David's offspring, his descendants. We praise our living God whose unfailing love to his people endures forever.

Prayer: Lord, help me to see your salvation work in my life and praise the living God who takes care of his people with his unfailing love forever.

One Word: God lives