2 Samuel 22:1–7 (ESV)

And David spoke to the LORD the words of this song on the day when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said,

            “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.”

This song of David reads like an early draft of Psalm 18. The Psalm’s Hebrew is a bit more poetic, but otherwise, they’re virtually the same.

David is looking back over his whole life and recognizes the cause and effect relationship he had with his trials and with the LORD.

But it’s not all in the past. David writes, “The LORD is my rock,” not, “The LORD was my rock.” He can still say, “I call upon the LORD … and I am saved from my enemies.”

But this is still rooted in the past. David has learned to trust in the LORD the hard way—from trials. He has had his share of close calls, and he describes those close calls in poetic terms—with phrases like, “the snares of death confronted me.”

But those close calls were essential. They’re why David, “called upon the LORD.”

“I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for that day.” ― Abraham Lincoln

Of course, these close calls were just the set up. David got to know God from what happened next.

From his temple he heard my voice,
                        and my cry came to his ears.

To forward this devotional, see the link in green below.

These weekday DEEPs are written by Mike Slay. Saturdays' by Matt Richardson. Subscribe here: https://www.ailbe.org/resources/community

The weekly study guides, which include questions for discussion or meditation, are here: https://www.ailbe.org/resources/itemlist/category/91-deep-studies

Scripture taken from the English Standard Version. © Copyright 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved.