Victory
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To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, the servant of the LORD who spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul; And he said,
I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.
The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;
My God, my strength, in whom I will trust;
My buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised:
So shall I be saved from mine enemies.
The sorrows of death compassed me,
And the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.
The sorrows of hell compassed me about:
The snares of death prevented me.
In my distress I called upon the LORD,
And cried unto my God:
He heard my voice out of his temple,
And my cry came before him, even into his ears.
Then the earth shook and trembled;
The foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.
There went up a smoke out of his nostrils,
And fire out of his mouth devoured: Coals were kindled by it.
He bowed the heavens also, and came down:
And darkness was under his feet.
And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly:
Yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.
He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him
Were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed,
Hail stones and coals of fire.
The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice;
Hail stones and coals of fire.
Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them;
And he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.
Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD,
At the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.
Read the remaining verses here: https://www.bible.com/bible/1/PSA.18.KJV
Be an overcomer, only cowards yield
When the foe they meet on the battlefield;
We are blood-bought princes of the royal host,
And must falter not, nor desert our post.
Never yield a step in the hottest fight,
God will send you help from the realms of light;
In Jehovah’s might put the foe to flight,
And the victor’s crown you shall wear at last.
Victory
Psalm 18 begins with the descriptive title explaining the context of David’s song. This psalm is a song of victory, a lengthy and exuberant praise for God’s mighty deliverance of David from all his enemies and from the long-time oppression of Saul. The first nineteen verses are joyful and jubilant praises for what God did for David and his army. With each verse, David’s passion intensifies as he gives all the credit for his deliverance to whom it is due. God is his strength, rock, fortress, and deliverer(18:46). God is his buckler and horn of his salvation and his high tower (18:30). For many years, David was on the run from Saul, a jealous and vindictive king. Details of this dark time and their encounters can be found in the Book of 1st Samuel. The sorrows of hell encompassed him, and he was afraid and distressed (18:4). But he called upon the lord, and David saw God’s response in the forces of nature. He depicts images of earthquakes, fire, dark heavens and winds (18:7-13). Hailstones, coals of fire, lightnings and floods (18:13-15). He delivered him from his enemies. The Lord was his stay. David reminds us that God delights in coming to the aid of the righteous. “I was upright before Him. With an upright man thou will show thyself upright” (18:25). Yet, David does not take the credit for his victory. It is his faith, his unwavering trust in God, that led to this triumphant end.
Far too often have I observed talented performers or stellar athletes being interviewed during an awards ceremony, and have not heard them utter one word of thanks, gratitude or acknowledgement to God for their success. “It is not by works that any man should boast.”(Eph 2:9) Of course, this doesn’t mean that god wants us to hide our gifts. He says we should let our “light so shine before men so they may see your good works” (Matt 5:16) However, that scripture continues with “but glorify our father in heaven” (Matt 5:16). I hope that in sincere humility I give God, first and foremost, all the glory, honor and praise for all he has done and has strengthened me to do. Like David, I love the Lord and delight in singing of how He helps me overcome each day.
Elizabeth Expands
18:30 “He is a buckler to all those that trust in Him.” This word “buckler” had me pause and take a closer look at what that meant! Cambridge Dictionary says a buckler is “a small, round shield (= in the past, a flat object made of metal or leather that soldiers held in front of their bodies to protect themselves)” (https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/buckler).
The Oxford English Dictionary provides additional context that, “in England the buckler was usually carried by a handle at the back, and ‘used not so much for a shield as for a warder to catch the blow of an adversary’ (Fairholt, at Buckler)” (https://www.oed.com/dictionary/buckler_n2?tl=true).
David describes God in so many amazing ways this chapter, but I am in awe of the image of God being worn at your back and being the defense before your face to deflect blows of attackers. I can only feel wonder and gratitude to a God who chooses to put Himself inbetween myself and that which would harm me.
I would love to hear what this Psalm brings to mind for you! Write back to me in Facebook comment or blog reply.
Disclaimer: The intention of this project is not to teach, but rather to share. Please use due diligence in studying the word of God, and seek guidance from your local religious leaders for any questions or concerns.
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Debra Hill
Debra Hill is an independent inspirational singer, author, songwriter, and writer. As a blind performer, she adds a personal story of God’s faithfulness. Her life exemplifies that Christ’s power will work to lift all regardless of circumstances.
Special Thanks to Elizabeth Baber and Dr. Shakira for all that you do to make it happen.
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Elizabeth Baber is the latest addition to the Debra Hill Sings team, working as the head Virtual Assistant for the wonderful woman herself. Elizabeth would identify as an author(ess), spreadsheet fanatic, and all-around geek. The majority of her time is spent serving Central Virginia’s low-vision patients as a technician with the MedRVA Foundation.
When not at work, she can be found cooking with her fiancé, coaching Teen Bible Quizzing, wrestling novel ideas, running an online Dungeons and Dragons server, or trying her hand at one of a hundred rotating crafting hobbies.
Some of her work can be found on her website: www.writingonwords.com and you can contact her at elizabeth@writingonwords.com.
