A Psalm of Deliverance

Psalm Deliverance

Wednesday 09/09/20 

Series: Thru the Bible

Message – A Psalm of Deliverance


***Video is HERE***

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Thru the Bible: 1Chron. 20:4-8; 2Sam. 22-23 

Last week, we ended in 2Samuel 21 where David showed tender-mercy to the woman Rizpah, daughter of Aiah, Saul’s concubine, who had worked for days to ward off beast and bird from the corpses of Saul’s sons who had died due to their breech of Israel’s oath to the Gibeonites. He saw to it that Saul & Jonathan’s remains, along with the bodies of these men, were properly buried, though he had to agree to their execution.

This teaches us that there are many instances in life which present us with difficult choices and responses which may, from the outside seem contradictory, but which in fact are not. David took no pleasure in turning these men over to the Gibeonites for their execution, but it was necessary to right a wrong which had brought shame and sin upon the entire nation. Nevertheless, that did not require David to disdain them in their death, nor turn a blind and uncaring eye from this dear and grieving woman.

From the outside it may have appeared a study in opposites or a contradiction, which in itself is yet another lesson. Onlookers rarely have enough information to go on, to make judgments about what they see from afar. 

Following this, David and his men had war with the Philistines and they killed 4 more of the giants of that land.

We did not scoot over to 1 Chron. To read that brief account but we will now. It is found in 1 Chronicles 20:4-8

“(4) After this, a war broke out with the Philistines at Gezer. At that time Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Sippai, a descendant of the giants, and the Philistines were subdued.  (5)  Once again there was a battle with the Philistines, and Elhanan son of Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite. The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam.  (6)  There was still another battle at Gath where there was a man of extraordinary stature with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot–24 in all. He, too, was descended from the giant.  (7)  When he taunted Israel, Jonathan, son of David’s brother Shimei, killed him.  (8)  These were the descendants of the giant in Gath killed by David and his soldiers.”

Notice that the events which are mentioned JSUT before this in 2Samuel and the ones mentioned in 1Chronicles are different. That is not an inconsistency. The accounts actually line up perfectly, 2Samuel simply gave more information. In 1Chron, we see time had passed, but no mention is made of how much. This is typical and should be obvious. If every event of anyone’s life were written down it would fill libraries – so it is obvious to any thinking person that these recordings are only covering the necessary highlights of an otherwise long and full life.

Now regarding these giants…I really need you all to remember what I’ve taught you about this. These giants were Rapha meaning, literally giants. Some, like today had 24 digits in all. These are not inherently evil people, this is nothing more than a genetic anomaly, no different in concept than a person born with a missing appendage or an additional head. After the fall and the removal of the firmament, the onslaught of mutating radiation has reached the earth and has had a deleterious effect on our DNA. Sometimes, these mutations result in defects or RNA transcribing errors and walla – you have an abnormality. This is NOT due to some religious fairytale of angels mating with humans. Besides that, the people of renown or those people who “larger than life” were Nephilim – a Hebrew word which can mean “a renown person” or a literal giant. In the case of Genesis 6, the words Nephilim and men of renown are used interchangeably so we know that a literal giant was NOT the intended meaning. Also, much of that belief has been sustained in recent years in order to explain God’s calling for the eradication of an entire nation, but we discovered in scripture God’s Own stated reasons why He had that done and it had nothing to do with some supernatural breaking of God’s genetic laws that everything always reproduces after its own kind.

Following these victories over the Philistines, David wrote a song of praise to God.

This skill in David is another lesson. David was quite clearly a skilled musician and lyricist. His works have continued to be read as poetry, song as songs or turned into worship with original music for thousands of years. That is WAY longer than any scribed music EVER! Such talent as this would most certainly lead people in the modern church to assume that he was called to be a musician, but as it is, he was called to be King in Israel. Never allow talents to dictate calling!

David’s Song of Deliverance

2 Samuel 22:1-51,  

[The black words in brackets are where Psalm 18 is referenced to reflect the various and subtle differences between the original and the one recorded in the Pslams of Israel.]

“(1) David spoke the words of this song to the LORD on the day the LORD rescued him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.  (2)  He said:”

[Psalms 18:1-50  For the choir director. Of the servant of the LORD, David, who spoke the words of this song to the LORD on the day the LORD rescued him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said:]

 [I love You, LORD, my strength.] The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer,  (3)  my God, my mountain where I seek refuge. My shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold, my refuge, and my Savior, You save me from violence.”  

“(4)  I called to the LORD, Who is worthy of praise, and I was saved from my enemies.  (5)  For the waves of death engulfed me; the torrents of destruction terrified me.  [The ropes of death were wrapped around me; the torrents of destruction terrified me.] (6)  The ropes of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me.”

“(7)  I called to the LORD in my distress; I called to my God. From His temple He heard my voice, and my cry for help reached His ears.  (8)  Then the earth shook and quaked; the foundations of the heavens trembled; they shook because He burned with anger.[the foundations of the mountains trembled]

“(9)  Smoke rose from His nostrils, and consuming fire came from His mouth; coals were set ablaze by it.  (10)  He parted the heavens and came down, a dark cloud beneath His feet.  (11)  He rode on a cherub and flew, soaring on the wings of the wind.  (12)  He made darkness a canopy around Him, a gathering of water and thick clouds.”

“(13)  From the radiance of His presence, flaming coals were ignited.[His clouds swept onward with hail and blazing coals]

“(14)  The LORD thundered from heaven; the Most High projected His voice.  (15)  He shot arrows and scattered them; He hurled lightning bolts and routed them.  (16)  The depths of the sea became visible, the foundations of the world were exposed at the rebuke of the LORD, at the blast of the breath of His nostrils.”

“(17)  He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He pulled me out of deep waters.  (18)  He rescued me from my powerful enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too strong for me.  (19)  They confronted me in the day of my distress, but the LORD was my support.  (20)  He brought me out to a wide-open place; He rescued me because He delighted in me.”

“(21)  The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; He repaid me according to the cleanness of my hands.  (22)  For I have kept the ways of the LORD and have not turned from my God to wickedness.  (23)  Indeed, I have kept all His ordinances in mind and have not disregarded His statutes.  (24)  I was blameless before Him and kept myself from sinning.  (25)  So the LORD repaid me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in His sight.”

“(26)  With the faithful You prove Yourself faithful; with the blameless man You prove Yourself blameless;  (27)  with the pure You prove Yourself pure, but with the crooked You prove Yourself shrewd.  (28)  You rescue an afflicted people, but Your eyes are set against the proud–You humble them.”  

“(29)  LORD, You are my lamp; the LORD illuminates my darkness.  (30)  With You I can attack a barrier, and with my God I can leap over a wall.  (31)  God–His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is pure. He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.  (32)  For who is God besides the LORD? And who is a rock? Only our God.” 

“(33) God is my strong refuge; [God–He clothes me with strength] He makes my way perfect.  (34)  He makes my feet like the feet of a deer and sets me securely on the heights.  (35)  He trains my hands for war; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.  (36)  You have given me the shield of Your salvation; Your help exalts me. [Your right hand upholds me, and Your humility exalts me.] (37)  You widen a place beneath me for my steps, and my ankles do not give way.”

“(38)  I pursue my enemies and destroy them; I do not turn back until they are wiped out.  (39)  I wipe them out and crush them, and they do not rise; they fall beneath my feet.”

“(40)  You have clothed me with strength for battle; You subdue my adversaries beneath me.  (41)  You have made my enemies retreat before me; I annihilate those who hated me.  (42)  They look, but there is no one to save them–they look to the LORD, but He does not answer them. [They cry for help, but there is no one to save them–they cryto the LORD, but He does not answer them.] (43)  I pulverize them like dust of the earth; I crush them and trample them like mud in the streets.”

“(44)  You have freed me from the feuds among my people; You have appointed me the head of nations; a people I had not known serve me.  (45)  Foreigners submit to me grudgingly; as soon as they hear, they obey me.  (46)  Foreigners lose heart and come trembling from their fortifications.”

“(47)  The LORD lives–may my rock be praised! God, the rock of my salvation, is exalted.  (48)  God–He gives me vengeance and casts down peoples under me.  (49)  He frees me from my enemies. You exalt me above my adversaries; You rescue me from violent men.  (50)  Therefore I will praise You, LORD, among the nations; I will sing about Your name.  (51)  He is a tower of salvation for His king; [He gives great victories to His king;] He shows loyalty to His anointed, to David and his descendants forever.”

2 Samuel 23:1-39,

“(1) These are the last words of David: The proclamation of David son of Jesse, the proclamation of the man raised on high, the one anointed by the God of Jacob, the favorite singer of Israel:  (2)  The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me, His word was on my tongue.  (3)  The God of Israel spoke; the Rock of Israel said to me, “The one who rules the people with justice, who rules in the fear of God,  (4)  is like the morning light when the sun rises on a cloudless morning, the glisten of rain on sprouting grass.”  (5)  Is it not true my house is with God? For He has established an everlasting covenant with me, ordered and secured in every detail. Will He not bring about my whole salvation and my every desire?  (6)  But all the wicked are like thorns raked aside; they can never be picked up by hand.  (7)  The man who touches them must be armed with iron and the shaft of a spear. They will be completely burned up on the spot.”

David’s Mighty men

“(8)  These are the names of David’s warriors: Josheb-bas-she-beth the Tahche-monite was chief of the officers. He wielded his spear against 800 men he killed at one time.  (9)  After him, Eleazar son of Dodo son of Ah-ohi was among the three warriors with David when they defied the Philistines. The men of Israel retreated in the place they had gathered for battle,  (10)  but Eleazar stood his ground and attacked the Philistines until his hand was tired and stuck to his sword. The LORD brought about a great victory that day. Then the troops came back to him, but only to plunder the dead.  (11)  After him was Shammah son of Agee the Hara-rite. The Philistines had assembled in formation where there was a field full of lentils. The troops fled from the Philistines,  (12)  but Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field, defended it, and struck down the Philistines. So the LORD brought about a great victory.  (13)  Three of the 30 leading warriors went down at harvest time and came to David at the cave of Adullam, while a company of Philistines was camping in the Valley of Rephaim.  (14)  At that time David was in the stronghold, and a Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem.  (15)  David was extremely thirsty and said, “If only someone would bring me water to drink from the well at the city gate of Bethlehem!”  (16)  So three of the warriors broke through the Philistine camp and drew water from the well at the gate of Bethlehem. They brought it back to David, but he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out to the LORD.  (17)  David said, “LORD, I would never do such a thing! Is this not the blood of men who risked their lives?” So he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three warriors.  (18)  Abishai, Joab’s brother and son of Zeru-iah, was leader of the Three. He raised his spear against 300 men and killed them, gaining a reputation among the Three.  (19)  Was he not the most honored of the Three? He became their commander even though he did not become one of the Three.  (20)  Ben-aiah son of Jehoi-ada was the son of a brave man from Kab-zeel, a man of many exploits. Ben-aiah killed two sons of Ariel of Moab, and he went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.  (21)  He also killed an Egyptian, a huge man. Even though the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Bena-iah went down to him with a club, snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and then killed him with his own spear.  (22)  These were the exploits of Bena-iah son of Jehoi-ada, who had a reputation among the three warriors.  (23)  He was the most honored of the Thirty, but he did not become one of the Three. David put him in charge of his bodyguard.  (24)  Among the Thirty were: Joab’s brother As-ahel, Elhan-an son of Dodo of Bethlehem,  (25)  Shammah the Harod-ite, Elika the Harod-ite,  (26)  Helez the Pal-tite, Ira son of Ikkesh the Teko-ite,  (27)  Abie-zer the Ana-tho-thite, Mebun-nai the Hush-a-thite,  (28)  Zalmon the Ah-ohite, Ma-har-ai the Neto-pha-thite,  (29)  Heleb son of Baan-ah the Neto-phahite, Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjaminites,  (30)  Ben-aiah the Pira-thonite, Hiddai from the Wadis of Gaash,  (31)  Abi-albon the Arba-thite, Az-maveth the Bar-humite,  (32)  Eliah-ba the Shaal-bonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan son of  (33)  Shammah the Hara-rite, Ahiam son of Sharar the Hara-rite,  (34)  Eliphelet son of Ahas-bai son of the Maaca-thite, Eliam son of Ahi-thophel the Gilonite,  (35)  Hezro the Carmelite, Paar-ai the Arbite,  (36)  Igal son of Nathan from Zobah, Bani the Gadite,  (37)  Zelek the Ammonite, Nah-arai the Beer-othite, the armor-bearer for Joab son of Zeruiah,  (38)  Ira the I-thrite, Gareb the I-thrite,  (39)  and Uriah the Hittite. There were 37 in all.”

Blessings!

 

I hope this teaching will challenge you and encourage you to place your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

You have a special place in God’s family & kingdom. If you do not know Him, please use our ‘Contact Us‘ page and reach out so we may have the privilege of introducing you to the Lord. Neither money nor attendance at our church will be mentioned.

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Blessings!

Hi my name is Mark and though I am opposed to titles, I am currently the only Pastor (shepherd/elder) serving our assembly right now.

I have been Pastoring in one capacity or another for nearly 30 years now, though never quite like I am today.

Early in 2009 the Lord revealed to me that the way we had structured our assembly (church) was not scriptural in that it was out of sync with what Paul modeled for us in the New Testament. In truth, I (like many pastors I am sure) never even gave this fundamental issue of church structure the first thought. I had always assumed that church structure was largely the same everywhere and had been so from the beginning. While I knew Paul had some very stringent things to say about the local assembly of believers, the point of our gatherings together and who may or may not lead, I never even considered studying these issues but assumed we were all pretty much doing it right...safety in numbers right?! Boy, I couldn't have been more wrong!

So needless to say, my discovery that we had been doing it wrong for nearly two decades was a bit of a shock to me! Now, this "revelation" did not come about all at once but over the course of a few weeks. We were a traditional single pastor led congregation. It was a top-bottom model of ministry which is in part biblical, but not in the form of a monarchy.

The needed change did not come into focus until following 9 very intense months of study and discussions with those who were leaders in our church at the time.

We now understand and believe that the Bible teaches co-leadership with equal authority in each local assembly. Having multiple shepherds with God's heart and equal authority protects both Shepherds and sheep. Equal accountability keeps authority and doctrine in check. Multiple shepherds also provide teaching with various styles and giftings with leadership skills which are both different and complementary.

For a while we had two co-pastors (elders) (myself and one other man) who led the church with equal authority, but different giftings. We both taught in our own ways and styles, and our leadership skills were quite different, but complimentary. We were in complete submission to each other and worked side-by-side in the labor of shepherding the flock.

Our other Pastor has since moved on to other ministry which has left us with just myself. While we currently only have one Pastor/Elder, it is our desire that God, in His faithfulness and timing, may bring us more as we grow in maturity and even in numbers.

As to my home, I have been married since 1995 to my wonderful wife Terissa Woodson who is my closest friend and most trusted ally.

As far as my education goes, I grew up in a Christian home, but questioned everything I was ever taught.

I graduated from Bible college in 1990 and continued to question everything I was ever taught (I do not mention my college in order to avoid being labeled).

Perhaps my greatest preparation for ministry has been life and ministry itself. To quote an author I have come to enjoy namely Fredrick Buechner in his writing entitled, Now and Then, "If God speaks to us at all other than through such official channels as the Bible and the church, then I think that He speaks to us largely through what happens to us...if we keep our hearts open as well as our ears, if we listen with patience and hope, if we remember at all deeply and honestly, then I think we come to recognize beyond all doubt, that, however faintly we may hear Him, He is indeed speaking to us, and that, however little we may understand of it, His word to each of us is both recoverable and precious beyond telling." ~ Fredrick Buechner

Well that is about all there is of interest to tell you about me.

I hope our ministry here is a blessing to you and your family. I also hope that it is only a supplement to a local church where you are committed to other believers in a community of grace.

~God Bless!