When the Lord Rescues
Your Name Magnified Forever
8/18 – When the Lord Rescues (2 Samuel 22:1-4; 47-51)
Summary: The writer tells what David spoke or sang to the LORD on the day when the LORD delivered David from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. The following portion of the song is from the beginning (2-4) and ending (47-51) of David’s words to the LORD. David 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.
The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be my God, the rock of my salvation, the God who gave me vengeance and brought down peoples under me, who brought me out from my enemies; you exalted me above those who rose against me; you delivered me from men of violence. For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations, and sing praises to your name. Great salvation he brings to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his offspring forever.”
Main Idea: David looks at God’s work in his life. He thinks about how dear Yahweh is to him. And David sings. He has to sing. He has to praise God. Why? David saw the power of God at work to rescue him. He saw God mighty and able and present. David voices his faith in his precious Lord. He affirms that the LORD is his rock.
Sermon Idea: Think about your life. Look back for a moment. When and where have you seen God at work? When did you see Him mighty? When did you see Him able? When did you see Him present? How did you react in those times? How do you react now? Is the LORD God dear to you? Do you trust Him with all your heart? Do you voice your faith in the LORD God? Do you affirm that He is your rock? When you consider the scope of His rescue on your behalf, how do you respond?
When the Lord rescues you, then you will praise Him. (50)
The LORD God is worthy of all your praise!
PRAISE FOR WHO HE IS
He is my rock! (2-4; 32; 47)
2 He said, “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, 3 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. 4 I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.
Here David sings out to the LORD. David affirms how precious the LORD is to him. Note the number of beautiful ways David praises the LORD God for who He is. David says that 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.” With his praise, David shows that LORD God is the song of his life, the center of his life, and the hope of his life. David proclaims that the LORD is dear and close to him. Throughout this song, David returns to a major theme of praise. He says that the LORD is his rock. This is like the refrain or chorus of the song. But when he says, “the LORD is my rock,” what does David mean?
As John Woodhouse points out, when David says, “the LORD is my rock,” he means that God makes him safe. “For David, knowing God was not about being religious or giving existence meaning or adding spiritual dimension to life. It was about being safe from real and threatening dangers . . . We who have read the story of David’s life know what he is talking about. David had many violent enemies who wanted to destroy him. There was Goliath and the Philistines. More threatening still was Saul. More recently his own son Absalom had declared war on David. In many remarkable ways, and on numerous occasions, the Lord had saved David from violence.” (2 Samuel: Your Kingdom Come, p. 505)
David knew the LORD, so he praised Him. David felt safe in the LORD’s hands, so he praised Him. And David’s words of praise echo Hannah’s words of praise. She, too, affirmed just how dear the LORD is to her. She sang of the LORD’s power and protection. She felt safe in the LORD’s hands, so she praised Him. She said, “There is none holy like the LORD: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.” (1 Samuel 2:2) Indeed, there is no one like Him. The Lord is worthy of all praise. (4)
Do you praise the LORD God for who He is? Is He dear to you? Do you tell Him so? Is praise to God for who He is a big part of who you are?
PRAISE FOR WHAT HE’S DONE
He rescued me and set me free! (5-20)
5 “For the waves of death encompassed me, the torrents of destruction assailed me; 6 the cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me.
7 “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.
David has to sing. He has to praise the LORD. Why? First, David praises God for who God is. Second, he praises God for what God has done. What has the LORD God done on David’s behalf? The LORD rescued David and set him free. Here David tells how the LORD did that. One, he says that the LORD heard his cry of distress to save him. (7) David faced certain death and destruction (5-6), so he called upon the LORD. And the LORD heard him. David’s cry came to His ears. Two, David says that the LORD moved mightily to save him. The LORD bowed the heavens and came down. (10). He made darkness his canopy. (12) He thundered from heaven (see also 1 Samuel 2:10; 7:10). (14) Three, David says that the LORD was actively, personally involved in saving him. The LORD drew him out of many waters (see also Exodus 15:1-21). (17) He rescued David from those who hated him. (18) He brought David out into a broad place. (20) The LORD delights in David. (20) He loves David. (51)
That is David’s story. That is David’s song. He has to sing. When he recalls the LORD’s rescue, David must praise the LORD. He sees God’s work of rescue on his behalf. He knows God’s power. He enjoys God’s presence. He revels in God’s love. Listen to the final words of this song:
47 “The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be my God, the rock of my salvation, 48 the God who gave me vengeance and brought down peoples under me, 49 who brought me out from my enemies; you exalted me above those who rose against me; you delivered me from men of violence. 50 “For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations, and sing praises to your name. 51 Great salvation he brings to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his offspring forever.”
Is this your story? Is this your song? Do you praise the LORD God for what He has done? When you think about the scope of his rescue on your behalf, how do you respond? When you see God at work, what do you say?
Try the words of this song on for size. Say them. Pray them. Shout them. Whisper them. Cry them. Sing them. Talk to the Lord with these words. Talk to others about the Lord with these words. Praise Him. Praise Him. Praise Him. He is worthy of all praise.
Praise Him for who He is: your rock and your fortress and your deliverer. Praise Him for what He has done: He rescued you and set your free. Wow. Say, “the LORD lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be my God, the rock of my salvation.”
Observation for 2 Samuel 22:1-4; 47-51
WHAT DO I SEE?
Where is the gospel in the text?
The Lord Jesus is alive. Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Jesus is our rock. Jesus is our fortress. Jesus is our Savior. Jesus is worthy. Jesus is above all. He is exalted. He is mighty. He is the Messiah. He shows forth God’s faithful love. He is the true king forever.
What words stand out?
1 delivered (nasal—saved; spared; rescued; secured; to tear from; remove; snatch; defend)[1]
1 hand (kap—bowl; hollow or flat of the hand; the whole hand; palm; basin; pocket of a sling; handle; which is curved)
2 rock (sela—crag; cliff; stone; stronghold; rocky peak; to be lofty; mountain)
2 deliverer (palat—escape; rescue; save from danger; slip out; carry away safe; be free)
3 rock (sur—rocky ground; rock face; boulder; rocky hill, mountain; barricade; enclosed)
3 salvation (yesha—liberty; deliverance; prosperity; happiness; welfare; victory; liberation)
3 stronghold (misgab—retreat; security; refuge; high point; high spot; lofty place; fortress)
4 worthy to be praised (halal—to shine; to be clear, brilliant; admire; boast; praiseworthy; make a show; sing ‘hallelujah;’ cheer)
47 lives (hay—alive; exist; raw; vigorous; flourishing; prosperous; reviving; strong)
47 exalted (rum—to be high above; to reach high; be exalted; to be powerful; extol with praises; heap up; raise)
51 salvation (yeshuah—help; salvation; victory; acts of salvation; Savior)
51 lovingkindness (hesed—loyalty; goodness; kindness; mercy; steadfast love; graciousness; favor; evidences of grace)
What is one big take away for me?
No matter the moment, I can praise God.
Interpretation for 2 Samuel 22:1-4; 47-51
WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
What is the author saying here?
The writer tells what David spoke to the LORD on the day when the LORD delivered David from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. The following portion of the song is from the beginning (2-4) and ending (47-51) of David’s words to the LORD. David 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.
The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be my God, the rock of my salvation, the God who gave me vengeance and brought down peoples under me, who brought me out from my enemies; you exalted me above those who rose against me; you delivered me from men of violence. For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations, and sing praises to your name. Great salvation he brings to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his offspring forever.”
Personal Application for 2 Samuel 22:1-4; 47-51
WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITH THIS TRUTH?
By God’s grace, I will praise Him for saving me.
Thoughts and Quotes for 2 Samuel 22:1-4; 47-51
I need to worship because without it I can forget that I have a big God beside me and live in fear. I need to worship because without it I can forget his calling and begin to live in a spirit of self-preoccupation. I need to worship because without it I lose a sense of wonder and gratitude and plod through life with blinders on. I need worship because my natural tendency is toward self-reliance and stubborn independence.
~ John Ortberg
You never go away from us, yet we have difficulty in returning to You. Come, Lord, stir us up and call us back. Kindle and seize us. Be our fire and our sweetness. Let us love. Let us run. ~ Augustine of Hippo
I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is appointed consummation. ~ C.S. Lewis
The happiness of the creature [humans] consists in rejoicing in God, by which also God is magnified and exalted. ~ Jonathan Edwards
Church: if the world could see a snapshot of our worship today, would they perceive that we believe our God is worthy of praise? ~ Matt Papa
The song of our solitude should be full of living joy, And yet, I am afraid there is very little private singing nowadays. We often hear talk concerning private prayer, but very seldom of private praise — and yet ought there not to be as much private praise as private prayer? I take it, from how seldom we talk about it, private thanksgiving has grown to be a sleepy affair. ~ Charles H. Spurgeon
Isn’t it a comfort to worship a God we cannot exaggerate? ~ Francis Chan
Worship is more than singing beautiful songs in church on a Sunday. It is more than instruments and music. As a true worshiper, your heart will long to worship Him at all times, in all ways, and with all your life. ~ Darlene Zschech
Worship is our response, both personal and corporate, to God for who He is, and what He has done; expressed in and by the things we say and live. ~ Louie Giglio
3. David Utters a Hymn of Praise to the Lord (22:1–51)
At the center of the biblical writer’s appendix are the words of David himself—words spoken here in praise to the Lord. Among David’s words, none are marked as more significant in the appendix than those in this section. Besides being the longest quotation attributed to David (365 words in Hebrew) and displaying the richest variety of vocabulary, the section is cast in a formal structure, a classic example of Hebrew poetry. The psalm is closely related to Psalm 18—which is itself the longest of the psalms specifically attributed to David—though it differs from the psalmodic work in its function and in subtle language features.26 Differences between Psalm 18 and the present section can be accounted for by their differing functions; whereas Psalm 18 was intended for hymnic use in public worship, 2 Sam 22:1–51 was intended to reveal the religious core of Israel’s most revered king. In its general shape it usually is classified as an individual thanksgiving psalm and is recognized as “one of the oldest major poems in the OT,” dating to the tenth century b.c.
On the semantic level the psalm is constructed as a symmetrical chiasmus consisting of five units of thought, with a one-verse postscript. It can be analyzed as follows:
a Praise for the Lord (vv. 1–4)
b The Lord’s deliverance of David (vv. 5–20)
c Reasons for David’s deliverance (vv. 21–29)
b´ The Lord’s deliverance of David (vv. 30–46)
a´ Praise for the Lord (vv. 47–50)
d Postscript: the Lord’s enduring support for the house of David (v. 51)
Since the main body of the psalm has an odd number of units, there is a natural focus on the central component, which contains the material of primary thematic significance. If this is so, then this psalm can be seen as a restatement of a central thesis of the Torah—obedience to the Lord results in life and blessing. The message of the psalm may thus be summarized as follows: Because David scrupulously obeyed the Lord, the Lord rewarded him by responding to his pleas, delivering him during times of trouble and exalting him.[2]
Applications for 2 Samuel 22:1-4; 47-51
Include the Lord God in your day to day.
Think about Him as you wake up. Praise Him for a new day.
Think about Him as you get coffee. Praise Him for good gifts.
Think about Him as you eat breakfast. Praise Him for food to enjoy.
Think about Him as you read the Bible. Praise Him for who He is.
Think about Him as you go to work. Praise Him for the means to get you there.
Think about Him as you do your work. Praise Him for strength and health to do your job.
Think about Him as you go to school. Praise Him for the ability to learn and think and grow.
Think about Him as you take a break. Praise Him for rest.
Think about Him as you wind down for the day. Praise Him for all He’s done.
Talk with a dear friend about the Lord God.
Speak about how great He is.
Tell how much you love Him.
Relate your awe of Him.
Talk about His rescue through His Son, Jesus.
Describe God’s powerful presence with you by His Spirit.
Make much of the Lord God.
Broadcast His wonderful deeds.
[1] Word studies from various sources on Logos Software, including, but not limited to A Dictionary of Biblical Languages by James Swanson.
[2] Bergen, R. D. (1996). 1, 2 Samuel (Vol. 7, pp. 450–451). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.