192. Saved from enemies
2 Samuel 22:2, 3, 4 And he said, The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer. The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my savior; thou savest me from violence. I will call on the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
This Song of David near the end of his life is reprinted from Psalm 18. 2 Samuel and Psalm 18 are the same. David repeats themes from many of the Psalms as he here reflects on how the Lord was with him all through his life. Eight descriptive metaphors are used to describe God, who He is and what He does. All these nouns are preceded by the word “my,” showing David’s faith in the Lord and a personal relationship founded on God’s grace. His God is our God through faith in Christ. We have the same intimate relationship with our God because of what Christ has done. We confess and believe the same words.
God is for us a Rock: Jesus is the solid rock, the sure foundation, on which we build life eternal. God is a fortress: Jesus is a strong defensive castle, which we may run into, enter, and feel secure. God is a deliverer: Jesus delivered us from Sin, Evil, and all its deserved punishments. God is a shield: Jesus is our shield of faith, with which we quench the flaming darts of the Evil One. God is the horn of my salvation: a horn is a symbol of power, for Jesus has the power to save, bless us and defeat the Enemy. God is a high tower: Jesus is the strong place where I may be cared for and protected. God is a refuge: Jesus is the hiding place to whom I may go to be safe. God is a savior: Jesus saved me from sins, death, and the power of the devil with His blood shed for me.
We may think of Jesus, our Lord, in terms of any of these metaphors, whichever one makes the most sense to us at the time. All eight are synonyms with one grand meaning. Because our Lord is all of these things, He can make a promise and can be absolutely certain that God is able to keep His promise to save us from our enemies. The devil says, “Can God really?” We say yes! The devil says, “But will God really?” God can and He will. The proof is at the Cross and the Tomb. The power and the love of God combine in the God-man to save us.
We have enemies, and we are helpless against them. We need saving. Sin destroys; Death kills, Satan steals. These enemies are dead set on our eternal, and temporal, destruction. Jesus saved us from our Enemies; Jesus saved us for God and for good works. Sing the song of David’s promise.