PSALM 18

“He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man” (Psalm 18:48).

King Saul is not mentioned in this psalm, apart from the introduction to the psalm. David tells of his woeful position in being chased by Saul, a man who had resources and strength to do David harm. Saul was, after all, the king of the land, and had armies at his disposal. Yet even though Saul is not mentioned we can see David’s point being made about Saul: “thou hast delivered me from the violent man”.

Saul was jealous of David and the jealousy pushed him on to chase David around the hills and valleys of Israel in order to kill him. David knew this and said, “The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid” (Ps 18:4).

David continues to tell his story, “The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me” (Ps 18:5). David was in a position of high anxiety, sweating, as it were, great drops of blood, yet he was not without hope. He cried out in his own Gethsemane. 

“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” (Ps 18:6). 

The Lord heard David’s righteous cry and set out to deliver him. 

Saul had departed from the ways of the Lord and followed his jealous heart. So we read that “the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul” (1 Sam 16:14). Saul called out to God, but the Lord cannot have anything to do with evil pursuits. “They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the LORD, but he answered them not” (Ps 18:41). 

Saul ended up seeking the advice of a witch. Yet David kept his eyes on the Lord his God. David was rescued from Saul’s hand. 

“The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God”. 

There is a deeper meaning to this psalm, in which we see the Lord Jesus perused by Satan. 

Satan like Saul was once in a position of authority: “You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you… You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you… You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you” (Ezek 28:13,14,15,) 

Saul started out in meekness but ended up consumed with jealousy. Satan, started out as Lucifer, son of the morning, yet ended up consumed by evil. “How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth” (Isa 14:12). 

Saul pursued David, Satan pursued the Son of God, there was enmity between Saul and David, and between Satan and Jesus. 

“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel” (Gen 3:15).

David was victorious against Saul as Jesus was against Satan. 

“Having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross” (Col 2:15). 

King David was made ruler in place of Saul and Jesus has been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 

“You have delivered me from the attacks of the people; you have made me the head of nations. People I did not know now serve me” (Ps 18:43). 

“Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore” (Ps 18:50).