Last week we saw God is the only one who can save. We saw the protection of God for David, we saw the amazing things that will happen, or appear to happen when God comes to the rescue, as well as how God does rescue or save. We also saw that it was only through Jesus that anyone will be saved now. Our faith in God through Christ Jesus is our salvation. As we keep in mind that this Psalm is pointing to God delivering his King, we see it as he rescues David, the little k king, and how he did so with Jesus, the King of Kings, and through Jesus saving humanity. 

Key Idea: It is only when we commit to following God that we will be saved.The Lord blesses the righteous. (V.20-29)

V.20 We know that our righteousness overall is not righteous at all. But in the context of this Psalm, David and his enemies, David was right. He didn’t do anything wrong but be anointed by God to be King. So he can say that his hands were clean in his dealings with these enemies he was rescued from. 

Psalm 7:8 The Lord judges the peoples; vindicate me, Lord, according to my righteousness and my integrity.

V.21 Here we see David’s commitment to the Lord and His commands. He seeks after God, knowing God’s law is good to help lead a good life. 

Psalm 119:101 I have kept my feet from every evil path to follow your word.

V.22 David follows God’s commands, or ordinances. He wants God’s statutes for his life. Just as God commanded! 

Leviticus 18:4-5 You are to practice my ordinances and you are to keep my statutes by following them; I am the Lord your God. 5 Keep my statutes and ordinances; a person will live if he does them. I am the Lord.

Psalm 119:1-2 How happy are those whose way is blameless, who walk according to the Lord’s instruction! 2 Happy are those who keep his decrees and seek him with all their heart.

Psalm 119:33-35 Teach me, Lord, the meaning of your statutes, and I will always keep them. 34 Help me understand your instruction, and I will obey it and follow it with all my heart. 35 Help me stay on the path of your commands, for I take pleasure in it.

V.23-24 Again, David is blameless in his keeping of the crown and dealing with his enemies. David sinned, just not in the context of gaining the throne, and God honors that! 

2 Chronicles 6:23 may you hear in heaven and act. May you judge your servants, condemning the wicked man by bringing what he has done on his own head and providing justice for the righteous by rewarding him according to his righteousness.

Psalm 24:3-5 Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? 4 The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not appealed to what is false, and who has not sworn deceitfully. 5 He will receive blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

V.25-26 David here shares a great promise of God. Both good and bad, depending on your commitment to God and His Word.

Revelation 22:12 “Look, I am coming soon, and my reward is with me to repay each person according to his work.

V.27 David tells of God’s heart, the humble and oppressed. God does save those who believe they can do it themselves. 

Psalm 72:12 For he will rescue the poor who cry out and the afflicted who have no helper.

Psalm 138:6 Though the Lord is exalted, he takes note of the humble; but he knows the haughty from a distance.

V.28 God is the one who will light the way. David couldnt see the path without God, we can’t either. 

Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path.

John 1:4-9 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it. 6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but he came to testify about the light. 9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.

V.29 With God, what can’t we do. It is his world. He can do all things in His will.

The Lord equips those He calls to lead. (V.30-45)

V.30 God, the only one, the perfect one. David again praised God for who He is. Knowing when he follows Him he’s doing exactly what is commanded. 

Deuteronomy 32:4 The Rock—his work is perfect; all his ways are just. A faithful God, without bias, he is righteous and true.

Psalm 19:7 The instruction of the Lord is perfect, renewing one’s life; the testimony of the Lord is trustworthy, making the inexperienced wise.

V.31 The One True God!

Deuteronomy 32:39 See now that I alone am he; there is no God but me. I bring death and I give life; I wound and I heal. No one can rescue anyone from my power.

1 Samuel 2:2 There is no one holy like the Lord. There is no one besides you! And there is no rock like our God.

V.32-35 We see here David make sure it is God who does the equipping. Nothing David has done, all what God did. He trusted God would take care of it, and one of the ways was equipping David to do what he was called to do!

V.36 God makes way for His plan to work, even if it look like it won’t. Earlier we saw david in a tight place, in distress, but God opened the space up. God makes the way for us to walk in for His will.

Psalm 18:19 He brought me out to a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.

V.37 Even though David is saying He does this, only because he was equipped to do so! 

Psalm 44:5 Through you we drive back our foes; through your name we trample our enemies.

V.38 Here we go, a great picture of victory, yet a point to the greatest victory of all!

Genesis 3:15 I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.

Psalm 110:1,5 This is the declaration of the Lord to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.”...The Lord is at your right hand; he will crush kings on the day of his anger.

V.39 God is the equipper again, he is the one who will arm us, give us the protection, and clothe us for battle!

Ephesians 6:10-17 Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens. 13 For this reason take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. 14 Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest, 15 and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace. 16 In every situation take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit—which is the word of God.

V.40 God is the winner, and yet we see some harsh words here, annihilate. Yet this is exactly what God’s plan entails. Jesus even tells us.

 Matthew 13:36-43 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. His disciples approached him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” 37 He replied, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; 38 the field is the world; and the good seed—these are the children of the kingdom. The weeds are the children of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. 40 Therefore, just as the weeds are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather from his kingdom all who cause sin and those guilty of lawlessness. 42 They will throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s kingdom. Let anyone who has ears listen.

V.41 Those who ignore the Lord, who are against the Lord have no salvation. They cry but there is no answer.Micah 3:4 Then they will cry out to the Lord, but he will not answer them. He will hide his face from them at that time because of the crimes they have committed.

V.43-45 The culmination of Jesus Kingship, when He is reigning over all!

Philippians 2:9-11 For this reason God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow—in heaven and on earth and under the earth—11 and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

1. The Lord exalts His anointed King (V.46-50)

V.46 Our God Lives! He is alive, in the resurrected Jesus Christ1 He is our rock and salvation, David uses this imagery many times because its so true. Our God is strong to save!

Psalm 62:1-2,6 I am at rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. 2 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I will never be shaken…He alone is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I will not be shaken.

V.47 It is only through God and His giving of victory. God is the one who subdues the enemy. God is sovereign, and he is in charge always.

V.48 God will free us from the enemy, and exalt the king. He did to David and has with Jesus.

V.49 Because of this great rescue, therefore, and salvation David gives thanks, praises God. Not just to his people but to all people will dave declare the salvation of the Lord.

Romans 15:8-9 For I say that Christ became a servant of the circumcised on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises to the fathers, 9 and so that Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and I will sing praise to your name.

V.50 The culmination of Davids psalm of praise for the salvation from his enemies through God. He recognizes it is only through God. And proclaims the great promise given to him.

2 Samuel 7:11b-13 “‘The Lord declares to you: The Lord himself will make a house for you. 12 When your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up after you your descendant, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He is the one who will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

Psalm 89:3-4 The Lord said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn an oath to David my servant: 4 ‘I will establish your offspring forever and build up your throne for all generations.’

Isaiah 9:2-7 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light;

a light has dawned on those living in the land of darkness. 3 You have enlarged the nation and increased its joy. The people have rejoiced before you as they rejoice at harvest time and as they rejoice when dividing spoils. 4 For you have shattered their oppressive yoke and the rod on their shoulders, the staff of their oppressor, just as you did on the day of Midian. 5 For every trampling boot of battle and the bloodied garments of war will be burned as fuel for the fire. 6 For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. 7 The dominion will be vast, and its prosperity will never end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from now on and forever. The zeal of the Lord of Armies will accomplish this.

Luke 1:30-33 Then the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 Now listen: You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have no end.”

Application:

Am I keeping the ways of the Lord?

Am I seeking help from God when I stumble?

Do I trust in the Lord for my salvation?