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Psalm 18:28-42 God, My Provider

July 19, 2021 | by: Gregg Hunter | 1 comments

Posted in: Psalm 18

God is our Provider. The greatest gift that He has provided for us is salvation through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. But He provides so much more. David spends the next portion of this Psalm giving thanks for all that God has provided for him.

Please read Psalm 18:28-42 now.

 

There are so many things for which David gives God thanks in this passage. As a warrior, his greatest need is for strength, and He acknowledges several times that God is the source of his strength. God gives him the strength to run against the enemy in the open field, and the strength to leap over battlements and attack the enemies who are hiding (v. 29). God gives David the strength to bend a bow of bronze with his arm. This kind of bow was usually so heavy that archers had to use their feet, but God gave David the strength to do it with his arm (v. 34). Aside from these specific instances, David praises God for equipping him with strength in every situation (vv. 32, 39).

But God gives more than strength to the warrior king. David also praises God for giving him speed (v. 33), security (v. 33), and traction for his feet (v. 36). David thanks God for serving as the tools of his warfare: for being His shield (v. 30), and for providing a shield of salvation (v. 35); for serving as David’s light (v. 28); and for providing the necessary training (v. 34), and equipment (v. 39).

David thanks God for keeping him blameless when he attacks his enemies (v. 32), for providing the support he needs (v. 35), and for making him great (v. 35). This last phrase in verse 35 is interesting as it has many different translations. The Septuagint says “your discipline has made me great,” while the Chaldee paraphrase reads “your word has increased me,” and my Bible reads “your gentleness made me great.” The thought of all these is the same: all of David’s greatness is accredited to God’s treatment of this earthly king. David essentially praises God for the reality that every good and perfect gift comes from Him.

But he doesn’t stop there! David praises God for all of his military victories (vv. 40, 42). In the middle of that, he thanks God that He is faithful to David, and will answer his prayers, but not those of his enemies (v. 41).

What an incredible list of praise for all that God has provided this man after His own heart! It makes me want to make my own list. God has provided so much for each one of us, but how often do we thank Him specifically for all that he has done?

Do we, like David, thank God for every talent that He has given us? For our education, training, and skills? We might not have great strength or speed, but do we thank God for our health, our ability to take walks, or simply be able to get out of bed in our own power?

Do we thank God for our victories over sin? For our blamelessness in Christ? For our salvation? For the love of our family, the fellowship of good friends, the peace in our home, or the joy of every moment?

Do we thank God for His basic provisions like a bed to sleep in, food in our refrigerator, oil in our heater, electricity in our lights, or water to flush our toilets? Or what about the basic tools that we use around the house or for our jobs?

We often don’t realize how much God has blessed us until these blessings are taken away. Let us not grow unappreciative of all the many gifts the Father has lavished upon us. Let us thank Him now for loving us as God, My Provider.

1 COMMENTS

Jenny Balzano

Jan 27, 2021

I can hear my mother’s voice as I am reading this blog “Count your many Blessings. Name them one by one. Count your many Blessings see what God has done”. Thanksgiving of 2017- the year my Dad passed away. My Mom had given all her kids and their spouses quart canning jars with their names on them. She asked us to write down a blessing each day and put it in the jar. She wanted to share them the following Thanksgiving. She passed that following July. I took all of her little papers and read each one. She was blessed from so many people and small things. She had such simple faith. We did not continue our jars- just too bittersweet. However, I will say this has caused me to focus more on all of the many blessings that God gives us each day: no matter how small and to be Thankful.

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