Psalm 18:4-15 God, My Savior

As David continues to give God the glory for saving him from his enemies, many scholars believe that he shifts into a prophetic voice. While verses 4-15 may describe the emotions of David while under siege from his enemies, they find their true fulfillment many years later, when the Son of David hung on the cross at Calvary.

Try reading Psalm 18:4-15 from the perspective of Christ as the author.

When Christ hung on the cross, He could feel ‘the cords of death’ encompassing Him (v.4). He grew closer and closer to death and felt its snares entangle Him (v.5). With one of His lasts breaths, He cried out to God (v.6), and God heard the cry of His Son.

Matthew tells us that there was a great earthquake when Jesus died on the cross (Matt. 27:51, cf. Psalm 18:7). As the earth shook, God expressed the depth of His wrath toward our sin. David describes God’s wrath vividly using an Oriental expression. Since strong emotions heat the breath that comes from the nostrils, David describes God’s deep emotion as smoke and fire from His nose and mouth (v.8). The wrath of God was great when poured out upon the Son of God on the cross. Jesus died in our place, and the depth of God’s wrath was directed at our sin. This should always serve as a reminder to us of the seriousness of sin.

But still, the wrath of God is clouded in mystery (v.9). God acted swiftly (v.10), but secretly (v.11). Few people understood what was happening on the cross. God had put this plan of salvation in place before He created the world, and millennia went by without much progress. Then, in a matter of a week, the Son of God revealed Himself as the Messiah to the People of God, was rejected by them, died for them, and rose again from the grave. The speed in which this mysterious act was performed is astounding compared to the rest of the timetable for God’s plans. And yet, it was still a mystery to many.

That isn’t to say that God did it in secret. God died for our sins in the middle of the day, on a public hill, outside of the most important city of His people. He acted in brightness (v.12). He acted in power—the kind of power that makes the natural elements respond (v.12-13). When Jesus died on the cross, God destroyed His enemy. Satan and death were scattered and routed by the power of God (v.14). Then, all the secrets of the earth were laid bare (v.15). God’s incredible demonstration of love, justice, mercy, and power at the cross of Christ shook the earth like a blast of His fiery breath (v.15).

If the earth itself cannot hide anything from God, then each man would be vain indeed to attempt to hide from Him. Through the cross, all the thoughts of our hearts are laid bare before God. We will all be judged based on our response to Christ and His cross. He died in our place, and we are called to accept His sacrifice by admitting our sin, turning from it, and surrendering to Him. Only then, can we worship Him as God, My Savior.

But some are too vain to submit. The earth itself cannot hide its darkest parts from God, but some people believe that they can cover up their sin, do enough good works to make up for their sin, or simply ignore their sin altogether and believe they are good enough to get to heaven.

The cross of Christ shows the world just how seriously God takes sin. When Jesus returns, those who refuse to submit to Him now, those who refuse to admit their need for Him now, those who refuse to worship Him now, will have all their sin laid bare, just like the river beds and the earth’s foundations (v.15). Then God will judge them righteously for all of their wicked deeds.

I too deserve to be judged for my many wicked deeds, evil thoughts, and blasphemous words. But, I thank God that He died in my place, and through repentance and faith in Him, I can now join with David in worshipping Jesus Christ as God, My Savior.