Rejoicing in God's Deliverance

God's Creative Word
God Calls For Justice:  Justice Enacted
David Embodies God's Justice

2 Samuel 22:8-20

The Message

 ^8-16 Earth wobbled and lurched;
      the very heavens shook like leaves,
   Quaked like aspen leaves
      because of his rage.
   His nostrils flared, billowing smoke;
      his mouth spit fire.
   Tongues of fire darted in and out;
      he lowered the sky.
   He stepped down;
      under his feet an abyss opened up.
   He rode a winged creature,
      swift on wind-wings.
   He wrapped himself
      in a trenchcoat of black rain-cloud darkness.
   But his cloud-brightness burst through,
      a grand comet of fireworks.
   Then God thundered out of heaven;
      the High God gave a great shout.
   God shot his arrows—pandemonium!
      He hurled his lightnings—a rout!
   The secret sources of ocean were exposed,
      the hidden depths of earth lay uncovered
   The moment God roared in protest,
      let loose his hurricane anger.
 ^17-20 But me he caught—reached all the way
      from sky to sea; he pulled me out
   Of that ocean of hate, that enemy chaos,
      the void in which I was drowning.
   They hit me when I was down,
      but God stuck by me.
   He stood me up on a wide-open field;
      I stood there saved—surprised to be loved!

For Reflection 

Some believe that David uttered this psalm later in life.  It, then, may be a reflection of David's survival during Saul's violent reign.  David praises God for preserving him under the treacherous attacks from Saul.  David's faith in God grounds his perception of his survival and is a foundation for his kingship.  God pulled David from an ocean of hate which characterized Saul's rain and should have embittered David.  God rescued David from the curse of responding in hate.  

David praises God for sticking by him and for Gods saving grace.  As God has surprised David with His love, David may have surprised his subjects with grace. 

Pray

that you will not answer fear with fearful responses.  Pray that in the face of threat you will not answer threat with threat; hate with hate; injury with injury.  Pray for the people of our world who suffer the injustice of hateful leaders.  Pray that they will overcome the violence and establish peace.