Word of Encouragement (12/12/2023)
"He sent from on high, he took me; he drew me out of many waters. 18 He rescued me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me. 19 They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the LORD was my support. 20 He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me. (2 Sam. 22:17-20)
David reflected on the enormity of his troubles (vv. 5-6) and how God responded to his cries for help (vv. 7-16). In this section, he describes how God has delivered him from his distress.
David was deep in “many waters.” He was a shepherd, who worked with animals on the land. What defense did he have against many waters? And he was attacked by his “strong enemy, from those who hated [him]” and were “too mighty for [him].” Maybe he was thinking of the time when he had to flee from Saul. He had to be let down through the window by his wife Michal. He was all alone without any provision or even a sword. His enemies were merciless. They had no compassion when he found himself in “calamity.” They saw it as a golden opportunity to launch their attack against him. What a dangerous and precarious situation he was in! Do you feel like that at times?
But God sent help from “on high.” He dwelled on high, far beyond the reaches of many waters. These waters, however voluminous and turbulent, posed no threat to God. This was not because He was at a safe distance away from them; it was because God was all-powerful and sovereign over all things. Even when these waters raged with formidable force and fury, God only had to rebuke them to be still. David gloried in his God, who dwelt on high. Because He was not engulfed by many waters like him, He could send help from on high and draw him out of his troubles. Do you at times feel like you are being swept away by the many waters of trouble and distress? Do you call on God who is on high to send His help to you?
David almost fell into despair because of his strong enemies, who hated him with murderous malice; they were too mighty for him. But God was able to rescue him from them. Even though his enemies were too mighty for him, they were nothing to the almighty God; He was too mighty for them to withstand His power. There is nothing wrong with acknowledging your helplessness and crying out to the almighty God to help.
David felt like he was hit with a double-whammy: his strong and hateful enemies marched against him at the worst possible time when he found himself in calamity. He would have given up in despair unless the LORD was there to support him. We do not always feel God’s presence and power supporting us. But do we know where our strength ends and God’s sustaining power starts? We often feel like we can’t go on any longer, but we still do. And when the troubles have passed, we see that it was indeed God who upheld us and carried us in His bosom when our strength was no more.
I hope that, no matter how great your trials may be, you are encouraged to look to the God of David and find encouragement and hope. Even better, we can look to “the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,” who has shown us His deep love for us through the sacrifice of His Son. Oh, how He deserves our hope and trust!