One-a-Day...for the Heart: The Rock of My Salvation
"The Lord lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let God be exalted, The Rock of my salvation!” (2 Samuel 22:47). Someone knew where his strength and safety were found! David fully understood that God alone was the ultimate place of refuge and protection from all his enemies, including King Saul, who was aggressively attempting to kill him. In David’s powerfully descriptive song of deliverance, his lyrics expressed words that should be engraved on our hearts and carried into every battle we face in this life—whether physical, emotional, or spiritual.
Could we sing these words to the Lord? Imagine the passion and crescendos this song must have had! Beyond that, imagine the Lord’s reaction to it! 2 Samuel 22:1-4 (ESV) records it as follows: And David spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said, "The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.”
THE MESSAGE translation says David prayed to God the words of this song after God saved him from all his enemies and from Saul. “God is bedrock under my feet, the castle in which I live, my rescuing knight. My God — the high crag where I run for dear life, hiding behind the boulders, safe in the granite hideout; My mountaintop refuge, He saves me from ruthless men.” In other words, the Lord is:
The bedrock—solid rock under our feet of clay. He is the reliable base, the footing, the cornerstone. Sometimes life plops us right into the quicksand of unforeseen hardship or troubling circumstances. We should not be shaken at such times, for Christ is our bedrock. On Christ the solid Rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand.
The castle where we live—in Him, we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28). The literal meaning of fortress here pictures a mountainside castle, for much of the area was like a steep mountainous cliff with a castle at its peak. How safe it is to be within that castle!
Our rescuing knight--He is with us like a dread champion (Jeremiah 20:11). Has He ever rescued you? It’s thrilling! Call on His Name, and He will help you.
The high crag where we run to for dear life—in the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock (Psalm 27:5).
Hiding us behind the boulders—David's imagery in this passage describes the rugged terrain where he fled from Saul. There were cliffs and caves, steep mountainsides, huge boulders, and many foreboding hideaways where one could escape from being found.
Our mountaintop refuge—another translation says my high tower, referring to the Lord as our retreat and Savior who saves us from violence. Let us remember to thank God for His peace that surpasses our understanding, available to us in seasons of joy and in times of heartache and trouble.
Whatever your circumstances are today, declare the words of David: "The Lord lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let God be exalted, The Rock of my salvation!” I intend to find a nice, high crag and let Him hide me in a secret place, or perhaps I’ll run to my mountainside castle and stay safe and secure in His wrap-around presence. How about a lovely retreat in His high tower? To be sure, He will be found in any of those places. Seek Him with your whole heart, and you will run right into the Rock of your salvation.
© 2022, Chris Werre