“No one is coming to save you.” — “You haven’t met my Jesus”
“No one is coming to save you.” – “You haven’t met my Jesus.”
Psalm 18 is one that I know of but often forget.
This week I attended my moms bible study with her. One of the college-age girls who was there has been practicing memorizing scripture & shared what she had been memorizing in scripture– she is about halfway through Psalm 18 (roughly 33 verses). I was blown away, truly. How often I forget the impact of writing scripture on your heart.
While reading through this scripture again this week, it reminded me of that trend circling social media– “no one is coming to save you” – “you haven’t met ____(my mom, my dad, my best friend, etc.)” What came to me this morning was “you haven’t met my Jesus” because truly He’s never left me lonely, depressed, anxious, afraid, or in lack.
Every human fails. You will feel unloved, you will feel abandoned, you will feel alone, afraid, anxious– just not with Jesus.
Psalm 28 begins in verse 1 with
“I love you, O Lord, MY STRENGTH.” (emphasis mine)
How powerful to declare that, and to continue in verse 2 with
“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.” (empahasis mine)
Verse 3 states that when we call upon the Lord (who is WORTHY to be praised), we are saved from our enemies. Verses 4 & 5 state the claims that death has on us, encompassing, encircling, and confronting.
But our rescue comes in Verse 6 when WE CALL UPON THE LORD,
“In my distress, I called upon the Lord;
to my God, I cried for help,
From His temple, he heard my voice,
and my cry to him reached his ears” (emphasis mine)
We see the earth rock and tremble at his voice, the Lord is angry FOR us. He bows the heavens and comes down. He comes swiftly. The foundations of the world lay bare at His rebuke.
Verses 16-19 are where I get hit.
“He sent from on high, he took me;
He drew me out of many waters.
He rescued me from my strong enemy
and from those who hated me,
for they were too mighty for me.
They confronted me in the face of my calamity,
but the Lord was my support.
He brought me out into a broad place.
He rescued me because he delighted in me.” (emphasis mine)
How incredible is it to see that not only is the Lord never too far to hear your cry (v.6), but that he comes swiftly to your rescue (v.10), that he will rip the world in two if it meant saving you (and he did; Matthew 27:51 “and behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.”) all because he delights in you.
As Psalm 18 continues, scripture reminds us that the Lord is the one who raises us up and lightens our lamp, that he is a shield for us when we take refuge in Him. (verses 28-30).
The Lord equips us with strength and trains our hands for war. Automatically, I am sent to Ephesians 6:10-20 & Nehemiah 6:9
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.” (v.10-13)
- fasten the belt of truth
- put on the breastplate of righteousness
- shoes with the readiness given by the gospel of peace
- the shield of faith (this is the only one mentioned to have in ALL CIRCUMSTANCES)
- the helmet of salvation
- the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God
Pray at all times in the Spirit, keep alert with all perseverance. — Eph 6
“For they wanted to frighten us, thinking, ‘Their hands will drop from the work, and it will not be done.” But now, O God, strengthen my hands.” Neh 6:9
Not only are we able to PUT on the Lord’s strength (because ours is never enough), but we can ask the Lord to equip our hands with strength! (Psalm 18:32/39)
Psalm 18 ends with the same praise it began with.
“The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock,
and exalted be the God of my salvation—
the God who gave me vengeance
and subdued peoples under me,
who rescued me from my enemies;
yes, you exalted me above those who rose against me;
You delivered me from the man of violence.
For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations,
and sing to your name.
Great salvation he brings to his king,
and shows steadfast love to his anointed,
to David and his offspring forever.” (verses 46-50)
So maybe no one is coming to save you. But the Lord is.