2 Samuel 22:2-3

STP Devotional for the Week of 10/05/26

He (David) 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.

Our key verse Psalm 18:2 appears in the Bible in 2 Samuel 22:2-3. What I love about the psalms that David wrote is that they appear not only in the book of songs, Psalms, but they also appear in the historical books which tell the story of David’s life.

Just before David sings his song in 2 Samuel, he was attacked by the Philistines. He was weary from fighting and not in any condition to take on the giant of a man Ishbi-benob who carried a shield weighing 300 shekels, about 7 ¼ pounds. Ishbi-benob was “armed with a new sword” and “thought to kill David.” (2 Samuel 21:16) But God sent aid to David in the person of Abishai, who slayed the giant. Then, because of David’s value to the Israelites and the encouragement he was to them, his men said, “You shall no longer go out with us to battle, lest you quench the lamp of Israel.” (2 Samuel 21:17)

God not only brought someone to give David assistance, He gave wisdom to those surrounding David that David needed rest in order to lead well and be the inspiration God planned him to be. David had the discernment to realize that God orchestrated all of these things for David’s benefit.

David proceeds to worship God for delivering him from the hands of his enemies and refers to God as his rock. By using these emphatic, descriptive words – rock, fortress, deliverer – he expresses how much he trusts God and knows that God will look after him and protect him. The key, though, is that he gives his life over to God’s rule and, in his heart of hearts, worships and follows no other.

Rock symbolizes stability and strength. You can’t crush a rock with your bare hands. You can’t move very large rocks without the help of machinery. They are permanent. Rocks are God-created, not man-made. Rocks can only change types depending on pressure from tectonic plates, Earth’s internal heat, wind, water, and biological activities, again, nothing man-made. People have used rocks for centuries to build homes, create tools and weapons, and create roads. God even made the moon of rock. It is a basic structural element that holds its form and provides stability.

When David uses the term “my rock,” he is referring to these rocks – found in nature, created by God, used to build shelter and keep someone safe. Remember the caves in which David hid? They provided protection on all sides so that he only had to guard the front. They provided shelter from the elements so that David and his men could rest.

God surrounds us this way – like a rock wall all around us so the only way we look is up towards Him. When we keep our eyes on heaven, God will keep us protected.

AT HOME:

• Do you recognize God as the King and Ruler of your heart?

• Do you trust that God has the best plan for you?