Resources: Lesson Manuscript, PowerPoint, and Devotional
Franklin Heights Church Connect Groups: https://franklinheights.org/connect/groups/
Review: Last week we saw that because Jesus is King, we should live with a willing surrendered-ness to His Lordship in our lives. He saved us, and He is so deserving of being in complete charge of all things in our lives. Jesus is our Great High Priest and Mediator, so we can take oru requests directly to Him. Jesus as Victor assures and secures our victory in the midst of the challenges of life, the process of sanctification, and we can look forward to His final victory His return.
Title: God’s Deliverance
Text: Psalm 18:16-29
Key Verse: Psalm 18:3, “I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,
and I am saved from my enemies.”
Theme: God protects and defends those who belong to Him.
Introduction: We protect the things we value. What do you value and what measures have you initiated to protect them?As we have been celebrating our nation’s freedom and independence, we know that freedom is not free. We are grateful for the men and women who serve in the military, fire, EMS, and law enforcement to secure the working order of our liberties.God is the ultimate One who is always protecting and defending us. Gratitude is important. As recipients of freedom we should thank those who serve, and we should always thank God.
- The God Who Rescues (vv. 16-19)
16 He sent
[CSV, “He reached down”: When physical qualities are used to describe God it’s called “anthropomorphism,” so that we as His people can know and understand how God works in our lives in a fuller and better way. God’s servant here is in “deep water” circumstances, but there are no waters too deep where God won’t reach down to us and pull us up out of them.]
from on high, he took me;
he drew me out of many waters.
17 He rescued me from my strong enemy
and from those who hated me,
for they were too mighty for me.
18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
[The NIV uses the word “disaster” here. In the original Hebrew this term denotes distress and destruction caused by oppression. Have you ever been oppressed in some way, verbally, mentally, emotionally, grievously, spiritually, possibly even demonically? Look to God in this verse and see how he powerfully confronts our calamity.]
but the Lord was my support.
[The word for support here is the word “staff.” Has the Lord been a staff you can cling to when you need a tighter grip? Has the Lord been your support when you felt you would fall over? Has the Lord been your stability to propel you forward up that mountain when you felt you could not get one step in front of another? He has to me. Cling to Jesus. Lean on Jesus. Be strengthened in taking the next step by Jesus. He’s a Good Shepherd who leads and pokes and guides us to green pastures and still waters. He can also use it to poke us back onto the path when we go off of it!]
19 He brought me out into a broad place;
[There’s a comparison taking place here. The dark tight space of calamity was like a deep, dark well. Loneliness may have even accompanied it. But when God pulled him out, he stood in a wide open place like a field.]
he rescued me, because he delighted in me. [God takes deep pleasure in us. Isn’t that amazing.]
Gospel: God brought us out of sin and brokenness through the perfection of the Lamb, His willing sacrifice, and His resurrection the third day so that we could be reconciled to Him and SENT back into the brokenness with the Good News of the gospel. Romans 5:10, “10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.”
II. Faithfulness Rewarded (vv. 20-24)
20 The Lord dealt with me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me.
[One thing that was true of David is true of us, as well. We are born with a sin nature and aren’t perfect. David’s wording here shows a desire to walk in closeness with God in blamelessness. We know under the covenant of grace we are made right in God’s eyes, justified. His Spirit at the moment of salvation fills us and enables us to grow in Christlikeness.]
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord,
and have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 For all his ruleswere before me,
and his statutes I did not put away from me.
23 I was blameless before him,
and I kept myself from my guilt.
24 So the Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.
[We can pursue this blameless life, knowing God will empower it when we depend on Him.]
III. Hope Given (vv. 25-29)
25 With the merciful you show yourself merciful;
[The CSB renders this, with the faithful, You prove Yourself faithful…” This word is hesed, God’s loyal, covenant keeping love toward His own. This was ppromised from the beginning of His covenant with His people.]
with the blameless man you show yourself blameless;
26 with the purified you show yourself pure;
and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.
[CSB, “tortuous” God allows consequences for those who reject Him.]
27 For you save a humble people,
[Means, God “brings down, brings low” those who persist in arrogance.
Cross references:
Proverbs 3:34, “Toward the scorners he is scornful,
but to the humble he gives favor.”
James 4:6, “But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
I Peter 5:5-7, “5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”]
but the haughty eyes you bring down.
28 For it is you who light my lamp;
the Lord my God lightens my darkness.
29 For by you I can run against a troop,
and by my God I can leap over a wall.
[The psalmist wraps up by courageously declaring his confidence in facing and overcoming his enemies because his confidence isn’t in himself. His confidence is in God’s protection and God’s power over his enemies.]
Doctrine: Our key doctrine for this week is God the Father. God is shown here as omnipotent (all-powerful), all knowing, all loving, and all wise.
Jeremiah 32:17, “17 ‘Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.”
Discussion Questions:
- What do these verses show you about God’s character?
- How does this study strengthen your confidence in God and courage to face challenges?
- How do we as believers live with continual dependence on God?
Big Takeaway(s):
- Because we belong to God, He defends and protects us.
- We can call in Him when facing tough times and adversity. Tough times are an invitation to call on Him and watch Him work.
- God will always be faithful to believers; we can trust Him.
Resources:
Please see the description for other resources, commentaries, messages on this topic, and to see the manuscript and download the PowerPoint.
Devotional:
Title: “Psalm 18 and facing Tough Times”
We all go through tough times, some lighter than others and some gut-wrenchingly difficult. In our pastor prayer time in the mornings we go through prayer needs within our church, and while we cast them to the throne of grace there are needs that are weighty and needs only God can meet. When we’re saved we’re saved to be disciples, individuals a part of the community of Christ-local church—who grow in Christlikeness by intentionally investing in thinking and acting like Him. One of the blessings of being a disciple and a part of a local church is that we do not have to face adversity alone. That is why being a part of a Connect Group is so important. We hear from one another in a smaller, more close-knit setting how God has come through for one another, and that encourages us in our faith.
For the one who is facing a tough time, they can hear from those who have weathered the same or similar times and be encouraged. For the one in the midst of the tough time, they can be strengthened by their brothers and sisters in Christ and supported in the midst of it. For those who have gone through the tough time, they can draw from their experience of what God did and their knowledge of Who God is and pass that on in love to others in the smaller Connect Group.
In the tough times we can draw from David’s posture and God’s power. David leans intentionally and actively on God. David remembers how faithful his covenant keeping God has been to him. David focuses on God’s benevolence and how He generously rewards and cares for those who are His own. We have all we need in God to face tough times. Are you in a tough time right now? Please send any prayer requests my way.
How to Pray:
- Present the tough circumstance to God.
- Preach God’s promises and character to your heart.
- Praise Him in advance for how and when he will provide and carry you through the tough time.
Caleb Walker 
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