Today’s devotion comes from Psalm chapter 18. Due to the length of this devotion and the importance of the righteousness, humility, and ultimately election in getting our prayers answered, we will pause a few days to meditate on today’s devotion. The next devotion, God willing, will be on Sunday, February 28, 2026.
Here is a link to Psalm chapter 18 – Bible Gateway passage: Psalm 18 – New American Standard Bible 1995
I quote only the following verses.
“I love You, O LORD, my strength.”
2 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.
3 I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised,
And I am saved from my enemies.
…
19 He brought me forth also into a broad place;
He rescued me, because He delighted in me.
20 The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness;
According to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me.
21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD,
And have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 For all His ordinances were before me,
And I did not put away His statutes from me.
23 I was also blameless with Him,
And I kept myself from my iniquity.
24 Therefore the LORD has recompensed me according to my righteousness,
According to the cleanness of my hands in His eyes.
25 With the kind You show Yourself kind;
With the blameless You show Yourself blameless;
26 With the pure You show Yourself pure,
And with the crooked You show Yourself astute.
27 For You save an afflicted people,
But haughty eyes You abase.
…
30 As for God, His way is blameless;
The word of the LORD is tried;
He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.
31 For who is God, but the LORD?
And who is a rock, except our God,
32 The God who girds me with strength
And makes my way blameless?
33 He makes my feet like hinds’ feet,
And sets me upon my high places.
34 He trains my hands for battle,
So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You have also given me the shield of Your salvation,
And Your right hand upholds me;
And Your gentleness makes me great.
36 You enlarge my steps under me,
And my feet have not slipped.
37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them,
And I did not turn back until they were consumed.
38 I shattered them, so that they were not able to rise;
They fell under my feet.
39 For You have girded me with strength for battle;
You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.
40 You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me,
And I destroyed those who hated me.
41 They cried for help, but there was none to save,
Even to the LORD, but He did not answer them.
….
46 The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock;
And exalted be the God of my salvation,
47 The God who executes vengeance for me,
And subdues peoples under me.
48 He delivers me from my enemies;
Surely You lift me above those who rise up against me;
You rescue me from the violent man.
49 Therefore I will give thanks to You among the nations, O LORD,
And I will sing praises to Your name.
50 He gives great deliverance to His king,
And shows lovingkindness to His anointed,
To David and his descendants forever.” Psalm 18:1-3 and 19-27 and 30-41 and 46-50.
———-
First, let us notice that not everyone who prays and cries for help is saved and gets help.
“They cried for help, but there was none to save,
Even to the LORD, but He did not answer them.” Verse 41.
“The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked,
But He blesses the dwelling of the righteous.” Proverbs 3:33.
“The LORD will not allow the righteous to hunger,
But He will reject the craving of the wicked.” Proverbs 10:3.
“What the wicked fears will come upon him,
But the desire of the righteous will be granted.” Proverbs 10:24.
“The desire of the righteous is only good,
But the expectation of the wicked is wrath.” Proverbs 11:23.
“20 But the wicked are like the tossing sea,
For it cannot be quiet,
And its waters toss up refuse and mud.
21 “There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.” Isaiah 57:20-21.
Accordingly, we notice the concern that David had to be righteous.
“20 The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness;
According to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me.
21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD,
And have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 For all His ordinances were before me,
And I did not put away His statutes from me.
23 I was also blameless with Him,
And I kept myself from my iniquity.
24 Therefore the LORD has recompensed me according to my righteousness,
According to the cleanness of my hands in His eyes.” Verses 20-24.
Second, we notice the importance of humility.
“For You save an afflicted people,
But haughty eyes You abase.” Verse 27.
“But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.” James 4:6.
“The fear of the LORD is the instruction for wisdom,
And before honor comes humility.” Proverbs 15:33.
“Before destruction the heart of man is haughty,
But humility goes before honor.” Proverbs 18:12.
“The reward of humility and the fear of the LORD
Are riches, honor and life.” Proverbs 22:4.
“17 O LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble;
You will strengthen their heart, You will incline Your ear
18 To vindicate the orphan and the oppressed,
So that man who is of the earth will no longer cause terror.” Psalm 10:17-18.
“He leads the humble in justice,
And He teaches the humble His way.” Proverbs 25:9.
“My soul will make its boast in the LORD;
The humble will hear it and rejoice.” Psalm 34:2.
“When God arose to judgment,
To save all the humble of the earth. Selah.” Psalm 76:9.
“When pride comes, then comes dishonor,
But with the humble is wisdom.” Proverbs 11:2.
“7 Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him;
Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,
Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.
8 Cease from anger and forsake wrath;
Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing.
9 For evildoers will be cut off,
But those who wait for the LORD, they will inherit the land.
10 Yet a little while and the wicked man will be no more;
And you will look carefully for his place and he will not be there.
11 But the humble will inherit the land
And will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.” Psalm 37:7-11.
“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 14:11.
“The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 18:11-14.
“To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.” 1 Peter 3:8-9.
“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:6-7.
Third, we notice that ultimately the reason why David was rescued and received righteousness and humility was that the LORD chose a/k/a elected David.
“He brought me forth also into a broad place;
He rescued me, because He delighted in me.” Verse 19.
“65 Then the LORD awoke as if from sleep,
Like a warrior overcome by wine.
66 He drove His adversaries backward;
He put on them an everlasting reproach.
67 He also rejected the tent of Joseph,
And did not choose the tribe of Ephraim,
68 But chose the tribe of Judah,
Mount Zion which He loved.
69 And He built His sanctuary like the heights,
Like the earth which He has founded forever.
70 He also chose David His servant
And took him from the sheepfolds;
71 From the care of the ewes with suckling lambs He brought him
To shepherd Jacob His people,
And Israel His inheritance.” Psalm 78:65-71.
“He gives great deliverance to His king,
And shows lovingkindness to His anointed,
To David and his descendants forever.” Verse 50.
Consider the following from the Canons of Dordt, in the section titled FIRST HEAD OF DOCTRINE Of Divine Predestination. Notice how it states therein that “election is the fountain of every saving good; from which proceed faith, holiness, and the other gifts of salvation, and finally eternal life itself”.
“Article 7. Election is the unchangeable purpose of God, whereby, before the foundation of the world, he hath out of mere grace, according to the sovereign good pleasure of his own will, chosen, from the whole human race, which had fallen through their own fault, from their primitive state of rectitude, into sin and destruction, a certain number of persons to redemption in Christ, whom he from eternity appointed the Mediator and Head of the elect, and the foundation of Salvation. …
Article 9. This election was not founded upon foreseen faith, and the obedience of faith, holiness, or any other good quality of disposition in man, as the pre-requisite, cause or condition on which it depended; but men are chosen to faith and to the obedience of faith, holiness, etc., therefore election is the fountain of every saving good; from which proceed faith, holiness, and the other gifts of salvation, and finally eternal life itself, as its fruits and effects, according to that of the apostle: “He hath chosen us (not because we were) but that we should be holy, and without blame, before him in love,” Ephesians 1:4.”
“For He says to Moses, “I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION.” So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.” Romans 9:15-16.
“I will cry to God Most High,
To God who accomplishes all things for me.” Psalm 57:2.
“But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.” 1 Corinthians 1:30-31.
“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” Romans 8:32.
“For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?” 1 Corinthians 4:7.
“So then let no one boast in men. For all things belong to you, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you, and you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God.” 1 Corinthians 3:21-23.
“but just as it is written,
“THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD,
AND WHICH HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN,
ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.
…
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God,” 1 Corinthians 2:9 and 12.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 