“The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, 3 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. 7 “In my distress I called upon the LORD; to my God I called. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry came to his ears. 18 He rescued me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me. 19 They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the LORD was my support. 20 He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me. 21 “The LORD dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me. 22 For I have kept the ways of the LORD and have not wickedly departed from my God. 23 For all his rules were before me, and from his statutes I did not turn aside. 24 I was blameless before him, and I kept myself from guilt. 25 And the LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in his sight. 26 “With the merciful you show yourself merciful; with the blameless man you show yourself blameless; 27 with the purified you deal purely, and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous. 28 You save a humble people, but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them down. 29 For you are my lamp, O LORD, and my God lightens my darkness. 30 For by you I can run against a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall. 31 This God—his way is perfect; the word of the LORD proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him. 32 “For who is God, but the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God? 33 This God is my strong refuge and has made my way blameless. 34 He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights. 35 He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. 36 You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your gentleness made me great. 37 You gave a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip;"
These are sections from 2 Samuel Chapter 22. I have highlighted in bold print certain points I want to make. Notice first, King David’s high view of God! And second, his confidence in the LORD. He expresses absolute, unwavering confidence or “faith” in God to respond according to His nature or character as found in the Old Testament. David is not depending on his feelings or personal viewpoints about God whatsoever. David also sees there are conditions to his requests. This part is harder for many Christians to accept; that God will respond to us according to our faith and obedience to Him. For “without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Heb. 11:6-7). David also admits that his enemies are too strong for him; he is humble in his request. Also, the LORD “responded” to David according to David’s heart being right before God. David “knew” his heart and motives were pure. He had a “sober” view of himself. Not a high or low view, but a correct view. He knew his heart was clean, that he had been obedient according to what he knew of God, and that …the LORD had rewarded him “according” to David’s righteousness! This right here is where I need us to acknowledge a “truth” found in the scriptures. Even though we are saved by grace through faith, we are rewarded, blessed, heard, and honored when we “walk faithfully, by faith, in absolute confidence in the goodness of our God.” Just as with David, God sees our hearts and knows the depths of our motives. Next, do you notice “WHO” trains Davids hands to bend a bow? Not David, God does. And what kind of Christian does God honor and bless? Not a haughty one, but a humble one. The individual who hides (intentionally) in the LORD, through Christ, will be “covered by the LORD” (Ps. 91). Also, we are all saved by grace through faith whether it was the Old Testament or the New Testament. God never saved anyone by “works,” it has always been by “faith.” So, these promises and prayers “full of faith” found in the Psalms are also for us today. David had the same Holy Spirit we have. David honored the LORD above man and above all things in his life therefore the LORD honored David in this life and in the one to come. Though we are “righteous through Christ” we are also blessed and rewarded for our righteousness which we “live out” in daily life. Both are seen in the New Testament. This is one blessing which comes to the heart fully surrendered to the LORD, “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him” (2 Ch. 16:9, emphasis mine). None of what I am saying in this is based on our “works”; it is all based on our hearts. We can be Christians who have abandoned ourselves to the Lord, or we can be Christians who are holding back from the Lord a multitude of things. But if we want the blessings of the Lord in this life and the next (whatever form those blessings in this life may take) then we must follow Christ and not choose to sit on the sidelines. David knew the LORD and the LORD knew David, for He says, “I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will’” (Acts 13:22, emphasis mine). Therefore, the individual who seeks to follow all God’s will is someone after God’s own heart and will be rewarded accordingly.
Lastly, the only way to “achieve” all which is written above is through the abandonment of self. That is all which is required. No “works” are necessary, only complete surrender motivated by a heart of faith and humility. It is quite simple. You just wave the white flag and lie down on the ground for Christ to pick up. Everything which you are “holding in your own hand” you open before the Lord and place in His hand. Now, if you notice a hesitation in your heart regarding surrender, then don’t ignore that. It means it’s time to get “real” with God. The Lord sees our hearts and motives. Sometimes we are unaware of our own hearts and motives though. Just allow Him to examine your heart and to address anything which might be “in the way” of surrender. Remember, He is a “gracious, good, faithful, Father” who knows you. Do not fear; step out of the boat onto that water.
Aletheia: Truth in the Darkness 