Psalm 18

“They cried out, but there was none to save; even to the Lord, but He did not answer them. Then I beat them as fine as the dust before the wind; I cast them out like dirt in the streets. You have delivered me from the strivings of the people; you have made me the head of the nations; a people I have not known shall serve me. As soon as they hear of me they obey me; the foreigners submit to me. The foreigners fade away, and come frightened from their hideouts. The Lord lives!  Blessed be my Rock!Let the God of my salvation be exalted. It is God who avenges me, and subdues the peoples under me; He delivers me from my enemies. You also lift me up above those who rise against me; You have delivered me from the violent man. Therefore I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the Gentiles, and sing praises to Your name. Great deliverance He gives to His king, and shows mercy to His anointed, to David and his descendants forevermore.  Psalm 18:41-50 (NKJV)

The title & direction ascribed to Psalm 18 is “God the Sovereign Savior (To the chief musician. A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord, who spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and the from the hand of Saul…)”. If we are paying attention, we should focus on the phrase “…delivered him from all his enemies and from the hand of Saul”, because David quickly moves beyond his immediate deliverance and transcends to Messiah and His deliverance.  (Luke 20:43; Acts 2:35; Matthew 22:44; Psalm 110:1) We must remember that one of the titles of Messiah (Jesus) is “Son of David.”

“The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham….” Matthew 1:1 (NKJV)

Another item to note is how David distinguishes between “Enemies” and “Foreigners.”  There is a false idea that God (in the Old Testament) hates foreigners.  That is not so.  God hates foreign gods.  Whenever a foreigner (in the Old Testament or New) renounces their foreign gods and embraces both the God and people of “Israel,” they are no longer considered “foreign,” even though they are not descended from a Hebrew family.

“Also the sons of the foreigner who join themselves to the Lord, to serve Him, and to love the Name of the Lord, to be His servants - everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, and holds fast My covenant - even them I will bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.” The Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, says, “Yet I will gather to Him others besides those who are gathered to Him.”  Isaiah 56:6-8 (NKJV)

Why would the Gentiles praise the God of Israel?  Because He has defeated the enemies of Messiah. And HOW? By the grace and mercy of God.  When a Gentile converts to the Lord, he not only ceases to be an enemy of Israel, but he becomes gathered (along with the outcasts of Israel) to God’s flock! (John 10:14-16)