Praying Through: Psalm 18:1-15

The Psalm

Psalm 18:1–15 (CSB)
¹ I love you, LORD, my strength.

² The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock where I seek refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

³ I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I was saved from my enemies.

⁴ The ropes of death were wrapped around me; the torrents of destruction terrified me.

⁵ The ropes of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me.

⁶ I called to the LORD in my distress, and I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.

⁷ Then the earth shook and quaked; the foundations of the mountains trembled; they shook because he burned with anger.

⁸ Smoke rose from his nostrils, and consuming fire came from his mouth; coals were set ablaze by it.

⁹ He bent the heavens and came down, total darkness beneath his feet.

¹⁰ He rode on a cherub and flew, soaring on the wings of the wind.

¹¹ He made darkness his hiding place, dark storm clouds his canopy around him.

¹² From the radiance of his presence, his clouds swept onward with hail and blazing coals.

¹³ The LORD thundered from heaven; the Most High made his voice heard.

¹⁴ He shot his arrows and scattered them; he hurled lightning bolts and routed them.

¹⁵ The depths of the sea became visible, the foundations of the world were exposed, at your rebuke, LORD, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.

The Prayer

You are my All-in-all.

Beyond my Provider, it is by your very thought that you hold me together. By your will, I am pointed in your direction. By your great Spirit, I have strength.

You give unlimited might for this very weak man.

You put an immovable foundation beneath my weary feet.

You are my home where I can peacefully lay to rest. You are my rescuer and it is in your arms, I know I am coming home. You are my shield and my enemies’ fiery arrows lay to waste around me. You are my command and the flame around my heart burns with desire for you. You are my salvation and it is now that I am abundantly alive. You are peace and you have removed all sin in me and around me.

Now, I sing to you—I sing love songs of joy for your sweet name. I sing love songs of peace for your incredible name. I sing long songs of hope for your awesome name.

Hell has no hold on me. Sin has no clutches on me. Satan has no claim on me. Demons have no touch for me. Death has no sting for me.

O Lord, my great God, you have moved heaven, earth, and hell just to come rescue me. Only you could turn the Infinite into the finite, the spirit into flesh, the invisible visible, righteousness for sin, holiness for filth, justice for corruption, love for my sake, and Word incarnate.

You rescued me because You loved me. I have done nothing to deserve your love or not even your glance. But before the mountains were formed, you saw me when I was at my worst. You saw me when I lusted after women. You saw me when I craved apathy and laziness. You saw me when I lied. You saw me when I stole. You saw me when I cursed your name. You saw me. You saw me in my sin and you knew me. You knew me and you loved me. You loved me and you chose me. You chose me and you called me. When you called out to me, you saved me.

I love you, Lord and it is in Your Name, I pray. Amen.