Psalm 18 has been one of my favorites for years. When I come to this Psalm in my daily Bible reading, I love to slow down and take the time to luxuriate in the richness of the promises tucked all throughout the Psalm. Honestly, it’s a great Psalm to use in your personal worship! In thinking about this, I thought I’d show you some of the ways I use this Psalm in my praise times.
Praise God for His Character Traits. Throughout this Psalm, David uses word pictures to describe the greatness of God’s character. He writes that the Lord is his rock, his fortress, his deliverer, his shield, the horn of his salvation, and a stronghold (Psalm 18:1-2). Go through the Psalm, circle all the word pictures David uses, and then use those phrases to praise God. Each word picture gives us a deeper understanding of God’s character. At times, life can feel overwhelming. As you praise God for His character traits using word pictures to describe them, your faith will grow stronger, and peace will overwhelm you.
Lord Jesus, I praise You that You are a rock of faithfulness in my life. I praise You that You are my deliverer and that when I feel attacked by the enemy, You are my defense. I praise You that You act as a shield around my mind. When negative thoughts threaten my joy, You are my shield. Thank You for being a stronghold of faithfulness to which I can continually come.
Praise God by Remembering. Throughout Psalm 18, David remembers and praises God for delivering him from the hands of his enemy. “He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me” (Psalm 18:16-17). The enemy is alive and seeking to derail you in any way he can. He threatens you with depression, darkness, and defeat. The Lord, however, is able to deliver you from fear. Remember what He has done in the past to find the courage for the future. It could be that He has kept you alive through cancer, rescued you from financial ruin, or rescued you from the pit of depression. Take time to remember and praise Him.
Lord Jesus, I praise You that when I felt hopeless, You rescued me and brought me up from the pit of despair. You set my feet on solid ground when it felt like the earth was shaking. Thank You that when my worries were many, you brought me peace. When my fears felt crippling, You bolstered my faith. I praise You, Lord Jesus.
Praise Him for the Promises Tucked in the Psalm. As David writes, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, God gives us promises that we can cling to. Read through the Psalm and underline the promises. Then use those promises to prompt your praise. For example, “My God turns my darkness into light” (Psalm 18:28). Lord Jesus, I praise you that when life feels dark, You are the light of the world. You promise to turn my darkness into light. Thank You, Lord Jesus. Or, “With your help, I can advance against a troop; with my God, I can scale a wall” (Psalm 18:29). What wall are you facing this week? A big project? A family situation? A financial crisis? A move?
Lord Jesus, I praise You that with Your help, I can scale the wall in front of me. Help me to remember that, as I face challenges, You have gone before me to empower and enable me to do impossible things through Your strength. Thank You that You are for me and not against me. I praise You in advance for how You will work in my life.
Friend, here’s the thing: Psalm 18 is a wonderful Psalm to praise your way through. It will bolster your faith and renew your hope.
You can discover more ways to praise God using the Psalms with The Extraordinary Power of Praise. Discover with the Psalmists how praising God can calm your anxious heart. This is a great study to do with a group of friends!
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