Thursday, February 03, 2022

David's Gratitude For Victory

 "This GOD--HIS way is perfect;
the word of YAHWEH can stand fire.
HE is a shield for those who seek refuge in HIM.

YAHWEH lives!  Praised be my rock!
Exalted be my savior GOD--
For this I extol YOU, O YAHWEH, among the nations;
I will sing praise to YOUR name, saying:
'HE has given victories to HIS king;
HE has shown HIS love to HIS anointed ones,
to David, and to his descendants forever.'"
- Psalm 18:31. 47. 50. 51


(Here, a picture of GOD, as the great master of creation, appears side by side with that of GOD, as the jealous guardian of HIS servant David, who was king enough to serve the King of kings.  For once we have no difficulties identifying the 'enemies.'  The stormy history of David is well known to us.  But the historical situation will not help.  Again we have to take the words to ourselves, and the 'enemies' we pray against have intangible arrows.  We need the shield of GOD and all the warlike but spiritual apparatuses that St. Paul asks for: 'the shield of faith, and the sword of the Spirit, that is, the Word of GOD' [Ephesians 6:16-17].

The added verse [51] allows us to apply this psalm to the Anointed One, to CHRIST, conqueror of death and the abyss.  Romans 15:9 quotes verse 50 of the psalm.  Those who love passionately, do not cease to coin new adjectives, to proclaim their love.  The GOD thus loved, "comes down" to be with us, as the sure rock of our existence.)

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