The Lord’s deliverance

David, who had been depicting the prophetic future, now returns again to his own time and records how the Lord has saved him thus far. There were five stages in the Lord’s deliverance: (1) The Lord comes down to where we are and stretches out His hand. (2) The Lord takes hold of us. (3) The Lord pulls us up out of great waters. “Great waters” is a figurative expression referring to various tribulations. (4) The Lord rescues us from strong enemies. (5) And the Lord brings us out to an open place. An open place refers to a place of peace and safety. Let us, in harmony with David’s psalm, recall the many acts of protection and deliverance the Lord has done for you up to now. Let us praise the name of the Lord.

The reason of deliverance

The reason the Lord rescued David was because David, as a believer, always aimed to walk in a way that pleased the Lord, pursued holiness and righteousness, and sought to guard himself from sin and evil. “The Lord has treated me in accordance with my righteousness; In accordance with the cleanliness of my hands He has repaid me” (v 21). This is true. (1) However, the “righteousness” mentioned here is not in an absolute sense. David, too, was an imperfect man, but in terms of his attitude of faith, he was mindful to “keep the ways of the Lord and not act wickedly against God.” (2) David also committed sins. The incident with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah are prime examples. When he sinned, David repented earnestly. As a result, Psalm 51 remains as a record of that repentance. Let us learn a lesson from this passage. Blessing is poured out on those who strive to live a life that pleases the Lord. That blessing is not merely material, but also spiritual. This principle has not changed even today. If we ever commit sin, we should immediately confess that sin and receive forgiveness from the Lord. The Apostle John teaches this: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Today, let us respond to the Lord’s invitation and draw near to the throne of glory.