2 Samuel 22: Salvation

"You have given me the shield of salvation; Your help exalts me."

2 Samuel 22:36

We Christians spout the word Salvation all the time, but I think too many of us fail to understand the implications of the term.  David's use of it here, in the prayer that takes up this whole chapter, gives us a much clearer view of the word's true meaning.  This prayer has nothing to do with any spiritual promise or eternal acceptance.  The whole prayer is David's thanks to God for his victories in battle - for the wars he has won against his human enemies.

The "salvation" he speaks of in this prayer is an entirely physical rescue from death and dismemberment.  David is thanking God for keeping him safe during these times of war.  He gives God credit for every good thing, even down to the individual steps he takes, landing on widened ground so that his ankles don't give underneath him.

Why did God protect him this way?  According to David's prayer, "The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; He repaid me according to the cleanness of my hands."  He knows that his faithfulness, purity, and humility are the reasons why the Lord takes delight in him.

Let us contrast this with the spiritual Salvation brought by the Messiah.  God gave earthly salvation and prosperity to David because the king followed the Lord's commands and walked in His way.  Jesus gives us spiritual Salvation and everlasting life because we have NOT followed the Lord's commands and walked in His way.

Even David had made his mistakes.  Even this righteous man who brings delight to the God of Heaven - even the chosen one of Israel, God's Anointed, king of all the Lord's people - even this humble ex-shepherd has shown us his guilt in the pages and chapters of this biblical sub-book.  His actions with Bathsheba alone show us that he is guilty of lust, adultery, conspiracy, theft, murder, and lying enough to cover it all up.  In doing all this, he wasn't bringing honor to his mother and father, he wasn't worshiping God above all else and keeping His commandments.

Question of the Day:

More than half the Ten Commandments were flushed away in that story alone, so how can God still delight in this man he raised up as king?  Because of the second kind of salvation - because of Salvation, by grace, without which all of our attempts to bring joy to God would be feeble.

Prayer of the Day:

Lord, thank You for saving my soul so that I might bring you joy.  Help me to walk in your ways with faith, love, and humility so that I may be deserving of the worldly salvation You have already given me.  Continue to grow Your Spirit within me so that I may continue to become more like You each day.  Amen.