Psalm 18 Continued…
Psalm 18:6 In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.
“In my distress” refers, most probably, not to any particular incident or circumstance, but to any number of times when he was distraught due to false accusations made against him or the many times that Saul pursued him with the intention of taking his life. In what follows, he relates the methods he used to procure relief when distressed, and his success in obtaining that relief. Each time he called upon the Lord, and had found him ready to help, though sometimes help came as he stood on the brink of capture.
“I called to the Lord”—the Lord, the great Yahweh, the everlasting I AM, who is the most High in all the earth, and who is able to save; “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.” (Hebrews 5:7). I called, that is, I prayed for God to help me escape this trouble. He did not rely on his own strength, or look for human aid, he looked to God alone. In my distress I called upon the LORD, and his enemies could not prevail against him, unless God should abandon him. They hoped that this was the case, and that therefore they should prevail; but God kept His promise— “I will never leave you or forsake you!”
“I cried my God” – The word used here denotes an earnest cry for help. (Compare Job 35:9; Job 36:13). At the precise moment, when he is entangled in the snares, and on the point of being slain, David represents himself as invoking the aid of the Almighty. The Apostle Matthew records that Jesus cried out to God as His life was coming to an end: “About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”-which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). And three days later, God raised Him from the dead, and today He is exalted and worshipped in heaven as Lord and God. Those who are in Christ can cry out to God as He did. A time of distress is a time for prayer; and sometimes God uses suffering and distress to bring Christians to the throne of His grace. What a great privilege it is to have such a throne to come to for grace and mercy to help in time of need, and to have such a God to sympathize with them, and help them. And their encouragement to call upon Him, and cry unto Him, is, that He is Yahweh, omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent; who knows their wants, is able to help them, and is a God that is willing to do it.
“From His temple He heard my voice.” The word rendered temple cannot refer here to the temple at Jerusalem, for that was built after the death of David, but it refers either to heaven, which is considered as the temple, or dwelling-place of God, or to the tabernacle, which is considered His abode on earth. The sense is not substantially altered, whichever interpretation is adopted.
The prayer of David, was a spoken one, and not merely mental; and hearing it implies a gracious regard for it, an acceptance of it, and an agreeable answer to follow.
“My cry came before him, into his ears.” God did not cover himself with a cloud that his prayer could not pass through; but it was admitted and received; it reached His ears, and even entered into them, and was delightful music to them: “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry…” (Psalm 34:15).
PRAY
Lord of heaven’s armies, You are awesome and mighty! I cannot express how good You have been to me. I give thanks to You and I praise Your holy name. You have heard my prayer and answered me.