|
The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of destruction assailed me; the cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help. From His temple He heard my voice, and my cry to Him reached His ears. (Psalm 18:4-6)
Inspired by the Holy Spirit, David composed this psalm after the Lord delivered him from all of his enemies. Death and destruction had truly surrounded him. Torrents of destruction threatened to sweep him away. Many enemies, including King Saul, repeatedly tried to kill him, but the Lord heard the psalmist’s cries for help and rescued him. We, like David, lived under the threat of death. The cords of death entangled us and confronted us like a snare or a trap. Nothing but eternal destruction awaited us because we disobeyed God’s Law. We sin against God and others, and death is the just penalty for sin. We cannot, on our own, escape the cords of death.
We were completely entangled in sin and its penalty of death. Holy Scripture reports that David the psalmist entangled himself in the same way. Yet we know that David repented. When confronted with his guilt, his adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband Uriah, David acknowledged his sin and cried out to the Lord in words that shape our prayers as well: “Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your steadfast love; according to Your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin” (Psalm 51:1-2). The only answer to the entanglement of sin and death is God’s abundant mercy. Trapped by sin and death, we cry out to God for help because we know that in His heavenly temple, He heard our prayers and came down to save us.
God the Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, came down from heaven to rescue us. We are saved from death because Jesus was not saved from it. As He hung on the cross, Jesus’ enemies mocked and challenged Him “If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross. … He saved others; He cannot save Himself” (Matthew 27:40b, 42a). Jesus did not save Himself. He did not come down from the cross. He confronted the torrent of destruction and the snare of death that trapped us. The entangling cords of death were lifted from us and placed on Jesus. By His death and resurrection, Jesus broke the chains of sin and death. God heard our prayers for help and came down to save us. By faith, Jesus’ victory has become our victory. We have been rescued. “Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” (1 Corinthians 15:57).
WE PRAY: Lord, I cried for help and You rescued me. Strengthen me daily to serve You by serving others. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler.
Reflection Questions:
- Have you ever felt completely entangled in sin?
- Did you seek—and find—God’s mercy in your predicament? What Scriptures were key for you during this difficult period?
- How has God shown the world grace, mercy, and peace through the work of Jesus Christ?
|
