Monday Reflection – May 03, 2021 Rolling Back the Curtain

They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me. 2 Samuel 22:19-20
Roll back the curtain of memory now and thenShow me where you brought me from and where I could have beenJust remember I’m a human and humans forgetSo remind me, remind me dear Lord.
This song may best describe this Psalm of praise by David in 2 Samuel 22. The Psalm appears almost as David’s final words. Thus, it is a summary thanksgiving for God’s many deliverances of David throughout his long life. This song is the same as Psalm 18, with minor variations. David looks back on his entire life with tremendous gratitude and sings this song. It is a summary of David’s whole character and attitude through life. Morgan shares that David possesses a strong conviction of the absolute sovereignty of Jehovah, of God’s omnipotent power to deliver, of the necessity for obedience to His law, and of assurance that in the case of such obedience God ever acts for His people. This constituted the underlying strength of David’s character.
David piles title upon title in praising God – such as rock, fortress, deliverer, shield, stronghold, refuge, Saviour. God’s work for David was so big and comprehensive that it could not be contained in one title. This reveals that that which David sings is more than theory, it is personal experience. God delivered David from so much, for example Goliath, Saul, Israel’s enemies, Absalom, and even his own sinful passions. We would do well to recognize that God takes us through some stuff so that the words from scripture may come alive, and the songs we sing become more meaningful.
David recalls how danger surrounded him on every side – physically, spiritually, emotionally, socially. He was on the brink of ruin when he cried out to God. The enemy of our soul wants us to believe that we cannot call upon the Lord in our distress – as if we had to be right with God and sitting peacefully in a prayer chapel to pray rightly. David knew that God hears our distress signals. Impressively, David magnificently describes God rising from his throne in heaven in response to his servant’s cry, parting the clouds, and descending to fight the king’s battles accompanied by earthquakes, thunder, storms and lightning. David pictures the Lord coming to meet his need, coming with glory and speed. He came so fast to David that it seemed that God travelled upon the wings of the wind. What a God to our rescue!!!
The Psalmist possesses confidence in the love of God. Such love God has for us that he won’t tolerate the distress of His beloved. David knew that all the victory was due to God’s hand, not due to his own ingenuity or ability. Without the Lord for support David knew he would fall. He had a sense of God’s delight in him. His plea for deliverance was rooted in relationship, not merely in a desire to survive. What do we see when we look back on our lives? What do we recall as we roll back the curtains? Who do we see? I trust that we see a loving God who journeys right alongside us, leading, guiding, correcting, protecting, delivering, providing, supporting, strengthening, enabling and empowering us. And may we never fail to give to God all the praise and glory that He so rightly deserves.
Jermaine Gibson