Growing up to Peace

As I have mentioned before I have been 'unpacking' Psalm 18. The deeper into it I have gotten the more fascinating it has become. I have also been increasingly seeing Psalm 18 as almost a 'diary' of a person who is 'growing up' spiritually. There are some growing pains and interactions and reactions during that recorded process. But the farther along in this study I have gotten the more I am convinced that the 'story' recorded here is quite familiar in all who 'grow up' in Christ. We may not be chased around the country in a physical sense as David was chased by king Saul, but we can be chased in a spiritual sense. Yet the main 'story line' thus far (I'm almost to verse 40) is not so much one of disconnected battles and chases, etc. but rather a distinct growing process with the author becoming more and more like God through each new experience.

There have been a lot of 'surprises' when I have been looking up Hebrew meanings, but there was one word used in KJV that at first baffled me when I looked at its Hebrew meaning.

The word was translated in KJV as 'strength' as used in verse 32 & 39. The root Hebrew word used here means 'twist, whirl, dance in an intensity'.

I won't bore you with all the details but here is my present understanding of those texts with a few texts around them to help give a context. I put in bold the places where 'strength' is in KJV.



31. Is there any other god except the Almighty, Self-Existent One? Is anyone else such a protection as the Supreme Creator?
32. My Creator encompassed me - like hugging me with strong arms and whirling me around in joy - and He puts me into His harmonious way of living.
33. He empowers me to move forward, like a deer, to achieve my high goals.
34. He stimulates and urges me to use the power and means I have received from Him to fight, so that even severe and difficult opposition sinks down through my growing efforts.
35. God, You place your saving protection around me; Your stronger side supports me, and your modest, gentle purity increases my confidence in You.
36. You have broadened my living experiences so I no longer wander.
37-38. I went after those who hate me and confronted them: I didn't stop until they were vanquished; I didn't back off until the negative spirit was subdued and destroyed and could not rise again: it fell down under this approach.
39. You have encompassed me - like hugging me with Your strong arms and whirling me around in joy - for this consuming engagement: You have humbled and prostrated beneath me those whose who tried to betray me.

As I thought about a verse 39 experience You have encompassed me - like hugging me with Your strong arms and whirling me around in JOY I recalled when I would meet a special friend after a long absence. I would be so excited to see them and we would often share a hug and maybe even 'dance' a little impromptu as we would meet. I also put that definition into Nehemiah 8:10 "The JOY of the Lord is your strength." In that context the 'hug' I receive from Jesus as He whirls me around in His arms, at least in a spiritual sense, is a source of strength - my source of real strength.

And then as I 'relax' into the arms of Jesus, my confidence growing with each repeat performance of that kind of sharing of strength, my peace is also increasing. I can trust that kind of a God. I can 'rest in His love'. I can have increasing confidence in His leading, guiding and way of living for me.

As I have mentioned before, JOY and PEACE work together in growing my capacity to face life. Therefore whatever enhances my JOY and PEACE enables me to 'grow up'.

There is far more than just being 'hugged' and 'whirled around' by Jesus in His intense JOY and true peace. It is, however, a beginning that thus far sounds very good to me.

I am also becoming more aware that I don't know very much the depths of real 'peace', but what I have learned so far sounds VERY GOOD and I want much more.

Hope to share more soon.

Bringer of Peace