The Bible opens with these words about God.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters (Genesis 1:1-2)
The waters, whether they were a river or a sea, were viewed to be sources of chaos and threat. The creation story declares that God’s Spirit is in control of the chaos and threats in life.
When David recounted the many experiences of his life, he praised God for delivering him from waters that were too mighty for him.
He reached from on high; he took me;
he drew me out of mighty waters.
He delivered me from my strong enemy,
from those who hated me,
for they were too mighty for me.
They came upon me in the day of my calamity,
but the Lord was my stay.
He brought me out into a broad place;
he delivered me because he delighted in me. (2 Samuel 22:17-20)
After a very long Sunday, I was driving from the church I served in Mississippi back to New Orleans. There are twin bridges that cross Lake Pontchartrain from Slidell to New Orleans. I remember waking up while driving 80 mph on that bridge and seeing the tail lights of a car that I had passed. I don’t remember falling asleep.
I became instantly awake and told God, “I won’t do that again.”
I can recall many more stories of how God drew me out of the mighty waters that could have swallowed me up. Like David, if the Lord were not my stay—the present strength in my life—I would have been “toast” a long time ago.
What is your story? How has God delivered you from the chaos of life? When did He rescue you from forces more mighty than you could handle? Today is a good day to recall these times and thank God for His faithfulness.
Not Sinless, but Righteous Still
The next part of David’s prayer may be difficult for us to pray, especially when we consider our inherent sinful nature.
The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he recompensed me.
For I have kept the ways of the Lord
and have not wickedly departed from my God.
For all his ordinances were before me,
and from his statutes I did not turn aside.
I was blameless before him,
and I kept myself from guilt.
Therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness,
according to my cleanness in his sight. (2 Samuel 22:21-25)
A little theology helps us understand David’s prayer.
He knows deep in his soul that he committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband killed to cover up his behavior. He is keenly aware that many men have died at the end of his sword.
How can he claim to be righteous? How can he declare that he has kept the ways of the Lord?
First, he is more righteous than those who opposed him—Saul, Absalom, and the Philistines who sought to take his life. His claim to righteousness is comparative, and that serves as the basis of his appeal to God.
Second, when David claimed to “have kept the ways of the Lord,” he was referring to not resorting to idolatry. David had many character flaws, but he never turned to other gods for help.
These two reasons explain why David could claim to be rewarded for his righteousness.
Righteousness in the New Testament
Rather than declaring that he stood in right standing before God like David, Paul analyzed his conflicted nature and cried out:
“Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24)
He recognized that his righteousness was received as a gift of God’s grace, not achieved through his own efforts.
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—not the result of works, so that no one may boast (Ephesians 2:8–9).
When we recall our lives as David did, we may join the great British preacher Charles Spurgeon and simply say, “All is grace.”
Like Paul, Spurgeon, and the multitudes after them, we recognize that God’s grace is designed to shape us into Christlikeness.
For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we may walk in them (Ephesians 2:10).
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, Bruce’s son-in-law Alex, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 