Mid-life gives us an opportunity to look back, draw conclusions and think about the remaining years that lie ahead of us. Such reflection should have at least two results – growth in wisdom and the praise of God.
David in mid-life did just that. His reflections are recorded in 2 Samuel 22. One writer observes, “Its setting in 2 Samuel indicates that it is intended as a crowning celebration of David’s exploits” that looks back across his life.
David’s ” personal expression of gratitude to the Lord” is adapted almost word for word in Psalm 18 for the people of God to use, perhaps
Because their well-being is now tied to the offspring of David (2 Sam. 7:4–17). When God’s people sang this, then, they were to give thanks for the Davidic line and to pray that its heirs would be faithful to the Lord and would be valiant military leaders, so that Israel might carry out its God-given purpose of bringing light to the Gentiles (ESV Study Bible)
The Psalm is quoted once in the New Testament, giving it a,
Latent messianic meaning, and the deliverance of God’s anointed from ‘the cords of death’ (vv. 5–6) finds deeper significance in the deliverance of Jesus from death itself (Psalms 1-50, Craigie).
The Psalm is amazingly God-centered. David realized that whatever success he’d had in life had been due to God. God was the one who had delivered him time and again from death, God was the one who gave him the gifts and abilities he had, God was the one who trained him for his life work, God was the one who gave him success, God’s favor (”right hand”) supported him and his “gentleness” made David great (vs 35).
1) Reflection on all of this made David humble.
He came to realize that God “saves the humble and brings low those who are haughty” (vs 27).
2) Reflection on all of this led David to praise God
He did this through his Psalm. Notice his desire for the “hallowing” of God’s name among the nations of the world, The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation (vs 45)….For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations, and sing to your name (vs 49)
