Do you see this?

Wow, today when I read from 2 Samuel 22 I was surprised, okay, perhaps shocked. When I started reading it I thought, hmm... this will be a song of praise for God delivering David, after all it starts out with this line:

1And David spoke to the LORD the words of this song on the day when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul.

I thought, this will be a simple psalm of praise to God.

I didn't expect
1. to ask myself how I thank God when he rescues me from trouble. (usually a simple thank you, not this depth of thanks that David uses). SHAME on me for that. How does my simple thank you to God show my gratitude for the glory he showed at helping me?

"The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
3 my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of my salvation,
my stronghold and my refuge,
my savior; you save me from violence.
4I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised,
and I am saved from my enemies.

5 "For the waves of death encompassed me,
the torrents of destruction assailed me;
6 the cords of Sheol entangled me;
the snares of death confronted me.

7 "In my distress I called upon the LORD;
to my God I called.
From his temple he heard my voice,
and my cry came to his ears.

Do you see the depths of David's thankfulness to God?

and
2. to see God differently.
Yes, I know that God comes to my aid when I call out to him. I know this. But seeing here the depths of God's anger at those who go after his own.... well it shocked me.

8"Then the earth reeled and rocked;
the foundations of the heavens trembled
and quaked, because he was angry.
9Smoke went up from his nostrils,
and devouring fire from his mouth;
glowing coals flamed forth from him.
10 He bowed the heavens and came down;
thick darkness was under his feet.
11He rode on a cherub and flew;
he was seen on the wings of the wind.
12He made darkness around him his canopy,
thick clouds, a gathering of water.
13Out of the brightness before him
coals of fire flamed forth.
14 The LORD thundered from heaven,
and the Most High uttered his voice.
15And he sent out arrows and scattered them;
lightning, and routed them.
16Then the channels of the sea were seen;
the foundations of the world were laid bare,
at the rebuke of the LORD,
at the blast of the breath of his nostrils.

Perhaps I shouldn't be surprised at God's anger. As a mom I get angry when people oppose my boy when he's done naught wrong, or when they chastise him for no good reason, or even when another lad comes up and grabs a toy out of hands and then throws it away not playing with it.

But somehow it seems different to me, that my God gets angry when I am attacked. I feel stunned inside. Like, why would he get angry over me?

And then I read further:

He brought me out into a broad place;
he rescued me, because he delighted in me.

Imagine that! God delights in me. And then further on I learn why:

"The LORD dealt with me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me.
22⁽ For I have kept the ways of the LORD
and have not wickedly departed from my God.
23 For all his rules were before me,
and from his statutes I did not turn aside.
24I was blameless before him,
and I kept myself from guilt.
25 And the LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
according to my cleanness in his sight.

If we love God, we will live the way that he wants us to. God will see us, God will see that we have stuck with him regardless, and he will reward us for that. He delights in the obedience and loyalty and guiltlessness of his own. And he helps us to live as his own.

32"For who is God, but the LORD?
And who is a rock, except our God?
33This God is my strong refuge
and has made my way blameless.

Hmmm.... I needed I think to have my eyes opened this morning to the delight that God takes in me as I live the way the he himself helps me to. Rather neat that. Helps me to flesh out a bit my songs of praise to God, knowing more of the depth of care that God has for me.