One of the cute things about younger kids is when they speak of events in such a dramatic way. Events can take on an earth shattering importance, even things that are relatively mundane or are playful thoughts (“and then a GIANT T-REX…”) are presented with passion and drama. Sadly, although for the necessary sake of participating in meetings and other adult things, most of us grow out of this way of speaking.
Worse still, we lose our understanding of the dramatic even when we come to God’s work in history. King David did not do so. In the first part of 1 Samuel 22, which is also found in Psalms (18), David spoke of God’s protection of him. Rather than use a strictly historical account, David spoke poetically of God’s mighty intervention on his behalf. His words remind us to think the same way of God’s intervention in our own lives. It truly is mighty and dramatic.
The mighty and dramatic nature of God’s intervention in David’s life is indicated by the very first verse, where David’s song is addressed to God as in response to when “the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul” (v.1). While much of the books of Samuel indicate David’s giftedness and generally wise leadership, David clearly viewed God as the one doing all the heavy lifting.
The very first verses of David’s song dramatically proclaim God as a rock, a fortress, a deliverer (v.3). His God in whom he relies and takes refuge (v.3). A source of strength in salvation and a saviour from violence (v.3). For this, David viewed God as worthy of praise, because it was God who had saved David from his enemies (v.4).
David then spoke of the extreme distress he found himself in as like “waves of death…torrents of destruction; the cords of Sheol… the snares of death” (vv.5-6). These are extremely poetic and dramatic descriptions of real events. David’s many years of fleeing Saul’s constant pursuit and persecution (1 Sam. 18-31). It was like death constantly tracked him like a sniffer dog in a fugitive movie.
But God was there to save him in his distress, when David called out God listened (v.7).
And what of God’s deliverance? It too was dramatic. Using language which sounds like the story of God’s descent upon Mount Sinai (Ex. 19), David described God’s intervention in powerful and dramatic terms.
The heavens and earth shook and trembled, smoke and devouring fire approached (vv.8-9). The heavens bowed under his weight as he came like a warrior, draped in fearful darkness and elements (vv.10-13). God’s intervention is so dramatic that all of Creation is profoundly affected.
Nor could God’s acts of deliverance be described as quiet and cautious. God thundered from heaven, scattering and routing David’s enemies with lightning arrows (vv.14-15). His rebuke exposed the foundations of the world and ocean (v.16).
God rescued David from the waters (a picture of drowning), and rescued him from the strong enemy who was too mighty for him in his own strength (vv.17-18). His enemies confronted David but he had his Covenant God as his support, taking him out of a place of confinement and threat into “a broad place” (vv.19-20). God rescued David, “because he delighted in me” (v.20).
These are not literalistic historic recounts of God’s savings acts for David, but they are certainly a true account. They emphasise the dramatic intervention of God in his might to confound all of David’s enemies, foreign and domestic, who sought his harm.
They emphasise that it was God who heard his distress. It was God who intervened and powerfully answered. It was God who punished and delivered David from his distress. And it was God who was his support that he could rely on, because he could not defeat his foes.
These are certainly dramatic words. They speak with poetry and passion of God’s intervention on David’s behalf. They describe his salvation from a greater foe by a mightier God who intervened for his servant.
The question is, do we think about God’s intervention in history in the same way? Sometimes, I fear, we get caught up in getting our theological I’s dotted and T’s crossed and mislay the passion that should accompany our praise.
What could be more dramatic than God’s breaking into history by taking to himself humanity, and then powerfully defeating death at the Cross? Read the Gospel accounts and see God’s mighty power affect the elements in Christ’s miracles, and the very Creation affected as Christ suffered on the Cross to bear the penalty for our sins!
Consider the work of God in our lives. Taking hearts of stone and giving us hearts of flesh. Transforming our lives day by day to look more like Christ. When we were helpless and unable to defeat sin and death, Jesus did it for us.
God’s work of salvation for us is truly mighty and magnificent. His savings acts for us are dramatic!
