The last part of the Scripture we studied yesterday, is the whole reason that we want “the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart [to] be acceptable in God’s sight”; because He is “my rock and my Redeemer” (Ps 19:14).
I am reminded of another Scripture, “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” (Ps 18:2) A rock was of help to the ancient Judean in several ways. It could provide:
- Essential shade, always needed in the merciless sun and heat of the desert. “Each will be like a refuge from the wind and a shelter from the storm, like streams of water in a dry country, like the shade of a huge rock in a parched land.” (Is 32:2);
- Shelter and protection in its cracks and crevasses: “and it will come about, while My glory is passing by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by.” (Ex 33:22); and
- A firm place to stand and fight, as opposed to sinking sand: “He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, and He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. (Ps 40:2)
A rock can also be a stumbling stone. “For this is contained in Scripture: ‘Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone, and he who believes in Him will not be disappointed.’ This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, ‘The stone which the builders rejected, this became the very corner stone’, and, ‘A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense’; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the Word, and to this doom they were also appointed.'” (1 Pet 2:6-8) Peter affirms that Jesus is the one Isaiah pointed to, the cornerstone of the building God is completing at this very moment. In Christ, our sins are covered, and our purpose is clear; we are part of the house built by God, the house that will never fall.
Believing in the cornerstone is an honor for Christians. Jesus is of precious value to God. As believers, He becomes our precious value, as well. Through faith, we share in His honor. But for those who do not believe in Christ, who do not place their faith in Him, the cornerstone serves a very different purpose. All who reject Jesus, who refuse to place their faith in Him, will stumble over Him. “Then He shall become a sanctuary; but to both the houses of Israel, a stone to strike and a rock to stumble over, and a snare and a trap for the inhabitants of Jerusalem.” (Is 8:14)
Those who reject Christ as the only path to God the Father, will stumble over Him. He is either THE way to God, or the obstacle that prevents one from reaching God, because He is “the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6).
David knew the triumph of God’s strength over the long trial. Knowing that David saw his God as his strength reminds us of the promise later expressed through Paul: “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might” (Eph 6:10). David both knew God and had experienced God; knowing the Lord was his shield (who defends both his head and his heart); the horn of his salvation (his strength and defense); and his stronghold (his high tower of refuge where he could see an enemy from a great distance and be protected from the adversary).
David addresses the Lord as his rock and his Redeemer because he recognized that the Lord was the provider of his security and his salvation. By shedding His blood on the cross, Jesus is our Redeemer (1 Pet 1:18-19), and as our living Lord He keeps us safe. He is our source for all that we have and are!
Seeking Passionate Prayer in Spiritual Warfare 
August 15, 2020 at 10:20 pm
Wow!Thanks a lot for the Blessed post,a real boost for spiritual upliftment to grow in faith and strength with his infinite love,mercy and power.🌹👍🙏
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