The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of destruction assailed me; the cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me.
In my distress I called upon the LORD; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears. Psalm 18:4-6
With these words David recalls, first of all, the perils he had faced and secondly the God who heard his cry. David’s life was not characterized by peace and luxury but rather by danger, hardships and action. As a boy he risked life and limb defending his family’s sheep. As a teen he fought a giant. As a man he was pursued by a jealous, spear-wielding king. As the King of Israel he defended the people from the enemies surrounding them while dealing with rebellions stemming from his own family line.
Time and again David encountered near death experiences. Time and again David’s adversaries threatened to undo him. But David knew what his adversaries did not. For even while David was at his weakest, he knew that God was strong to save. Here in this Psalm, David relates to us the saving acts and power of our God so that we might know that our God is mighty to save and might call upon him in time of need.