The Psalm 18 collection is meant to be a simple and practical nudge toward greater intimacy and devotion with the Father. We recommend doing this devotional challenge sequentially. Pick a time every day, preferably in the morning, and guard it fiercely! Challenge yourself to give your time and energy to meet with the Living God.

Read through Psalm 18 as you prepare for the daily devotional.

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Every time I come across the phrase, “I love you,” in the Psalms, I stop and pray those words back to the King. Although it’s simple prayer, it is powerful, profound, and packed with transformational impact.

Do you think David is being too dramatic here? Or is he speaking the truth without hiding? The imagery of the ropes of death and the floods of destruction might strike you as over-the-top, but I think David is capturing a very tangible part of the human experience.

As good as it is to let God’s word speak to us in our hearts and minds, it's also worthwhile to get out of our heads, set aside our circumstances, and just worship a holy God.

Such power stirs worship, but it also reminds us that God is not small or tame. For all the ways he shows his tenderness and gentleness, we are reminded that his comfort is not an expression of his timidity but a measure of his great love.

God rescued you because he delighted in you. He chose to save you not because of anything you did, deserved, or earned. You couldn’t prove your worth to God, and you didn’t need to. God simply loved you and chose you.

The truth is that nothing and no one can lead us to holiness but God. We cannot make ourselves righteous by anything we say or do. God has to work it in us. David understood that all he could do was stay close to God’s word, trusting that God would work holiness in him.

The truth is that in our own strength we are unfaithful, but God gives us his righteousness through Christ Jesus the Son. Ephesians 2:8 (ESV) says: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.”

This is the delivering power of God! Prayer is a particular place where God lets us see what he can already see: the path ahead, the hope of freedom, and the strength for victory.

David walked with God before the prophets, the gospels, and the New Testament writings. Some of the most hope-filled words in the Bible come after Psalm 18, but the promise of God was there from the beginning.

Who is a rock, if not our God? Has any other refuge proved as faithful as God? Has there ever been anyone other than our Lord who is named God? No! There is only one! And he has provided everything you need. He has made you blameless. He has redeemed you. He has given you strength.

God is ready and able to prepare you for the fight, but it gets better. Ultimately, the fight will be too great for us alone. God knows this, so he has given you the shield of salvation—that means Jesus.

Do we want him to be our defender? This will require great power to be on display from God. The truth is that God can only be gentle and safe if he is righteous and just. The only way we can trust that he is good is if he shows integrity against evil.

It’s easy to see the spiritual battle as hopelessly overwhelming, but God is not discouraged. Whatever holds you captive is nothing more than an enemy that is about to come trembling out of its fortress at the news that God’s kingdom is here.

Verse 46 is a perfect verse to pray back to God in faith: “The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation!” As you pray this prayer, the declaration will help your soul and spirit come into alignment with the truth that God loves you and that God will deliver you.

One of the greatest joys of belonging to Jesus is sharing how the steadfast love of God brought deliverance and freedom. When people hear your testimonies of God’s victory, they should hear worship.