Poetry by Isaac Watts based on PSALM 18

PART 1

Victory and triumph over temporal enemies.

We love thee, Lord, and we adore;
Now is thine arm revealed:
Thou art our strength, our heav’nly tower,
Our bulwark, and our shield.

We fly to our eternal Rock,
And find a sure defence;
His holy name our lips invoke,
And draw salvation thence.

When God, our Leader, shines in arms,
What mortal heart can bear
The thunder of his loud alarms,
The lightning of his spear?

He rides upon the winged wind,
And angels in array
In millions wait to know his mind,
And swift as flames obey.

He speaks, and at his fierce rebuke
Whole armies are dismayed;
His voice, his frown, his angry look,
Strikes all their courage dead.

He forms our generals for the field,
With all their dreadful skill;
Gives them his awful sword to wield,
And makes their hearts of steel.

[He arms our captains to the fight,
(Though there his name’s forgot;
He girded Cyrus with his might,
But Cyrus knew him not.)

Oft has the Lord whole nations blessed
For his own church’s sake;
The powers that give his people rest,
Shall of his care partake.]

PART 2

The conqueror’s Song.

To thine almighty arm we owe
The triumphs of the day;
Thy terrors, Lord, confound the foe,
And melt their strength away.

‘Tis by thine aid our troops prevail,
And break united powers,
Or burn their boasted fleets, or scale
The proudest of their towers.

How have we chased them through the field,
And trod them to the ground,
While thy salvation was our shield,
But they no shelter found!

In vain to idol saints they cry,
And perish in their blood
Where is a rock so great, so high,
So powerful as our God?

The Rock of Isr’el ever lives,
His name be ever blest;
‘Tis his own arm the vict’ry gives,
And gives his people rest.

On kings that reign as David did,
He pours his blessings down;
Secures their honors to their seed,
And well supports the crown.

---

Reflection

This psalm is a combination of a shield (of faith in God) and a sword (assurance in God’s Word). It is perfectly equipped to give you the victory over the storms of life. There is a stark contrast between the power of God and the distresses we face. Whatever our challenges God is greater, stronger and wiser!

Prayer for yourself and people on your prayer list…

• The Lord lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let the God of my salvation be exalted (Psalm 18:46)
• We will love You, O Lord, our strength (Psalm 18:1)
• The Lord is our rock and our fortress and our deliverer
• We call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; this is how we are saved from our enemies (Psalm 18:3)

Amen