Psalm 18:1 I love you, Lord, my strength.
We get a different form of love in today’s verse. To date we have learned extensively about the Greek agape (perfect love) and had one day where we had the Greek phileo (brotherly love). In the Hebrew we have had chesed. Today we have a new form, racham. This form implies a deep, passionate affect that often is characterized as unconditional, like a parent has for a child.
Our psalm that our statement of love was taken from was written by David and uses the statement for I love you, or erachamka. It is a deeply intimate statement, compassionate and full of tenderness. Using this form, it suggests an intense, active devotion and not just an emotional response. It is generally translated into English in the present tense of I love you, while some translations render it as I will love you in the future tense.
David takes the concept of loving God beyond the covenant love of the Law and expresses devotion. We see his heart for God and get a deeper sense of why he was known as a man after God’s heart, which we wouldn’t have seen had we not looked at the original language.
He goes on to call God his strength, showing his intimate connection to the Maker, our stronghold and fortress. God was his deliverer, as he penned this after being delivered from his enemies, including King Saul. He goes on to call Him things like rock, fortress, deliverer, and shield, showing how God truly was his strength in tough times.
What about you? Do you see God as your strength and deliverer? This verse serves as a reminder for us to turn to God for strength when we face distress and difficulties. You don’t need to feel overwhelmed or alone when we have a God waiting to step in and rescue us from whatever we face. Let Him be what your soul needs and let your love be a genuine response to His greatness.
Prayer: Lord, I love you more than I can express with words. Thank You for being my strength and deliverer in times of trouble. Amen
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