If you turn in your copy of God's Word to Psalm 18, I believe that's on page 536 of your Bibles. We'll read the first six verses this evening. Let's give attention once again to the Holy Word of God. To the choir master, a psalm of David, the servant of the Lord, who addressed the words of this song to the Lord on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said, I love you, O Lord, my strength. 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. I call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies. 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. As far in the word of God, amen. Please be seated. Would you pray with me? Father and our God, we come now to a short passage, and yet one that is critical to our lives in Christ. Holy Spirit, help us open up this, your Word, that we may see the foundation, the basis, the reason for our love for you. Grant us this tonight, we ask in Christ's name. Amen. Consider the scene for a moment. David, not yet king, was loved by the present king, King Saul. David was the one who slayed the tempter of Israel, the giant Goliath. He was the one who had gone out and defeated thousands of Philistines. He was the one who used his harp to calm the restless spirit of King Saul. And then all of a sudden, King Saul thrust his spear at David, trying to pin him against the wall, trying to take his life, seeking his blood. Saul now having this dramatic and deadly change of heart, his spirit completely flipped, no longer calling upon David to soothe his soul, but calling upon the army of Israel to bring David's head to him. all so that Saul might remain king. It might be difficult to grasp tonight the dire situation of being hunted down like an animal that David suffered through for years, hiding in caves, living in enemy territory, on the run. Nearly one half of the entire book of 1 Samuel is devoted to this account of death knocking on David's door constantly. Beginning in 1 Samuel 18 and continuing through 31, the inspired writer recalls of Saul's dogged pursuit of David's blood. Have you experienced anything like that? Like David, constantly running, fleeing from the enemy, hiding here and there. In one sense, we all have. Everyone here is being pursued by death as a result of your sin. Like Saul, death is in persistent pursuit of you. But death did not win. Not that day. The psalm was written by the inspired King David, who pended on that day when he was delivered from all of his enemies, including King Saul. These first six verses of Psalm 18 form a title, a headline, really, for the remainder of the psalm, of the song. And it was and is a song of praise. on the day of deliverance. It's a song of love and devotion as David proclaims his love for God, his Savior, his Deliverer, and professes himself to the Lord as his servant. It causes you to ask a question tonight. Do you love God? Do you love the Lord Jesus Christ? Like Peter, you might be saying silently to yourself, why do you ask this question, Lord? You know that I love you. If that was your response, why? Why do you love God? Why do you love the Lord Jesus Christ? You might think that that to be a simple, even a nonsensical question. But our sin nature draws every person, it inclines you away from loving the Lord. Our corrupt condition does that. What draws you to Him? This text, these first six verses in this worshipful song call each one of us to ask that question to ourselves, why? Why do I love? Why do I desire to serve the risen Christ? As Jesus closes his sermon on the mount, recorded in Matthew's gospel, he refers to many who will say to him, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not cast out demons in your name and do many mighty works in your name? And he will say to these, I never knew you. Depart from me. You see, these never truly loved the Lord Jesus, as they found no ground, no basis, no reason, no foundation in their self-righteous, foolish hearts. As we go through these six verses tonight, ask yourself, why? Why do I love the Lord Jesus? Tonight I want us to see that the Lord delivers all who call upon Him in loving worship. The Lord delivers all who call upon Him in loving worship. See that tonight in three points. First, the loving servant knows the Lord. Secondly, the loving servant calls upon the Lord. And finally, the loving servant is heard by the Lord. Well, first, the loving servant knows the Lord. Look at the title, To the Choir Master, A Psalm of David, the Servant of the Lord. David has the privilege of referring to himself as the servant, as if he were the only one, the only one who truly and affectionately serves the living God. David knows his status. As he penned this psalm, as the inspiration fills David by the Spirit, he knows his status, he knows his estate, he knows his standing before the God of creation, a servant. of the Lord, Yahweh, Jehovah, the covenant-making, the covenant-keeping God of creation, the one who told Abraham, I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant to be God to you and to your offspring after you. David knew he was the offspring of Abraham, and thus a servant. A servant is submissive and obedient to his master. To truly submit and obey, the servant must know the one he serves. To truly serve, a servant must desire to submit And this desire follows his knowledge of the Lord as the one he can and does trust in. Look at that first verse. I love you, O Lord. You don't find words in that fashion often in Scripture. Not quite like this. The psalmist immediately opens his heart. These are the first words of the psalm. We have the title, yes, but then the song, the psalm itself opens with these words. These are the first words of the psalmist, the first words to be sung. I love you, O Lord. The basis for those words to his profession will follow, but the inspired writer was so moved by the grace-filled deliverance, the grace-filled delivering love of the Lord that he must proclaim his love immediately, first. No other words could come before these. No other expression would do. I love you, Lord. He must respond to the loving kindness of the living God with this declaration in worshipful song. I love you, Lord. How often do you open your prayers this way? Before you ask for something, how often do you begin with an outburst of your love for your Savior? I love you, Lord. This comes from David's experience. comes from David's suffering. Remember the deadly pursuit of Saul. Remember how David constantly ran from here to there, ending up in the camp of the enemy of the Israelites to hide from his former friend, who is now his hunter. David was always serving the Lord, even in that condition. Even when Saul was upon David. Even when Saul was within David's grip, The servant was seeking to do that which was pleasing to the Lord. Remember, there are occasions, two occasions, when David could have killed Saul and he lets him live because he was submitting himself to the Lord. How? How could he do that? Why? Because David was constantly experiencing the Lord as his personal deliverer. Notice how many times the psalmist, David, uses the word, the personal pronoun, my. I count nine times in two verses. I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, my deliverer, my God, my rock, my shield, my salvation, my stronghold. The repetition is emphatic. David claims God as his own, as was covenantally promised, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. The servant was first, the one served. So David knows the Lord as his righteous strength and shield. All the words used to describe the Lord here point to his strength and his power and stability and the impenetrable protection that he had provided to David on the run. Rock, fortress, refuge, shield, horn, stronghold. The Lord is all of these things to David. David knows the Lord as all of these things he experienced in his deliverance. These attributes then form the basis, the foundation of David's love for the Lord, that which he's proclaimed. Yes, he's been delivered, and that is the occasion for the song of praise, but on what basis was David delivered, or in what way was he delivered? David was delivered in righteousness, in purity. in and through divine justice. And the Lord didn't allow David to sin by striking Saul, the Lord's anointed. All of these attributes point to righteousness, the purity, the holiness of the Lord. There's no refuge in wickedness and evil and darkness. Do you see how these all point to Jesus Christ? All of these descriptors, all of these words, this act of deliverance must bring us to Jesus Christ tonight. For isn't that the real reason for David's deliverance? You say, well, the Lord was working in getting him out of those traps. Of course, yes. But David is ultimately writing about spiritual deliverance, isn't he? He wasn't delivered because he was a personally good person. He wasn't delivered because he was a righteous man. No, he was ultimately delivered from his enemy death because of the righteousness of Christ, Jesus. Jesus was righteous in being the rock. Jesus was righteous in being the shield. Jesus was a righteous fortress. Jesus was righteous in providing his body and his blood as the stronghold. Do you know Jesus this way? Do you know Jesus as my rock, as my fortress, as my deliverer? Is this the foundation of your love? It's one thing to read of David's knowledge of his experience, but it's quite another to know Jesus experientially this way for yourself. Do you see? If you do not know the Lord this way as your rock, as your stronghold, as your salvation, your love for Jesus is baseless. If you don't know the Lord as the one whose precious blood provides an impenetrable shield, a covering over your sins, If you don't know the Lord Jesus Christ as your fortress who protects you from Satan's deadly darts and flaming arrows, then there is no foundation. Any love you proclaim will not last. It will not be a forever love. You must see the connection tonight between the love David has for the Lord and the attributes named, or the way in which the Lord is David's. These can't be separated. David loves and now is able to tell others. Are you asking yourself, why do I love the Lord Jesus? It brings us to our second point, the loving servant calls upon the Lord. Okay, verse three. In a sense, it's a sub-headline. I call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies. It is a headline for the remainder of the psalm. It's a centerpiece. And the reason for David's call is set forth in the next verses. 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. See, these verses explain the heartfelt experience of David. We can go back to 1 Samuel and uncover all of the circumstances that David was in, all of the dire straits, the death that was pressing in upon him by Saul's hand. Yes, but these short verses, verses 4-6a describe the condition of David's heart as he was being hunted like a dog. How difficult is it for you to describe what's going on in your heart when you're in turmoil? Consider how the images portrayed by David really convey what you experience when the waters are deep and you're called to wade through them. Chords of death encompassed me. Torrents of destruction assailed me. Chords of sheol entangled me. Snares of death confronted me. Again, the use of me each time tells the reader that this was David's personal experience. Each description describes an inescapable encasement. David's heart was bound up. completely occupied and surrounded by death and destruction, and now he calls upon the only Deliverer. You see, David mentions now only one. The psalmist's cry is not to men, the psalmist's cry is not for personal strength No, ultimately, as death is the enemy, the cry is only to the sure deliverer. I call upon the Lord who's worthy to be praised. Did you see that? I call upon the Lord and I am saved, sandwiches in what I would say would be critical thing to take away tonight, who is worthy to be praised. It's the center. It's the answer to the question, isn't it? Why do you love the Lord? Why do you obey the Lord? David provides the answer. He alone is worthy to be praised. And that's why he alone is worthy to be called upon. You see how David calls? He calls in a loving, worshipful posture. He doesn't describe the way his body is. No, no, that's not what I'm saying. But because he alone is God, the Lord alone is worthy, there's a sense that if David were not delivered, Because the Lord is worthy of worship, that he would still pen this psalm, that worship would yet be given, that this song would nevertheless be sung. Think of the three who are standing before Nebuchadnezzar's statue of gold and told to bow down and worship it. And what do they say to the king? Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of your hand, O King, but if not. Do they recognize that it might not be the Lord's will to deliver us, and yet we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image because they knew there was only one who was worthy of worship? It's like Job. In his misery, he says, though he slay me, I will hope in him. The Lord is worthy. David calls upon him in loving worship. In troubles afoot, who do you call upon? When you feel as though death is stalking, is pursuing you, who do you seek? Like David, there's only one. Jesus is the only one whom weak, filthy sinners can find strength in and take refuge from the storm. It's only Jesus Christ who's able to truly deliver one from the snares of death and eternal destruction. And thus, brothers and sisters, I must say tonight, plead, plead for pure, innocent, unblemished blood to cover you. How do you call upon Him? Is it in love? Is it in unconditional love? Do you call upon Him to receive or merely because He is the living God with whom you long to commune? That is love. That's a description of the love of Jesus for His Father, isn't it? Think of his prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. He was so earnest, so desiring of remaining in communion with his father. He wasn't asking for anything, but just communicating his desire to remain in fellowship with him. Is that how you call upon the Lord? in worshipful, unconditional love. That brings us to our third point. The loving servant is heard by the Lord. It appears by David's description that his life is fading away. It appears that all is lost. The cry is faint. The heart is weak. He might have even been asking himself at that moment, can anyone hear? Would anyone come? Would anyone care? You may have asked these questions of yourself in times of trouble. But David cries out, and is heard by the one who dwells above the heavens. From his temple, he heard my voice. My cry to him reached his ears." Again, the personal pronouns used are important. My voice, my cry, his ears. David's voice now penetrates and enters into the ears of the living God, even when death had its grip on David. How could David be so confident? How could he be confident that the Lord heard him and would answer his call? It's only because David knew the living God as the deliverer of his covenant people, that David knew the Lord delivers all those who truly love him. Can you be sure that the Lord will hear you? Death is coming. The truth is that everyone is in distress. Everyone is under the oppressive hand of death. We're all sinners and have earned the wages of death. It's coming. Sooner or later, death is coming. There is no stopping its arrival. It may be today. It may be next week. It may be next year. Make no mistake. It is appointed for man to die once and after that comes judgment. David was heard. As he calls to the Lord in his distress, in his dismay, in his weakness, the Lord heard and delivered. Does the Lord hear your cries when you're in distress? The truth is the Lord of heaven and earth will not hear everyone's cry for deliverance from death. Unless Jesus Christ intercedes for you, unless He pleads His blood on your behalf, your cries for deliverance will not be heard. Unlike David, whose cries were heard and deliverance was had from the hand of death, if you remain unrepentant, if you refuse to believe in Jesus as your Savior, you will not be delivered. But if that describes you tonight, there's still time. As long as you have breath, You can plead before the Lord, and you should plead before the Lord. Plead that He would change your heart tonight. But if your answer is yes, the Lord hears me. On what basis? On what basis do you know, are you confident that God will hear your cries and deliver you? You see, my friends, there is only one reason, there is only one basis upon which God will hear your cries and deliver you, and it was the same basis for David. And that basis is his son, his only son. The only reason that God will hear your cries in your distress is the intercession and mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ. as you trust in Him, as your faith is placed squarely upon Jesus Christ, and He will plead His blood for you, and you will be delivered. That's reason for praise tonight, isn't it? That's reason for worship tonight. Praise the Lord for Christ's constant and loving intercession on your behalf as you trust in Him. As the Lord delivers all who call upon Him in loving worship. Why do you love the Lord? What's the basis? What's the foundation? Many have gone before and loved with their lips, but not with their hearts. That was the problem of the Pharisees. That was the problem of the Israelites when they were delivered across the Red Sea and delivered out of the hands of their oppressors, the Egyptians, but three days later, grumbled and murmured before God and complained against Him. What happened to their love? See, there must be a foundation. There must be a reason. You must know the Lord as the one, as the only one who's been your personal rock, your fortress. You must know of the unraveling of the cords of death. You must personally experience the cutting loose of the snares of sin, which has so entangled you, the unburdening of your heart. Only this will bring you to truly and consistently to love the Lord Jesus. If you know this love tonight, if this is the foundation, then like David, praise him who is worthy. For this love is a gift. It is his abundant gift to you. And then he calls you even now, like David, to tell others what the Lord has done for you. and granting you this supernatural love. Amen. Father and our God, you've only touched upon this psalm, even touched upon these first six verses tonight. And what a blessing you've bestowed upon us. We thank you, Lord God, for directing us here to this place. We thank you, Lord God, for opening up your word by your spirit. We thank you and praise you, Father, for setting love in our hearts for Jesus Christ. Help us, Lord, each one of us, to know the foundation, to know the basis of that love in his precious blood. Help us to fix that in our hearts and minds that our love would never wane but only increase. We thank you and praise you for you are the only one worthy to be called upon and to be worshipped lovingly.