There is Purpose/God’s Will Behind Every Suffering
Psalm 18 is the highlight of David’s psalms. It must be because it is when David praised the Lord for
delivering him from the hands of King Saul and all of his enemies. Can you imagine how joyful David
must have been? How elated? He must have been enthralled to dance before the Lord, as Moses and
Israelites have after God delivered them out of Egypt and crossed the Red Sea.
This psalm very much resembles the song sung by Moses after he crossed the Red Sea (Exodus 15).
According to Samuels, David’s poem is written after Absalom’s rebellion was disbanded and everything
has been restored. David once again saw his sinfulness through Absalom’s rebellion. He repented his sin
through prayer and went back to the place of worship.
And by having hope in salvation, he accepted the pain as God’s will. David, firmly believing that the
pain, too, was God’s blessing, rose to a higher place “with the feet of a deer” (Psalm 13:33) to praise
God’s goodness.
David is a man of suffering. Suffering has the power to render a man to be pitiful. However, if we
perceive the purpose behind the suffering, the perspective shifts. God is a Good Father; He does not
cruelly torment his previous children without a clear purpose. David spent all of his vibrant youth
withstanding Saul’s harrassments. However, amid the suffering, he faithfully sought God’s face and
witnessed His glory. He has tasted and seen God’s unfailing love. Then he rose to become a king. In this
stable and prosperous time, David committed adultery with Bathsheba. However, God did not let David
be blinded by complacency and once again opened David’s eyes to his sin and taught him genuine
repentance and the joy of salvation that followed.
Life’s greatest crisis came again:
David’s life now seemed to be on his prosperous path without any special obstacles. However, the
rebellion of his beloved son Absalom occurred; even that was completely unexpected. Leaving the palace
and Jerusalem may seem pitiful, but David clung to God’s faithfulness, the humblest attitude and
beautiful worship itself.
Letting his hair hung loose, covering his eyes, crying and crossing the Kidron stream barefoot through the
wilderness to the Mount of Olives reminds us of Jesus ascending to the hill of Mount Olives. As David
climb the Mount of Olives, news comes: his friend, his advisor Ahithophel has joined the side of
Absalom.
David prays as he hears the betrayal of his closest friend. “Let his plan be futile.” He climbs the mountain
and restores his prayer. He continues to climb to the summit of Mount Olives, where the place of worship
is located. There he meets another friend, Advisor Hushai, who has a plan to frustrate Absalom and
Ahithophel. He is now coming down from the top. On the way down, he meets Saul’s relative Shimei.
Shimei throws dust and stones into David’s face and curses. In the face of such ridicule and shame, he
accepts the curse as a will of God.
Like feet of a deer
David acknowledged God’s sovereignty and stood before God’s presence even in the midst of suffering.
God then lightened David’s heavy feet to become like feet of a deer so that he may stand high and sing
praises. God has lifted David to be a celebrated “hero” He has become the light that directs all nations to
witness the glory of God.