A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord, who spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. And he said: I will love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. (Psalm 18:1-2)
It is interesting, and noteworthy, that David regards himself as a servant of the LORD, a claim by the way, that is validated by God Himself on more than one occasion. There are others who were regarded as a servant of the LORD — men like Abraham, Jacob and Moses. The Hebrew term for servant, עבד eved, is also rendered as bondservant which speaks of someone who had devoted themselves completely to their master without any reservations. This brand of servant is joyful at the prospect of serving God, refusing to see service as a burden, but viewing it as a blessing.
Contrast this with those who are servants to men. Even the best of them tend to become bitter and are very often inclined to grumble and complain about anything and everything — albeit behind the backs of those they serve. Come to think of it, this describes some of those who, at Mount Sinai, professed a commitment to serve the God of Israel but who very quickly demonstrated it wasn’t really in their heart to follow through on their pledge. In other words, not everyone who calls themselves a servant of God is considered to be so by God. That being so, perhaps we should first count the costs and consider just what is expected of us if we are going to claim to be His servant.
It would seem that David understand the importance of this commitment and, though he faltered from time to time, he was quick to return to the path that led to life and blessing. That path is the one that God has ordained for us, and which requires that we be devoted to serve His will and purpose no matter the cost to us. And while there is a cost to consider, there is also a reward to expect — the Almighty will be our strength, our fortress and salvation. Finally, let’s consider this: what greater compliment could one hope for than to be endorsed by the Almighty Himself as being His servant? When it is my time to stand before Him, more than anything else, I long to hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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