Read Psalm 9.
I remember superhero movies growing up. They were a bit campy, but we enjoyed them anyways. Superhero movies of today are highly popular and done at a much higher quality. While there are all different types of superhero movies - from Spiderman to Ironman to Batman - there are common themes that run through each of them. Good versus evil. The hero who escapes the clutches of defeat to deliver the world from the villain. God chose a people, the Israelites, to be His chosen people. They were to be a holy people. God blessed and protected His people from other evil nations. That's what vs. 1-12 focus on. David is praising God for delivering him and the people, time and time again. In the last eight verses he is praying to God for further deliverance from his enemies. These superhero movies are a metaphor for our need of One more powerful and mighty to rescue us from evil.
It's easy sometimes to think of Jesus as being only in the New Testament. But Jesus is the hero of the entire Bible. Every passage of Scripture must make its way ultimately back to Him. So, how does this chapter help point us back to Jesus? Well, there is an evil villain; his name is Satan. He's the archenemy of Jesus. Throughout Scripture he tried to trip Jesus up. It looked like he would win when Jesus was nailed to the cross. But just like in the superhero movies, He escaped the clutches of defeat and delivered His people. He escaped the clutches of defeat when He rose from the dead. And so like David in vs. 1-12, we can praise God for giving us the deliverance from the enemy from saving us from an eternity in hell. And like in vs. 13-20, we can pray by faith for the daily deliverance from the Evil One. Jesus is the hero of the Bible. And He's the hero of our lives. So let's not make the Bible about us. And let's not make our daily lives about us. It's about lifting high the name of our superhero Savior!
Do you take time regularly to praise God for how Jesus has delivered you from Satan? Are you asking daily for God to deliver you from temptation?
In what ways can you exalt Jesus as your superhero Savior this week?
Prayer for the day: "Lord, you have delivered me from evil time and time again. I want to stop and thank you for being so faithful in protecting me. And Lord, I ask that you give me deliverance today from the things that can trip me up. I know by faith that you have given me the power I need for victorious living through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. I give you praise and honor Father. Amen."