PSALM 18:31–50 I Will Praise You among the Nations
READ: PSALM 18:31–50 (ROMANS 15:8–13)
v. 49 “For this I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations.”
The nations are the enemies in Psalm 18. The psalm’s title tells us that David sang it “on the day when the LORD rescued him from the hand of all his enemies.” As King of Israel, he waged war against the Philistines, Moabites, Syrians, Edomites, and Ammonites, and the LORD gave him victory over them all. David joyfully recalls this in verse 43, “You made me the head of the nations; people whom I had not known served me.”
Conquered countries don’t usually like reminders of those who conquered them—it’s painful enough to be a defeated people. But David promises to praise the LORD’s name “among the nations,” to celebrate among them the One who gave him victory. That sounds like gloating, rubbing salt into their wounds, but it’s actually a beautiful prophecy of David’s great son.
Jesus once said that his kingdom was not of this world (John 18:36). He is not an ordinary king who does things in the ordinary way. That’s because his fight isn’t against armies of flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces of evil. So also the victory that Jesus won on the cross isn’t just for Israel, it’s for all people. Like David said, the LORD’s name can be praised “among the nations,” for salvation in Christ Jesus is now available to all, no matter their tribe or nationality. This is why Paul quotes our verse in Romans 15:9 when he speaks about Christ as the hope of Jews and Gentiles alike.
How great is God’s sovereign mercy! In Psalm 18 the nations are the defeated enemies, but there’s a wondrous hint of what is yet to come, for these same nations will one day be blessed with hearing the message of Christ. And that includes us Gentiles: we too have been told the gospel of salvation—former outsiders who’ve been included by God’s grace and brought into Christ’s kingdom.
Christ is our glorious King, and today we enjoy his perfect care and protection. As his citizens, we also have work to do. For there remain many people in this world who don’t know the name of Christ. Wherever the Lord has put us, we have a great message to share about his victory over sin and the devil. Let us tell about the salvation that’s available through faith in Christ Jesus. Today let us praise his name among the nations!
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